Neepawa Cubs off to a slow start

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Neepawa Cubs off to a slow start

Details: Published on Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Eoin Devereux
The Neepawa Press

Much like this blasé spring, the Neepawa Cubs are not off to the hottest of starts, as the team has dropped two of their first three games. Their most recent matchups on the Santa Clara Baseball League schedule included a 6-6 tie with the Portage Padres on Wednesday, May 24 and a 10-3 loss to the Austin A’s on Sunday, May 28. Those results, coupled with Neepawa’s season opening loss to the Minnedosa Mavericks, have left the team with a 0-2-1 record.

In the Cub’s home opener against Portage, Neepawa’s Garrett Rempel pitched five innings, allowing just three hits and registering a strikeout. Cole Krutkewich came in for the final two innings, allowing only two hits, while also striking out one. On the other side of the ball, Krutkewich produced two hits at the plate and picked up a pair of runs batted in (RBI). Shane Levandosky was the only other Cub to have a multiple hit game, going 2-for-4, with two stolen bases and two RBI.

On Sunday night, Neepawa challenged Austin and fell 10-3. A’s starting pitcher Brody Moffatt earned the W, collecting six strikeouts against five hits. Chance Dickenson came in for the save and compiled four strikeouts of his own. With the exception of outfielder Garrett Rempel’s perfect night at the plate (4-for-4), the majority of Neepawa’s bats couldn’t find a rhythm.

Elsewhere around the league over the weekend, a rematch of last year’s final ended with a similar result, a Portage victory. On Friday, May 26, the Portage Padres (2-0-1) downed the Minnedosa Mavericks (2-1-0), by the score of 5-4.

After week two of the schedule, only Portage and the Carberry Royals remain unbeaten. The Royals are the top team at 3-0-0, winning their most recent game on Sunday night, downing Dauphin 16-9. Those two unbeaten clubs will match up Wednesday, May 31 in Portage la Prairie. As for the Cubs, they return to the diamond on Wednesday as well, with a home game against the Ebb and Flow Lakers (1-2-0). First pitch is set for 7:00 pm.