One thing you know is that the Red Deer Riggers will never give up.
Problem was they got themselves in too deep of a hole — trailing 8-0 in the fifth — and couldn’t come all the way back, losing 8-7 to the Sherwood Park Athletics before close to 300 fans at Great Chief Park Monday.
The loss evened the best-of-five Sunburst Baseball League and provincial senior AAA championship series at 1-1 with the third and fourth games, Wednesday and Thursday in Sherwood Park. If a fifth game is necessary it’s Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Great Chief Park.
The A’s got to Riggers starter Davin Gulbransen for a single run in the first, then added three in the third on a three-run blast by Lance Romanchuk, who will join the Riggers at the national championships in New Brunswick.
“We got ourselves in some trouble early, down 4-0 and 8-0 into the fifth, but our guys still showed a lot of character, a lot of heart and never said die,” said Riggers manager Curtis Bailey.
Riggers had problems solving A’s starter Kiel Vertz until they scored once in the sixth, then added five runs in the seventh.
Vertz allowed just six hits.
“He hides the ball well. He throws out of his shoulder and it’s tough to pick up, especially when the ball is low in the zone,” said Bailey.
Vertz looked to tire in the seventh as he gave up the one hit— a two-run single by Kerry Boon — but Denver Wik reached on an error and Vertz walked two and hit Jason Louis. He left with the bases loaded and just one away. Dylan Theroux came on and walked Curtis Mazurkewich and then hit Shayne Court. That was the end of his day bringing in Jeremy Harasymchuk, who had started at second base.
Aaron Graves reached on a fielder’s choice to make the score 8-6 before Wik grounded out.
Jason Chatwood made the game interesting with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Riggers couldn’t finish the rally in the ninth, despite Court reaching on a hit-by-pitch with one away.
“They were running out of pitchers, but we just didn’t finish,” added Bailey.
Joel Peterman, who worked two innings on Sunday in a 13-7 win, was outstanding for the Riggers pitching the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing one hit while fanning seven.
He also got great defence behind him with Jason Chatwood pulling off possibly the play of the year with a spectacular diving stop in deep short and throwing out speedy Tom Muhlethaler at first.
“That was the play of the year for sure, then he comes up and hits a home run,” said Bailey. “That has to give us some momentum heading into Wednesday.”
Dustin Northcott will start on the mound for the Riggers on Wednesday with either Josh Edwards or Jaret Chatwood going Thursday.
While Bailey would have loved to take both games at home to start the series, he isn’t worried.
“We play well on the road and besides they have a good, gritty team and we expected a battle. It’s also good in that we’ll be ready for some tough play heading into the nationals. Last year we didn’t lose and weren’t prepared.”
Curtis Mazurkewich led the Riggers with three hits and a walk. Romanchuk had four hits for the A’s.