The Estevan TS&M peewee Tornadoes had a tough weekend at home in Regina Baseball action.
The Tornadoes dropped all four games they played during the weekend. Against the Regina White Sox on Saturday, they were defeated 16-0 in six innings and 12-2 in five innings.
Coach Ryan Siever noted that starting pitcher Nathan Yunick had a really good pitching performance in the first game. The score didn’t reflect his performance.
“He pitched his (maximum of) 85 pitches, and threw the ball very, very well. He kept us in that game. If we would have hit a little more consistently, we’re right in there.”
The White Sox piled on some runs late in the game.
But they struggled to hit against the White Sox pitchers. In the first game, Siever said they faced a pitcher who threw the ball really well. In the second, they had a pitcher they should have been able to hit, but they struggled offensively.
Against the Melville Millionaires on Sunday, they lost 14-12 and 14-9.
They struggled offensively early on in Game 1, but then started hitting in the fourth inning to rally from a six-run deficit. Estevan had a two-run lead entering the seventh and final inning, but gave up four.
The Tornadoes scored six in the top of the second inning, but then struggled to hit the rest of the way. Siever believes they also had four base-running errors in the second game.
“We’re trying to get them to believe in themselves a little bit more,” said Siever. “I think that’s probably the issue we’re having. They’re struggling to realize that they are really good ball players, sometimes, and it kind of seems like when a few kids struggle, the whole team struggles a bit.”
The Tornadoes have a good team, he said, but they need to believe they can get some hits, makes some plays and compete all the time.
“Trying to get that back is probably going to be our biggest goal going forward,” said Siever.
Estevan also played the Weyburn Beavers on June 28 in Weyburn. The Beavers won that game 12-10.
The Tornadoes record stands at 8-15. They were scheduled to visit the White Butte Broncos on Thursday night. (Results were not available at press time). Then they will play the Swift Current 57s on Saturday and the Regina Buffalos on Sunday in doubleheaders to finish the regular season.
Siever said the club might also play Weyburn one more time this season to make up for a game that had been postponed, before heading into league and provincial play.
