Fastball season begins with a Royal win in Rainy River!

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The Rainy River Royals kicked off their season with a decisive win last Tuesday when the Sabaskong Cubs visited.
The Royals got off to an early lead in the bottom of the 1st inning. Wes Blight hit a single and then stole two bases. He was brought home by a Don Gall double. Royals lead 1-0 after one.
Solid pitching from Royals veteran Murray Armstrong was the story the Cubs had to face. It was three up three down in both the 1st and 2nd innings with all the Cubs striking out in the 2nd.
In the bottom of two, Steve Molodowich hit a single and then stole second base. Todd Canfield then hit a single and brought Molodowich home. Royals lead 2-0 after two.
Murray Armstrong then struck out two of four hitters and stranded one keeping the Cubs off the board after three. However, the bottom of the inning was a different story for the Royals. The Cubs pitching wheels fell off. Just about everyone on the Royals line-up scored one run and two picked up two! Mitch Nicollettes started things off with a triple. Don Gall hit a double to score Nicollettes. Gall would steal third before being brought home by Earl Ivall who would be brought home by Walter Wagner. Wagner scored when Canfield hit a single. Justin Wagner then hit a triple scoring Canfield. Blight scored Justin with a single. Nicollettes then took his second poke at the score board by earning a walk. Gall then hit an in-field homer scoring three more. Before the Cubs changed their pitcher the Royals had scored 9 runs to lead 11-0.
In the top of the 4th the Cubs answered with a lone run to make it 11-1. Their new pitcher then retired the Royals in the bottom of the inning three in a row.
Top of the 5th Cubs’ Doug Kelly was the only player to take advantage of the strong winds that evening and hit a solo homerun over the fence. Royals would add three more in the bottom of the inning to secure a solid win. The Cubs would get one more in the top of the 7th but that was it. Final score was 14-3 for the Royals.
In other action:
May 14th
Barwick 12 Vs Dawson 5
WP JJ Landry
LP Matt Godin
No Homeruns

Beefs Warriors 13 Vs Sab Lakers 8
WP Kevin Gemmell
LP Merlin Kelly
Homerun for Warriors; Kevin Gemmell 1
Homerun for Lakers; Charles Joseph 1

Stratton 17 Vs Manitou 9
WP Guy Arpin
LP Charlie Debungee
No Homeruns

Sight & Sound 13 Vs Northwest Bay 8
WP Marcel Pagee
LP Don Smith
No Homeruns

Big Island 11 Vs Couchiching 13
WP Chris Morrisseau
LP Carl Jr Big George
Homeruns for Couchiching; Faron Morriseau 1, Randy Morrisseau 1, Andrew
Easton 1

May 16
Dawson 5 Vs BG Braves 3
WP Mitch Seguin
LP Travis Tom
Homerun for Braves; Jesse Tom 1

Barwick 10 Vs Sab Cubs 2
WP JJ Landry
LP Joe Jack
Homeruns for Barwick; Vaughan Wilson 1, DJ Mosbeck 1

Manitou 8 Vs Beefs Warriors 13
WP Kevin Gemmell
LP Shawn Brown
Homerun for Manitou; Brandon McGinnis 1

Rainy River 16 Vs Northwest Bay 16
RR Pitcher Jayden Gustafson
NWB Pitcher Glenn Smith
Game called due to darkness

Couchiching 15 Vs Stratton 10
WP Dennis Morrisseau
LP Jeff Kreger
Homeruns for Couch; Cole Calder 1, Dennis Morrisseau 1

Big Island 4 Vs Sight & Sound 5
WP Marcel Pagee
LP Jeff Morrison
Homerun for S&S; Duane Carlson 1