Gulls hold off the Bulls

By Lethbridge Herald on August 14, 2021.

A bit of late-game sizzle on the sticks wasn’t enough to snap the Lethbridge Bulls late-season losing skid.

The Bulls were downed 12-7 by the Sylvan Lake Gulls in Western Canadian Baseball League play Friday night at Spitz Stadium.

Down 11-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to a three-run fourth inning and a five-run fifth for the Gulls, the Bulls plated four runs to cut Sylvan Lake’s lead to 11-7. But the Gulls added one more run in the ninth to round out the scoring and post their fifth straight win that improves them to 21-17.

It also puts them two games up on the Bulls, who drop their fourth straight to fall to 19-19 as the teams complete their regular-season ending series with a pair of games in Sylvan Lake, starting tonight at 7:05 p.m. and again on Sunday at 2:05 p.m.

The loss ruined a solid night at the plate for local product Ty Penner, who batted 2-for-4, including his second home run of the season.

The Bulls got off to a promising start with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first.

Carlin Dick doubled to left field and scored on a wild pitch to open the scoring.

Noah Or made it 2-0, scoring on a Penner single to right field.

After the Gulls’ three-run fourth inning and five-run fifth, Lethbridge cut the lead to 8-3 in their half of the sixth on a solo home run from Penner for his second RBI of the game.

The Gulls responded in the top of the eighth with another three runs to move up 11-3, but the Bulls found some late game offence in their half of the inning.

Or doubled to lead off and Penner and Jack Ray walked to load the bases.

Nick Gravel singled to score Or before Sam Hilgersom singled to bring in Penner and Ray.

Gravel then scored on a single from Josh Kabayama.

But the Gulls added a little insurance in the ninth with one more run to salt the win as the teams head to Sylvan Lake tonight.

Each team had 12 hits.

Or was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Dick batted 2-for-4 with one run scored.

Gravel was 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI.

Nolan Weger and Cooper Jones each had three-hit nights for the Gulls. Jones also had three RBI, giving him 23 this season.

Kyle Poapst took the loss for the Bulls, going one inning and giving up three runs on three hits, walking two and striking out two.

David Stewart was the winning pitcher for Sylvan Lake, throwing one and one-third innings, surrendering four runs on four hits, walking one and striking out two.

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