Another year, another pennant for the Howe Sound Cannons baseball club.
The Cannons needed only one win to clinch a North Shore Men's Baseball Association (NSMBA) regular season pennant in the team's doubleheader against the Reds on Saturday (July 20) and the squad triumphed in the opening game, 6-3.
Matty Taylor was the team's offensive leader, going 3 for 5 with a double and adding two stolen bases. Starting pitcher Herbie Herbison was solid on the mound, pitching a complete game and whiffing eight batters.
"Well, we can be happy with the win but we aren't happy about losing because losing games is when you don't win and when you don't win you lose because you didn't score more runs than the other team and lost," said Justin "Big Daddy" Kraznowski, to a Cannons team that respectfully nodded him and patted him on the head.
Game 2 was a less successful outing for the Cannons, with starting pitcher David "The Manager" Jones breaking his long run of scoreless innings pitched in a 6-3 loss. The Reds picked up six runs on five hits in the first three innings and Jones was forced to sit on the cooler for the rest of the game.
Jones was relieved by Danny "Curls" Munn, who steadied the ship and didn't allow a run or hit in four innings.
The Cannons struggled at the plate throughout the game, only generating four hits. The team's troubles continued on the field with Howe Sound committing a total of five errors.
"As long as we get the poison out before the playoffs, it will be OK," Jones said.
Howe Sound finished the NSMBA season with a record of 13 wins and four losses and now advance to the postseason. Playoff action started on Tuesday (July 23) in North Vancouver and continues until Saturday (July 27).
Stay tuned to The Chief for complete details on the Cannons' run for a third straight NSMBA title.
