The Yorkton Cardinals managed a split in six games in the last week, edging the team into third place in the Saskatchewan Division of the Western Major Baseball League.
The Cardinals sport a record of 12-17, half a game back of Regina, and six back of Division-leading Weyburn.
Moose Jaw sits only half a game back of Yorkton for fourth place with Melville and Swift Current both eight games off the pace of the front-running Beavers.
Cardinal head coach Kameron Mizzell said the week was better, coming on the heels of a spell in the season which he said the team had not played well.
But three wins in six might not be good enough by season鈥檚 end. Mizzell said the losses, especially a pair on their home field to rival Melville by one run could come back to haunt them in their hunt for a playoff spot.
鈥淵ou have to win these games no matter what the cost,鈥� he said, adding offensively the Cardinals have got to scratch for more runs. 鈥溾�� You鈥檝e got to get on base whether it鈥檚 a walk, taking a pitch, laying down a bunt.鈥�
Mizzell said when the team fails to score more than one run wins are going to be hard to come by, and as the WMBL heads toward the stretch run, they need wins.
To get the offence generating more runs Mizzell said they鈥檒l work on a few things in batting practice, but with a heavy schedule there is limited time to work on things, so players have to work on focusing in during every in-game at-bat.
On the positive side of the equation, even in the losses during the week Mizzell said Cardinal starting pitchers have thrown well.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e kept us in games, gave us a chance,鈥� he said.
Weekend pair with Mils
Saturday the Cardinals scored a run in the first and a pair in the second inning to take an early 3-0 lead over Melville at Jubilee Field.
In the seventh the Cards would add a fourth run, one which would prove critical as the Millionaires flirted with a huge comeback scoring three in the ninth to make it close at 4-3.
Codie Scanlon went eight scoreless innings, scattering six hits and striking out nine to eventually earn the win.
Logan Parachoniak would start the ninth for Yorkton, but would not get an out while giving up two hits, a walk and three earned runs, before giving way to Aaron Dick who earned the save.
The teams hooked up again Sunday at Jubilee Field in a fine pitching duel.
The teams traded single runs in the first, with Melville adding one in the fourth, for what would end as a 2-1 Millionaires win.
Garrett Osterode went 8.1 innings as the Cardinal starter, allowing only five hits, the two earned runs and striking out four, but still taking the loss.
Hunter Vasquez was the Melville starter, two-hitting the Cardinals, while striking out three through seven innings of work for the win.
Dominick Dibella picked up a save throwing the ninth.
A game not against Melville
Friday the Cardinals played their only game of the week against a team other than Melville, heading to Moose Jaw to face the Miller Express.
Yorkton plated a quartet of runs in the fourth and added two in the sixth for a 6-0 lead, before Moose Jaw finally scored one in the eighth and one in the ninth to round out a 6-2 Cardinal win.
Rodney McKay earned the win on the Yorkton mound starting the game and going six scoreless innings, striking out three and giving up six hits.
听Win at Pirie Field
Yorkton travelled to Melville Thursday where the Cardinals struck first with two runs in the third, only to give one of those back to the Millionaires in the home-half of the frame.
But Melville would be held scoreless the rest of the way, while Yorkton added runs in the seventh and ninth for a 4-1 win.
Eric Nerl was the winning pitcher for Yorkton. He went the distance scattering seven hits, striking out seven, and only allowing the one earned run.
Curtis Johnson took the loss for Melville.
Close on Canada Day
It was a pitching duel at Jubilee Field in Yorkton Canada Day with Melville鈥檚 Ben Schweinfurth locking horns with Yorkton鈥檚 Camran Bonnema.
Schweinfurth would go the distance allowing only four hits and striking out nine for the win.
Bonnema would allow only three hits, and strike out five, but took the loss giving up one earned run in the 1-0 Cardinal defeat..
Yorkton鈥檚 Derek Marshall wrapped up with a scoreless ninth for the Cardinals.
听Last Tuesday
Back on June 30 the Cardinals were in Melville where they were nipped by the Millionaires 3-2.
Yorkton took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, only to give one of those runs back in the home-half of the frame.
The Mils would then knot the score 2-2 with a run in the sixth, then add the eventual winning run with a run in the seventh.
Dondrei Hubbard had both RBIs for the Cards.
Garrett Osterode started on the mound for Yorkton throwing 5.1 innings, before giving way to Aaron Dick who would be tagged with the lost giving up the winning run to the Mils.
听Up next
The Cardinals were scheduled to host Edmonton Tuesday, results were not available at press time, with the teams locking up again tonight at Jubilee Park (Wednesday).
Thursday the Cardinals go on the road to face Regina, then head into Melville Friday.
Saturday Weyburn will visit Jubilee Field, with Regina here Sunday.
