One step forward, one step back for Wildcats

BY JOHN DECOSTE

Kings County Register

Last week didn’t seem to make a whole lot of difference for the Kentville Wildcats in the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League standings.

The Wildcats began the week with a 6-4 record, one game behind the first-place Halifax Pelham Canadians, and ended it at 7-5, still second following a split of a pair of home games.

Kentville defeated Dartmouth 7-2 June 26 at Memorial Park, then ended up on the short end of a 9-2 decision June 28, also on their home field.

June 26, Curtis Falls and Trevor Wamback shared the hero’s mantle for the ’Cats, with Falls allowing two runs on just six hits in a complete-game performance.

The Wildcats managed 10 hits off Dartmouth starter Steve Nelson and relievers Trevor Zwann and Shaine Beaudreau, and translated those hits into seven runs with the help of four Dartmouth errors.

Wamback led the way offensively with a single, triple and home run and four RBIs. Ian Lockhart had two singles and one RBI, and Les Berry singled and doubled.

June 28, Steve Ivey turned in his second complete-game win in as many starts against the Wildcats this season as Halifax won 9-2.

Kentville scored two runs on seven hits, and didn’t help their cause by committing four errors.

Halifax scored three times in the top of the first inning off Kentville starter Kevin Nichols, and never trailed for the remainder of the game, scoring one in the fifth, three in the sixth and two in the seventh.

Shawn Marshall, Logan VanBlarcom and Pete Sonier all appeared in relief.

Jay Turple finished with three singles and a double and four RBIs. Shawn Peverill added two singles and one RBI, and Adam Lucas had a two-run single for Halifax, which scored nine runs on nine hits.

The Wildcats tallied single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Ian Lockhart had a pair of doubles, Mike Lockhart had two singles and Falls contributed a single and one RBI.

The Wildcats had a home-and-home series this week with Dartmouth, with games Wednesday in Kentville and Thursday in Dartmouth.