The DRCSS Clippers baseball team ended its Prairie West High School Baseball League regular season winning three of their final four games.
After opening the season with two straight losses, Dauphin picked up its first win, May 8, with a 13-2 triumph over the Ste. Rose Celtics in Ste. Rose.
Clippers coach Mark Graham said the three pitchers used in the game pitched well.
“Chase Glover pitched really well in the win and Tyron Sweetman and Lyric Smith pitched well in relief. Pitching was the highlight for us this game, all three guys pounded the zone with strikes,” he said.
Team defence, he said, continued to be a concern, but Graham added a lot of the hitters started to look more comfortable at the plate.
The Clippers played a doubleheader on the road, May 12, losing the first game, 15-5 to the Goose Lake Raiders in Roblin.
Graham said this game was played with a short bench and right from the start the Clippers had a hard time getting comfortable.
“The pitchers struggled finding the zone, team defence continued to be our biggest issue and our hitters couldn’t get anything going at the plate. Easily our worst game of the season to date,” he said, adding the Raiders played well and showed why they are the team to beat when they host zones this week.
“They played solid team defence, pitchers filled the zone with strikes and their hitters continually put the bat on the ball. They looked like a strong ball team,” Graham said.
The Clippers then traveled to Swan River for a game against the Tigers, coming away with a solid rebound effort in a 14-7 victory.
“The team had an hour on the bus to reflect on their performance (against Goose Lake) and came out with a much improved attitude and focus,” Graham said.
Sweetman threw five strong innings on the mound and the defence started to make a few plays in the field and the hitters were aggressive at the plate and on the basepaths.
“Easily our best overall team game of the season,” Graham said.
The Clippers evened their record at 3-3 with an impressive 6-3 win over the Birtle Falcons, Wednesday in Dauphin.
It was Birtle’s first loss this season.
Brenden Higgins pitched five strong innings and came away with the win, while Nick Plustwa pitched two innings earning the save.
Shortstop Ty Sweetman had a single, double and a walk for the Clippers, with a stolen base.
Declan Waggoner played strong defence in centerfield, while securing a single and a triple and scoring a run.
Jaxon Larocque chipped in with two doubles, two runs-batted-in and two runs scored, while Higgins had a pair of singles, a double, scored twice and had a run-batted-in.
Clippers assistant coach Chris Todoruk called it the most complete game of the season.
“Everybody came to play. The complete order, one to nine, helped us today. The defence was solid,” he said.
Todoruk said it was a great way to end the season as the team now prepares for the zone playoffs in Roblin, May 21.
“We’re looking strong. We’re hoping to peak right at the zones,” he said.
As for league playoffs, the Clippers will face the Killarney Raiders for seventh place, June 4, in Killarney.