When the game ended the Innisfail Indians’ 8 – 3 home field loss on June 29 to the defending league champion Red Deer Goliath Razorbacks was not as important as the lessons learned.
The Indians are a young team in the Parkland Baseball League and they knew after the game that to seriously challenge for the rest of the season they must go back to basics and work on the fundamentals, namely execution and taking advantage of opportunities.
“Our hitting was not quite what I wanted it to be,” said Steven Bouteiller, Indians’ manager and second baseman. “I’m putting this to youth. We’ve got a lot of young players, and we are playing older more experienced guys. And we are missing a clutch player.”
That clutch player Bouteiller is talking about was clearly evident right from the start of the game. In the bottom of the first inning the Indians loaded the bases on three walks off Red Deer starting pitcher Evan Emerson. And while the home team scored one run when Des Bouteiller was hit by a pitch and another on a fielder’s choice they couldn’t get the bats going with even one hit to produce a big inning.
They led 2 – 0 after one, and kept it that way until the Razorbacks got to Indians hurler Blaine Hoppins, pitching in his first baseball game in six years, in the bottom of the third.
Red Deer produced three runs on four hits, including a two-run single by Kevin Stelmaschuk, the team’s second baseman and manager.
The Razorbacks scored two more in the fourth to make it 5 - 3. They loaded the bases and scored one run on a single by Brad Hank and another from a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Tim Wiebe, who later pitched the final inning for Red Deer.
Innisfail could not exploit Emerson’s early game troubles on the mound. The veteran Red Deer pitcher was throwing his first game in three weeks and after a shaky first inning he shut the Indians down for the next three innings before leaving the game.
“My mechanics were off a bit but once I adjusted I started rolling,” said Emerson.
The Indians did attempt to rally a few times the rest of the game but could not make the most of their opportunities. In the bottom of the sixth inning Innisfail loaded the bases but produced just one run on a single by Riley Wik.
And then in the top of the seventh Red Deer broke the game wide open when Tom Rodzinyak hit a two-out bases loaded single – aided by an error in the outfield - that brought all three base runners home. The score was now 8 – 3 for the Razorbacks.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Indians once again could not capitalize on a two-out walk from Kyle Burkitt and Steve Reaman’s single. Brendan Nicolay struck out to end the game.
“Things are going to come around. We are a young team. I have faith things will,” said Steven Bouteiller, whose team is now in a real dog fight for first place in the league’s south division. The Indians have eight points with a record of four wins and five losses but Beiseker, Carstairs and Olds are all just two points behind. The Indians next game is at home against Lacombe on July 6.
Meanwhile, Red Deer is neck and neck with the Rocky Red Dogs for first place in the north division. Both teams have an enviable record of eight wins and just one loss.
“Our guys are swinging well, and we are not making mistakes, “ said Stelmaschuk. “Halfway through the year we are winning the tight games, taking advantage of mistakes, advancing runners and getting games in the win column.”
