Bulls win tight weekend series over Giants

By Lethbridge Herald on June 27, 2022.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Nick Gravel of the Lethbridge Bulls tries to throw to home plate to get an out as pitcher Joseph Sinclair ducks against the Fort McMurray Giants on Saturday.

By Justin Seward

The Lethbridge Bulls find themselves in third place after taking two of three games over the Fort McMurray Giants at Spitz Stadium over the weekend.

Aftera heavy  rain fall on Friday night postponed the opening game , both clubs were forced to play two seven-inning games on Saturday.

Lethbridge edged the Giants in the first game of the double header on Saturday with a 4-2 win.

Bulls starter Joseph Sinclair and Ben Erwin combined for only two runs allowed while first baseman Carter Claerhout provided most of the offence with a three-run home run.

The Giants took the second game 9-8 in the extra eighth inning.

The Bulls took the rubber match of the series 11-9 on Sunday.

While Lethbridge pitcher Max Benton was exposed for six runs on the nine hits through two innings of work, his teammates helped him by countering with seven runs through the first two innings to lead 7-6 and out scored their opponents 4-3 the rest of the way.

Local product Kalem Haney went 4-for-4 at the dish with a walk.

“I thought taking two out of three was good,” said Bulls head coach Chance Wheatley.

“Would have liked to have the third one, but I’ll take the two out of three. And it’s just I thought we hit really well all weekend (and) just had some defensive miscues that we need to clean up and it kind of cost us that second game. But overall I was pretty happy with the weekend.”

Wheatley thought the Giants made their pitchers work.

“They did a heck of a job of putting the ball in play and putting pressure on us and forcing our offence to score some runs,” said Wheatley.

Wheatley said, “Probably the last six or seven games, I thought we’ve started to come around offensively and we carried it over in to this weekend.”

Bulls new comer Brandon Nicoll said it always good to win a series no matter what it is.

“Everyone just has to step up,” he said.

“Everyone has to play the way they can and do everything they can to help the team win. It (was) definitely closer than everyone wants. But those games are always  fun to be a part of.”

The Bull will look to get back to .500 on the season as they take on Okotoks Dawgs tonight at Spitz Stadium at 7:05 p.m.