MOOSE JAW -- A dozen runs proved to be the winning formula for three Saskatchewan teams in Western Canadian Baseball League action on Saturday night.
The Swift Current 57’s overcame a pair of early deficits to take a 12-8 win over the Moose Jaw Miller Express in Swift Current, while the Regina Red Sox took a 12-2 win over the Medicine Hat Mavericks and Saskatoon Berries downed the Weyburn Beavers 12-5.
Swift Current 12, Moose Jaw 8
The Express took 4-0 and 6-4 leads in the early innings, but the 57’s rallied with a four-run fifth to break a 6-6 tie and pull away for good.
Gus Koehn had his best game of the season and then some for Swift Current, going 3-for-3 with a double, two home runs, two runs scored and seven runs batted in. Trigg Mapes also had a solid outing, going 3-for-5 with two runs and five RBI, while Luis Ayala crossed the plate three times.
Eduardo Saenz led Moose Jaw at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a homer, two runs and two RBI.
Ryker Ratcliff started for Swift and allowed six runs on nine hits over 2 ⅓ innings, but Jaylen Gutierrez picked up the win, giving up only three hits in 4 ⅔ innings of relief work.
Joe Gutierrez took the loss for Moose Jaw, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in 4 ⅓ innings.
Moose Jaw fell to 6-8 and are fourth in the East Division, Swift Current improved to 3-11 and are sixth.
Regina 12, Medicine Hat 2
The Red Sox took an early 5-1 lead and steadily chipped away from there on their way to a comfortable win at Currie Field.
Riley Bender was one of Regina’s offensive leaders with a 3-for-4 showing that included a pair of RBI, while Rafael Jackson was 2-for-5 with a home run, run scored and two RBI. Brady Bye knocked in three runs, while Jackson Syring and Jordan Tucker each scored three runs.
Jeremy Freeman Jr. was 2-for-4 with a pair of triples for the Mavericks.
Kai Langford had a quality start to earn the win for Regina, allowing a single run on four hits over six innings of work.
Danny Retzlaff started for Medicine Hat and gave up five runs on eight hits over three innings to take the loss.
Regina improves to 8-5 and are third in the East, Medicine Hat drops to 11-5 to sit second.
Saskatoon 12, Weyburn 5
After a close start, the Berries pulled away with four runs in the fourth and tacked on another four in the seven to win their fifth straight and league-best 12th of the season.
Ethan Menard went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles, crossing the plate three times and knocking in a pair. Nate Houston and Cory Wouters were each 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
Noah Brooks and Brayden Mayencourt each hit balls out of Cairns Field for Weyburn, with Brooks going 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBI while Mayencourt was 2-for-5. Ian Heck also had three hits.
Matt Whitney had another quality start for the Berries, giving up two runs on six hits over six innings to secure the win.
Dylan Parton took the loss but was victimized by untimely errors, allowing seven runs, three earned, on nine hits over four innings.
Saskatoon is now 12-2 on the campaign and first in the East, Medicine Hat is right behind them at 11-5 and in second.
WCBL action continues Sunday with Weyburn at Saskatoon (1 p.m.), Medicine Hat at Regina (2 p.m.) and Swift Current at Moose Jaw (2:05 p.m.).
