KENTVILLE, NS - The Kentville Senior Wildcats split a double header when the team hosted the Truro Bearcats at Memorial Park on July 15, winning the first game 10-5 and losing the second 4-1.
In the first game, the Wildcats trailed 3-0 until the sixth inning, when they were able to tie it up. In the seventh inning they broke it open to go up 10-3. The Bearcats scored one run in the eighth and ninth innings r to bring the game to a 10-5 final score for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats’ runs in the first game were scored by Codey Shrider, Jason Pleasant-Sampson, Jamie Whynot, Dylan McCarthy, Colby Turple, Tyler Fancy, and Dryden Schofield.
The Kentville team was unable to keep their spot on top in the second game, however. The Bearcats scored a run in the third inning, but the Wildcats were able to tie it up with a run in the sixth. The score stayed tied until the top of the ninth, when the Bearcats took the lead with three runs to bring the game to an end with a final score of 4-1.
The run in the second game for the Wildcats came from Jason Pleasant-Sampson.
While disappointed by their loss in the second game, the Wildcats have no plans of losing hope and are determined to keep a positive outlook as the season continues.
Alex Ostrov, a Halifax resident and pitcher who has been playing with the Wildcats organization for the past five years, had a few words to say about the season so far.
“The team’s been doing well. We started off strong, we had a little bit of a slide there during the middle of the season, but we’re hoping to turn it around and get back on the winning streak soon,” said Ostrov. “We’ve won six of the 19 games we’ve played. We started off strong, but we lost our last nine, so I think that’s probably just what’s gotten us down.”
The coaches
While many already know, it might be news to some that Chris Salsman is no longer the head coach for the Kentville Senior Wildcats.
Salsman become the new coach this year, replacing Ian Mosher. However, after his first four or five games, Salsman received a job in Montreal, forcing him to move.
Since then, Pleasant-Sampson stepped up as a player-coach for the remainder of the season.
READ MORE:
• Kentville Wildcats off to winning start of 2018 season
• Mosher terminated as Kentville Wildcats coach
Having assisted Mosher and others for several years, coaching Horton Baseball and Kentville Junior Baseball with others, this isn’t really something new for Pleasant-Sampson.
Ostrov added a few words on the coaching situation.
“Chris was a very vocal guy, he’d been known for pulling the guys together, and keeping us off edge and laughing and whatnot, so we definitely miss him but we gotta make due with what we have,” said Ostrov. “Jason’s great, it makes it a bit tough when you’re playing and coaching, but he’s done a phenomenal job so far.
“He’s been with the organization for like 50 years or something,” Ostrov said jokingly. “He knows everyone on the team, and he knows the game very well, so he was naturally just the guy to step up.”
The rest of the season
“I think we’re underachieving a little bit,” said Pleasant-Sampson. “The biggest part is that we don’t get consistent bodies out to fill our roster and actually play baseball.
“Right now, we haven’t spent a lot of time on fundamentals and communication, we’re just battling. But we’re getting into our easy stretch when other teams are going through their hectic weeks. We’ll start getting some repetitions in and start taking advantage of the one-game-a-week for us and three or four for them.
“I think if we can survive the season and get to playoffs we’ll match up well with most of the teams that’ll be there; we just gotta get there so we can take advantage of having our full roster,” said Pleasant-Sampson.
The Wildcats will focus on finishing this current season before they look into who will be coaching for the next season.
