Knights fall behind early, nearly complete rally against Spurs

By Sean Rooney on July 5, 2018.

NEWS PHOTO SEAN ROONEY
Vauxhall Spurs' Brett Gray (left) slides in safely to third base as Medicine Hat K of C Knights third baseman Kayden Berndt traps the ball Wednesday, July 4, 2018 at Athletic Park.

Medicine Hat News

After falling behind, the K of C Knights could’ve called it a game and started thinking about how to square up the second half of their doubleheader with the Vauxhall Spurs.

They very nearly won instead.

Medicine Hat’s American Legion single-A team was downed 12-11 by the Spurs at Athletic Park Wednesday, despite putting up five runs in their final two at-bats.

Down 6-2 early, the home team fought back with two runs in the fourth and sixth. They plated three in the bottom of the seventh but no more. Their online scoring system did not record how the final out happened.

With two out, Connor Drever doubled to start a last-gasp rally. A walk, a Reese Whelen single and an error made it 12-11.

The two teams combined for 14 errors in the opener, but also 25 hits. Carson Becker was 4-for-5 for Vauxhall, scoring three times. Darian Simmons got the win in relief, going 2 2/3 innings and giving up five runs.

Drever and Whelen each had three hits, with Whelen driving in five runs and Drever scoring three times. Brandon Hauck was the losing pitcher, going three innings and letting up four runs.

Vauxhall also won the late half of the twin-bill, not committing any errors in an 11-3 decision. The game was close until a six-run sixth inning for the Spurs.

Drever had three of Medicine Hat’s six hits off Grady Honess, who went all seven innings and struck out seven. He also walked seven, but his defence helped limit the damage.

Brett Gray was 2-for-4 with a three-run home run as part of the decisive sixth inning. Heydon Harrison took the loss for the Knights, going 5 1/3 innings.

Medicine Hat, now 6-17 in league play, heads to Kalispell for the John R. Harp Memorial Tournament Saturday and Sunday.

Monarchs

The Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs are also out of the country this weekend, headed to Spokane to play in the Fourth of July Tournament. There’s also a second Hat team at the event, known as the Seminoles. That independent team is playing an exhibition-only schedule this summer and could meet up with the Monarchs in the playoff round.