It’s been a bit of a slow start for the Chemainus Brewers junior men’s baseball team through no fault of their own.
The Brewers had some exhibition games cancelled and then it started pouring rain when they showed up for their South Island Baseball League openers in Victoria a couple of weeks back, resulting in a postponement.
They finally got into some action on the weekend with two games Saturday against the Layritz Reds and a pair of outings Sunday in Lake Cowichan during Lake Days.
“Our start to the year has been pretty rough with 95 per cent of our games getting cancelled, but hopefully it will smooth out from now on and be playing at least two games a weekend from here on out,” noted coach and player Bryan Wheeler.
The opening league games Saturday resulted in 9-1 and 9-3 wins.
Saturday Game 1 highlights included: Cam Frame going two-for-four with two runs and a walk; Jayden Hamm’s three-for-five effort with a run, three RBIs and a stolen base; and a perfect three-for-three at the plate for Ethan Whitelaw, along with a walk and a stolen base.
Whitelaw also pitched a complete seven-innings game with one earned run. He got himself out of multiple bases loaded jams with one or none out.
Saturday Game 2 highlights were: Hamm, two-for-four, two runs, one RBI; Randy Camaraza, three-for-three, two runs, one RBI, one walk; Zach Komst, one-for-three, two runs, one RBI, one walk; Adam Sakuma, one-for-two, two RBIs, two walks; Jorge Reyes, one-for-four, three RBIs, 1 walk; and Gryphon Rennie, one-for-two, two runs.
Frame started the game, pitching four strong innings. Sakuma came in to relieve him and pitched three innings, with three runs allowed to secure the win.
Sunday action at Lake Cowichan resulted in a 17-0 loss to Cuba and a 6-5 walk-off win over the Mid-Island Mustangs in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The winning run resulted when Jiovanny Estevez walked, stole second base and scored on Whitelaw’s single up the middle.
The first official regular-season doubleheader at the Chemainus Ball Park will be June 15 against the Layritz Rockies. Games will be at noon and 3 p.m.