Miller Express win two of three to open Western Canadian Baseball League campaign

Moose Jaw falls 3-2 to Weyburn in season opener before taking 11-4 victory in home opener, riding near-perfect game from Merk to 7-1 win in Regina Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

It stands to reason that as a Regina native, Moose Jaw Miller Express pitcher Ethan Merk is plenty comfortable in the confines of Currie Field.

That familiarity undoubtedly played a part in how things went for the second-year veteran in Western Canadian Baseball League action on Sunday afternoon.

Merk would carry a perfect game into the eighth inning but would settle for a one-hitter in a 7-1 victory for the Miller Express.

The win closed out a decent opening weekend for the local squad, as they lost their season opener 3-2 to the Weyburn Beavers on Friday before rolling to an 11-6 victory over the Beavers on Saturday in their home opener at Ross Wells Park.

Moose Jaw’s 2-1 record has them tied for first with Swift Current in the WCBL’s East Division after opening weekend.

Moose Jaw 7, Regina 1

Red Sox hitter Dylan Edmonds hit a one-out, 2-2 offering into right field in the bottom of the eighth to break up Merk’s perfect game bid.

Merk would get out of things without allowing a run, with a single hit and a single error on his ledger. He’d finish with 100 pitches on the nose, 68 of them for strikes, and six strikeouts.

Millers newcomer Zach Sigmond pitched the ninth and allowed a single run on two hits.

Moose Jaw wasted little time getting things going offensively, as they put up a pair of runs in the first, extended the lead to 5-0 through two and 6-0 through three.

Cristian Yanez led the Miller Express offence with a 2-for-3 showing that included a double, run scored and run batted in. Luke Lachance was 2-for-3 with a run and RBI, while Dougie DelaCruz crossed the plate twice.

Jonathan Henry got the start for Regina and look the loss, lasting a single inning and giving up five runs on three hits and two walks.

Moose Jaw 11, Weyburn 6

Wyatt Tweet had a stellar onfield debut for the Express, going 4-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and two runs batted in to lead Moose Jaw to their comfortable win.

“That was a really big team game,” said Tweet, who took a 0-2 offering over the fence in right centre for a 2-0 lead in the second inning. “I got my opportunity and I was going to do what I can to produce for the team and I think everyone on this roster gets it and supports the next guy. Especially our pitching staff today, they were amazing and we just rolled through and got the job done.”

Matt Vasquez made his Millers debut on the mound and allowed a single run over three innings of work, surrendering a single hit, walking three and striking out four.

The Millers opened things up with three runs in the fifth, and when Weyburn’s pitchers ran into control issues, tacked on two more runs in the fifth and four in the seventh.

Once Vasquez left the game after the third, four relievers were able to keep Weyburn from putting together any major rallies.

Haldon Craig tossed the next three innings and held the Beavers scoreless while striking out three, Gabe Soto pitched the seventh and allowed three runs on three hits, Triston Seitz scattered two hits in a scoreless eighth and Myles Thomas closed things out, allowing two runs, one earned, while giving up a single hit.

Weyburn 3, Moose Jaw 2

Both Moose Jaw starter Kellan Vog- gesser and Weyburn starter Owen McConnell got off to great starts, with the duo leaving the game with the Express holding a 2-1 lead.

Voggesser went four innings and allowed a single run on a pair of hits while striking out five and walking two, while McConnell went five and surrendered a pair of runs on three hits and struck out four with a pair of walks.

After Weyburn opened scoring in the second inning, Millers newcomer Thomas Soto scored Moose Jaw’s first run of the season. The Tyler Junior College infielder drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on an error and scored on a ground out by Parker Dorrance.

A pair of Express veterans connected to give Moose Jaw the lead in the fourth, as Luke Lachance brought home Austin Gurney to give the Express a 2-1 lead.

Drinkwater product Kaleb Waller took over from Voggesser in the fifth and struck out the side in his first appearance, but wouldn’t have as much luck in the bottom of the sixth when Weyburn scored a pair of runs to take the lead.

The Beavers’ bullpen would go to work from there.

Brett Patterson pitched three innings and limited the Express to a pair of hits and a walk, while Jacob Clark loaded the bases in the top of the ninth but escaped without any damage.

Jake King made his first appearance on the mound for the Millers in the eighth and went two innings, allowing a hit and striking out four.

Soto led the way offensively with a 2-for-4 night that included his run scored.

The Miller Express are back in action Thursday when they host the Swift Current 57’s. Game time is 7 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.

Canucks Red rally for come-from-behind win in 13U AAA baseball action

Moose Jaw scores four in bottom of seventh for first 14-13 victory and first win of Baseball Regina season; tie Weyburn 8-8 in opening game of doubleheader

The Moose Jaw Canucks Red are in the win column.

The Canucks scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 14-13 victory over the Weyburn Beavers in Baseball Regina U13 AAA action on Friday night at Lyle Helland Ball Diamond.

Randy Palmer - Moose Jaw Express

Dax Chesney came through with the game-winning hit, hitting a double to centrefield that scored David Choe with the deciding run.

That wasn’t the only big hit in the final inning, either, as trailing 13-12, Nigel Legare laced a two-run home run to left field to also bring home Isaiah Ross with the tying run.

It was a back-and-forth contest throughout, as the Canucks took a 5-2 lead out of the second inning, trailed 7-6 through four, led 9-7 through five and trailed 12-10 heading into the final inning.

Legare had an outstanding night on a whole at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two home runs, three runs scored and five runs batted in.

Dalton Stephens was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI, while Taeve Morhart crossed the plate twice. Daymond Baxter had a pair of hits and knocked in two, Choe also had a couple of RBI.

Chesney got the start on the mound and went four innings, allowing seven runs on four hits and four walks while striking out seven. Baxter allowed five runs, two earned, on four hits over the next two innings and Legare closed things out, surrendering a run in the final frame and striking out the side.

The two teams also played earlier in the night, battling to an 8-8 tie.

It was another comeback, too, as Morhart doubled home Legare with the tying run in the bottom of the sixth.

Weyburn scored three in the first and led 5-4 through two, but Moose Jaw rallied to take a 7-3 lead through three. The Beavers scored single runs in the fifth and sixth to once again go ahead, setting up the late-game comeback.

Rylan Gray got the start and nearly went the distance, tossing 5 ⅔ innings and allowing eight runs, six earned, on 10 hits while striking out two and walking three. Stephens finished things off with a scoreless inning.

Legare was 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Morhart, Chesney and Ian Kampus all knocked in a pair.

Moose Jaw is now 1-5-1 and hold down fifth place in the eight-team league.

The Canucks Red are back in action on Monday, June 5 when they travel to Regina to face the White Sox.