Giants stumble in Stonewall in Game 2 of MJBL semifinal

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This article was published 18/08/2020 (2117 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Elmwood Giants could have taken a huge step Tuesday night in their quest for a third consecutive Manitoba Junior Baseball League title.

Instead, they stumbled in Stonewall. 

Paying a visit to the community north of Winnipeg, the Giants had a night to forget as the host Interlake Blue Jays jumped out to a big first-inning lead and held on for an 10-7 triumph to even the best-of-three semifinal series 1-1. Now, the Giants no longer have any wiggle room. Game 3 goes tonight at 7 p.m. at Koskie Field in Elmwood.

Giants starting pitcher Nick Doig gave up seven runs in the bottom of the first inning, allowing three hits, walking a trio of hitters and hitting a couple more on a warm, humid night at Quarry Park.

“Disappointing night. Our pitching let us down a little bit. But 100 per cent (Interlake) earned it,” said Elmwood manager Ed Kulyk. 

Ben Anderson led the Blue Jays with a pair of singles, a double and three RBIs on the night. Interlake starter Cole Olfert worked 6 1/3 innings to register the win.

Meanwhile, the other MJBL semifinal series is also headed to a third and deciding game.

The Carillon Sultans eked out a 7-6 triumph over the Altona Bisons in Steinbach to even that series 1-1. The clincher is slated for tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Altona. 

Trailing 6-1, the Bisons generated a late rally — scoring five runs in the top of the seventh inning — to knot things, highlighted by Jesse Dowswell’s two-run double. He then scored the tying run.

But Altona relief pitcher Trent Peters, working the bottom half of the seventh on just one day’s rest after tossing a complete-game victory Sunday against Winnipeg South, loaded the bases and then surrendered a single to Carson Epp for a walk-off win for the Sultans.

Garrett Hrabchuk drove in three runs for Carillon, while Jayden Gerbrandt drilled a solo home run for the Bisons.

The best-of-five championship series opener is set for Friday night. The ‘who’ and ‘where’ remain a mystery.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell