The Ridge Meadows Royals suffered their first loss of the midget AAA regular season Saturday, but still earned a split in a weekend series against Chilliwack.
The host Royals won the first game of the double-header 9-3, but dropped the second 4-2 – ending a 13-game winning streak for the Ridge this season.
The Royals broke a 3-3 tie with six runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning to win the first game.
Royals starting pitcher Keanen Buckley made it into the fifth without allowing a run, despite base runners in every inning. Cole Johnson relieved Buckley and picked up the win.
At the plate, Cole Ross went 2-4, scored two runs and drove in two. Alex Miyahara was 2-3 with an RBI and two runs. Brandon Sound went 2-3 with 2 RBI. Kevin Bork was 2-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and two stolen bases.
In the second game, Sound tossed his second complete game of the season, but the Royals’ offense stranded base runners in all but one inning.
Despite several defensive miscues that led to four runs against, the Royals had the tying run on base in the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn’t cash it in.
Bork had another strong game at the dish, going 3-4 with a stolen base and a run scored.
The Royals remain in second place with a 5-1 league record. They don’t play at home again for the next five weeks.
Bantam AAAs win three of four
The Ridge Meadows Royals won three straight games – their first victories of the regular season – on the weekend in Victoria, outscoring their opponents 35-14.
The Royals opened Saturday with a 9-4 loss to the Victoria Sr. Eagles, despite a home run by Brendan Halstrom. Defensive miscues played a part in the loss.
Colin McMaster hit his second homer of the young season in the back end of the double-header as the Royals edged the Sr. Eagles 4-3.
On Sunday, the Royals downed the Victoria Jr. Eagles 12-1 and 10-6.
The Royals are now 3-1-1 and fifth in the bantam AAA division of the B.C. Minor Baseball Association. They play the third-place Burnaby Braves on Wednesday at Kensington Park.