Bulls ready off the bat in win over Red Sox

By Lethbridge Herald on June 22, 2023.

Herald photo by JUSTIN SEWARD Lethbridge Bulls Kalem Haney tags out the Regina Red Sox’s Dylan Edmands during Western Canadian Baseball League action on Thursday night at Spitz Stadium.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Lethbridge Bulls improved to a record of 11-8 on the season after beating the Regina Red Sox 5-1 on Thursday night at Spitz Stadium.

Bulls head coach Chance Wheatley was asked about the energy brought to the game a night after a 7-1 win in Swift Current.

“Yeah, it was good to be back home,” said Wheatley.

“(The) guys came out swinging. Yeah, we were ready to go from the first pitch today. So it was good to see.”

As for the difference in the game, Wheatley said just  getting on the bats early and not waiting around until (the) fifth or sixth inning.

“Which we kind have been doing lately,” he said.

“So we got a good start from our starter and a lot of pitchers threw real well.”

It was the first time both clubs faced each other this season.

“We don’t know a lot about them,” said Wheatley.

“So, you know, kind of don’t think too much and  just go out there and play.”

The Bulls’ Carter Claerhout led off the second inning with a double and opened the scoring on a two out single by Kade Massey.

With two outs still in the second inning , Massey would score on a wild pitch to give Lethbridge a 2-0 lead.

The Red Sox’s Mike Piazza scored on an Anthony Sharkas ground out to get Regina’s first run of the game in the top of the third inning.

Nick Gravel made the score 3-1 when he scored on a catcher’s throwing error in the bottom of the third inning.

Lethbridge extended their lead to 5-1 when Coaldale’s Torrin Vaselenak hit a two-run home run to left field in the seventh inning.

Claerhout hit a double prior to Vaselenak’s home run.

“I mean pretty good game,” said Gravel.

“Andrew (Kithil) had the start. He went out and did really well. (He) kept us in the game and hitters came up, did their job, (and) got some runs in.”

The Bulls got five runs on 12 hits and the Red Sox had a run on five hits.

Kithil pitched three innings, while giving up a run on two hits, before giving way to Kole Jessamine who also pitched three innings and had five strike outs and giving up a hit.

Brad Goodwin and Colby Snider pitched the remaining inning to preserve the win for the Bulls.

Both team will be right back it tonight at Spitz Stadium with first pitch going at 7:05 p.m.