The Sylvan Lake Gulls made it interesting to kick off the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) season.
Facing the defending WCBL champion Lethbridge Bulls on the road in Lethbridge, the Gulls needed every at-bat to pull out an 8-7 victory.
Ty Bourdeau pitched a gem for Sylvan Lake, allowing just two runs and one hit over seven innings while striking out three.
The Gulls had a commanding 7-0 through seven innings before the Bulls got on the comeback trail in the eighth inning.
Lethbridge scored six runs in the eighth before the Gulls cashed in another run in the ninth to take a two-run lead into the final inning.
The Bulls scored just one run in the home half of the ninth to fall short of the comeback.
Gulls centre fielder Chase Rodriguez of Las Vegas, Nevada, hit the Gulls first home run of the season, a solo shot in the first inning. Infielder Jaden Lamothe cashed in a two-RBI single in the five-run seventh, his only hit of the night.
Ben Prediger was one of three Gulls with two hits and he chipped in an RBI. Tyler McWillie and Rodriguez also had two hits.
Elnora’s Cleary Simpson added an RBI. The Gulls left 15 runners on base in the win.
Ryan Reddemann pitched for 1.1 innings striking out two. He also allowed five runs on two hits. Logan Moser came into the ninth for two-thirds of an inning to earn the save.
The Gulls will have a rematch against the Bulls Friday night at 7:05 p.m. in Lethbridge at Spitz stadium.
