After a shaky start to the week the Yorkton Cardinals ripped off three straight wins.
The mini winning streak has the Cardinals two games off the pace in the Western Major Baseball League鈥檚 Saskatchewan Division with a record of 7-5.
Weyburn leads the Division at 9-3, 1.5 games up on Regina, and two better than the Cardinals. Moose Jaw sits fourth, five off the Beavers pace.
The streak started Thursday hosting Swift Current - a team the Cardinals have traditionally had trouble with.
The Indians would score first plating a run in the second, but Yorkton responded with two in the third and four in the fourth to take a solid 6-1 lead, a lead which held until the ninth when Swift made it interesting scoring three.
It was a night when the Cardinals managed only seven hits, compared to the Indians鈥� 13, but still got the win.
Michael Schofield led the Cardinal offence with three runs batted in.
Eric Nerl was the starter for Yorkton throwing six innings, allowing seven hits and one unearned run while striking out six.
Schofield would take the mound to get the final two outs in the ninth to also collect a save.
Saturday the Regina Red Sox rolled into Jubilee Park.
The Cardinals struck for three in the second and added one in the seventh before finally giving the Sox a pair in the ninth for a 4-2 win.
Camran Bonnema went 7.2 innings as the Cardinal starter scattering seven hits, allowing no runs and striking out five.
Schofield earned the save getting all three outs in the ninth after Garrett Osterode gave up the two runs.
Cardinal coach Kameron Mizzell said the Cardinals showed resiliency after early losses in the week.
鈥淭he team bounced back pretty well,鈥� he said, adding it helped to get strong starting pitching, pointing at both Nerl and Bonnema. 鈥淭he starting pitching has been doing a great job.鈥�
Against the Sox the Cardinals also plated the first runs, something Mizzell has repeatedly stated is huge as it means the opposition has to respond with multiple runs to get the lead.
鈥淪coring first is key,鈥� he said, adding the Cardinals have been able to build on early runs of late, to get to much-needed wins.
Having the two wins at Jubilee Park was big too, offered Mizzell.
鈥淵ou always want to win at home,鈥� he said.
The Cardinals then hit the road Sunday to play Moose Jaw.
Yorkton plated a single run in the second, gave Moose Jaw two in the fifth, then added two of their own in the seventh for a 3-2 win.
Codi Scanlon tossed 8.1 innings as the Cardinal starter scattered five hits and gave up two runs, both earned, while striking out seven for the win.
Schofield cleaned up the last two outs in the ninth for his third save in three games.
Dawg days
The Okotoks Dawgs rolled into Yorkton last Tuesday and Wednesday and turned the Cardinals into their chew toys.
Tuesday the Dawgs took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, then added three in the fourth for a 6-0 lead.
The Cardinals would try to fight back in the game with a pair in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth but would not find the tying run in the 6-5 loss.
Zach Mihic would lead the Cardinal offence with two doubles and a pair of RBIs.
Aaron Dick started on the mound for Yorkton going four, allowing 10 hits,and all six runs, five of those earned, to be tagged with the loss.
A night later it was a far uglier game for the home side.
The game started out a quick and scoreless affair through three innings Wednesday, then the Dawgs struck for eight in the fourth and would add two in the sixth and one in the seventh, coasting to an 11-2 win.
The Cardinal pitchers allowed 13 hits and issued seven walks while the team committed three errors on the night.
Max Chadsey would start but get through only 3.1 innings, allowing six runs, five earned, to take the loss.
Up next
The Cardinals were to host Lethbridge last night, Tuesday, but results were unavailable at press time. The same Bulls are scheduled to play tonight at Jubilee Park as well.
Yorkton then hits the road to play in Medicine Hat Thursday and Friday before taking on Regina in the Queen City on Saturday.
They鈥檒l then be back at Jubilee Park Sunday as they host Weyburn.
