Story and Photos by Christian J. Stewart
July 18, 2021, Victoria, BC – The Junior White Rock Tritons came to Victoria this weekend riding a three-game losing streak and after they lost a tough 1-0, nine-inning game to the Victoria Mariners Saturday, they rebounded to win game two against the Mariners 6-1 and then on Sunday, swept the Victoria Eagles by scores of 8-2 and 7-4, to improve their record to 14-7 and get back to their winning ways.
In game one Saturday, the Tritons were stonewalled by the pitching of Mariners starter Evan Heintz who went eight innings, allowing just four hits, striking out two and walking none. Ryder Forbes would pitch the top of the ninth with no damage and then in the bottom of the inning, an RBI single from Ben Sargent scored Adam Curry to give the Mariners the walk-off win.
In game two, the Tritons would lead 2-0 after three innings and then put the game out of reach in the fifth, scoring four runs thanks in part to RBIs from Cam Wright, Brady Augustine, and Dre Thomas, who all drove home runs in the frame.
Augustine earned the victory on the pitcher’s mound for the Tritons. The righthander allowed six hits and one run over seven innings, striking out eight and walking none.
On Sunday morning against the Eagles, the Tritons would break open a tight 1-1 pitchers duel between the Eagles’ Noah Couch and Tritons starter Evan Tordiffe with two runs in the sixth and another five in the seventh to go on the the 8-2 win.
Tordiffe was outstanding for the Tritons, getting the complete game win, allowing the two Eagle runs on just five hits while striking out eight and walking none.
The big seventh inning for the Tritons came thanks to singles by Cam Wright and a two-RBI single from Thomas, their second hits of the day, a groundout by Matteo Manzi, and an error on a ball put in play by Caleb McFarlane.
Leif Friedrich, who got the Tritons on the board with an RBI single in the first, finished with four hits on the day, including a double, to lead the Tritons 10-hit attack.
Kieran Morely, Owen Taylor, Risto Ringma, Drew Abercrombie, and Josh Gladstone had the hits for the Eagles in the losing effort.
In game two Sunday, the Tritons would build a 4-1 lead through the top of the sixth inning, but then watch as the Eagles would score three in the bottom of the frame to tie things up, thanks in part to a big two-RBI double from Karson Kay that scored Jack Finn and Parker Husu.
White Rock would respond in the top of the seventh, as Caleb McFarlane would lead off the inning with a single and eventually be knocked in by an RBI-single from Brady Augustin.
A Dre Thomas RBI single and a sacrifice fly by Friedrich would complete the scoring and with Matteo Manzi on the mound in the bottom of the inning, the Eagles could not respond and the Tritons emerged with the 7-4 win.
Jackson Nadon picks up the win for the Tritons in relief of starter Brady Wastila. Nadon went four innings, allowing six hits and three runs while striking out three and walking one. Matteo Manzi threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen to earn the save.
Brandon Cain took the loss for the Eagles, working six innings, allowing eight hits and four runs while striking out four.
The Tritons racked up 11 hits in the game, three each for Augustin and Thomas and a pair, including a double for Wright. Wright and Augustin also scored three times each for White Rock.
For the Eagles, Owen Taylor had a three-hit game, while Parker Husu added a pair. Carson Kay and Risto Ringma added doubles in the losing effort.
The Tritons now run their record to 4-0 against the Eagles this year, and they are 2-2 against the Mariners.
The Eagles, who were also swept Saturday by North Delta, continue to scrap in their games, but they have now lost 11 in a row and are just 1-16 on the season.
The Tritons will now return home on Saturday July 24th to host the Coquitlam Reds for a pair of games. Start time for those is at 11:00 am.
The full set of photos from the White Rock and Victoria Eagles double header can be found at https://christianjstewart.zenfolio.com/p378002108
