Staff
It was tough to tell what was causing Sheldon Kelly Sr. more agony: his injury or watching his son struggle for the first time in taking his place.
On the other side, it was the opposite scenario as the father replaced the son with positive results.
The Stratton Eagles stormed back from a 7-1 deficit after two innings to beat the host Couchiching Raiders 20-9 in Rainy River District Fastball League action last Thursday.
With the win, the Eagles (7-4) moved two points ahead of the Raiders (6-4) for fifth place, although Couchiching holds a game in hand.
The Raiders scored six runs with two out in the second against Stratton starter Jackson Arpin, who looked rattled after Ryan MacDonald followed his two-run double to left to make it 4-1 by stealing third on a toss back to the mound from catcher Logan Jackson.
But Jackson’s three-run shot deep over the left field fence sliced the lead in half in the third.
Guy Arpin then took over for his son to start the bottom of the inning and promptly struck out the side.
Leading 8-6 in the top of the fifth, Kelly Sr. got Jackson to fly out to lead off the frame.
But at the end of the play, the right-hander pulled himself from the game after re-aggravating a rib injury he suffered the previous week.
In went Sheldon Kelly Jr., who had won both his previous decisions this season in his first year trying out the pitcher’s role.
The Eagles pounced, working Kelly Jr. for four walks (including two with the bases loaded) and a hit batsman to wind up scoring four runs to take their first lead at 10-8.
Couchiching then had the roof collapse in Stratton’s six-run sixth.
Kelly Jr. walked Nick Teeple and Hayden Haw around Jackson’s single to load the bases with none out.
An RBI walk to Guy Arpin was followed by a wild pitch that scored Jackson and Tanner Neilson’s two-run single to make it 14-8.
Brock Vandenbrand then tripled home Neilson before scoring on an infield hit by his brother, Jake.
Kelly Jr. took his own walk off the mound after hitting back-to-back batters to start the seventh, giving way to Wade Johnson as the Eagles wound up scoring four more times.
The Raiders scored the final–and most fashionable run–of the night when pinch hitter Chris Morrisseau, with nobody left to pinch hit for Kelly Sr., stepped up and singled to left.
The ball skipped past Jackson Arpin all the way to the fence as Morrisseau, who arrived in the late innings from a previous commitment still wearing a dress shirt and jeans, dashed around the bases and touched the plate just ahead of the throw home.
Guy Arpin got the win, giving up just two runs and four hits in his five innings of relief.
Kelly Jr. suffered the loss, allowing 12 runs in only 1 2/3 innings.
In other action last Thursday, the Dawson Tigers (10-1) reclaimed sole possession of top spot ahead of the idle Barwick Blue Knights with a 17-6 win over the winless Northwest Bay Juniors (0-9).
It was the Tigers’ eight-straight victory.
Jeff Kreger notched his first win of the season on the rubber despite giving up a home run to Dan Andy.
Aiden Morrisseau took the loss.
Meanwhile, the Fort Frances Braves (8-0) drew even in points with the defending champion Sight & Sound Wolves (8-2) following a 17-0 rout of the Sabaskong Lakers (5-4).
Travis Tom, who cranked four homers two games earlier against the Sabaskong Cubs, added another four-bagger to push his league-high total to eight this season.
Tim Archie also homered for the Braves against pitcher Merlin Kelly as the Lakers dropped their third-straight game.
The Cubs (1-10) were handed a 7-0 forfeit loss to the Northwest Bay Chieftains (4-5).
The game between the Rainy River Royals (1-6) and Windey’s Warriors (5-6) was postponed due to a lack of umpires.
Four games were on the slate last night, with scores unavailable at press time.
Then just three games are scheduled for tomorrow at 7 p.m., including the marquee showdown between the Wolves and host Tigers in Pinewood.
Barwick (9-1) will visit the Juniors as the Knights try to deal with the loss of ace JJ Landry, who is sidelined indefinitely after an appendectomy.
The other game will see the Chieftains in Sabaskong to face the Lakers.
Then on Saturday, the annual Canada Day men’s fastball tournament will be held at Oltsher Field in Barwick.
