Wolves win tight game

The Sight & Sound Wolves had to work hard for every run in their 3-1 victory against a very game Barwick squad last night at VanJura here.
The Wolves (12-2) took advantage of some timely hitting, and another strong pitching performance by Bob Andy (7-2), to win their seventh-straight game and maintain their grip on top spot in the standings.
Sight & Sound only has two regular-season games, as well as a make-up date with Sabaskong, remaining on their schedule before the playoffs.
Barwick (8-6) jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead as the first two hitters singled and doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. A long sacrifice fly then put the visitors on the scoreboard.
The Wolves looked poised to respond in their half of the inning as Clayton Windego reached base courtesy of a bunt single with one out.
Then following an Andy pop-out, Andrew Watson hit a sharp single. But he made too wide of a turn rounding the bag and the Barwick defence fired the ball to first to get the final out of the inning.
After Andy got Barwick in order to start the second, it once again was Sight & Sound’s turn at the dish.
Barwick pitcher George Oltsher (6-3) retired Derek McKinnon and Paul Visser but then gave up a two-out triple to Curtis Wepruk.
The mistake would prove costly as the Wolves’ next batter, Cole Kaemingh, belted his first home run of the season to put the home side up 2-1.
Sight & Sound looked to press their advantage as Sheldon Bourassa singled and Grant Swire was hit by a pitch, but Oltsher escaped the jam by getting Windego to fly out to end the inning.
Neither team was able to generate any more offence against the two starters until the bottom of the fifth inning, when Swire led off the Wolves’ half with a single.
He advanced to second on an Oltsher wild pitch after the Barwick starter had gotten Windego to pop out on a failed bunt attempt.
But Andy then singled to help his own cause, scoring Swire from second base for the 3-1 lead.
Oltsher minimized the damage as he got Watson to ground into a well-executed double play to end the inning.
The Wolves looked to seal the victory in the bottom of the sixth after Andy had got Barwick in order in the top half.
McKinnon singled to set up what looked like another Sight & Sound rally but Oltsher quickly struck out both Visser and Eric Shute in succession, bringing Kaemingh back to the plate.
He promptly hit a wicked line drive that struck Oltsher in the face, bloodying his nose.
Both teams rushed onto the field to check on Oltsher, who remained down for several minutes before walking off the field under his own power. But he did not return to action.
The new pitcher did his job well, striking out Bourassa for the final out of the inning.
Barwick then was down to their final three outs as they came to the plate in the top of the seventh.
But as he has for most of the year, Andy shut the door on the opposition, recording two strikeouts and inducing a ground ball out to end the game.
In other RRDFL action last night, second-place Rainy River (12-3) kept pace with the Wolves courtesy a 6-2 victory over International Falls (6-6).
Murray Armstrong and Josh Koerning homered for Rainy River and International Falls, respectively.
Armstrong (10-3) earned the win while Clint Bruyere (0-1) dropped his only decision of the season.
Meanwhile, Jessie Tom homered twice to help Big Island (5-8-1) earn a narrow 12-11 win over Sabaskong (2-10).
Will Handorgan (4-5) picked up while Jeff Brown (0-1) was saddled with the loss.
The game between Stratton (5-9) and Big Grassy (2-9-1) was postponed.
In related news, the RRDFL’s annual all-star game goes this Tuesday (July 11) at 7 p.m. in Rainy River.