Riggers 10 Tigers 0
Talk about rude hosts.
The Red Deer Riggers erupted for seven first-inning runs en route to a 10-0 trouncing of the St. Albert Tigers in Friday’s opening game of the Riggers senior men’s baseball tournament at Great Chief Park.
Jordan Weinkauf cracked a three-run triple in the opening frame and Curtis Bailey added insurance with a two-run homer in the second inning. The game was called after four and a half innings due to the mercy rule.
Winning pitcher Davin Gulbransen allowed just three hits while recording two strikeouts.
“Davin was around the zone all night,” said Bailey, the Riggers playing-manager. “The zone seemed to be pretty tight from the start, so he probably threw a few more pitches than he needed to, but he was effective.
“Same thing with our hitters. They got the job done . . . single, single single . . . we just kind of beat them down.”
Jason Chatwood stroked three singles for the Riggers, who got a pair of one-baggers from each of Reign Letkeman and Kevin Curran. The Riggers touched Tigers pitcher Matt Hammond for 14 hits.
The Riggers swing back into action tonight at 7:30 p.m. against the Calgary Wolfpack and Bailey isn’t worried about any sort of potential letdown through the rest of the tournament.
“We can put anybody out there off the bench and he’ll come in and perform,” he said. “Our guys are not going out there looking at pitches. They’re getting in there to be aggressive and have smart at-bats.”
In earlier games today, the Fort Saskatchewan A’s will meet the Edmonton Cubs at 9:30 a.m. and will take on the Calgary Cardinals at 2:30 p.m., the Tigers and Wolfpack will clash at noon and the Cubs and Cardinals will do battle at 5 p.m.
The fifth-sixth game will be played Sunday at 9:30 a.m., and will be followed by the semifinals at noon and 2:30 p.m. and the championship final at 5 p.m.