Squirrel defense not enough, falling to Canada in extra-inning opener

While the festivities of the opening day of Babe Ruth World Series play lived up to all expectations and more, the Charleston Fighting Squirrels found themselves in a back-and-forth defensive showdown with the Canadian team.

Both teams dominated on the diamond, with a number of slick outfield plays and some strong putouts in the infield that limited the number of baserunners as the game progressed.

With the bats failing to get hot, both teams leaned on this defensive intensity to pull them through the game. With a lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning, the Squirrels came within reaching distance of the opening win.

With an out in the final frame and a 2-1 lead with the bases empty, a line drive into right field sailed over the fielder’s glove, bouncing against the wall and finishing as a double. The runner made it around second base and came home on a two-out single to tie the game at two, with Canada eventually taking the game, 3-2 in 11 innings.

“It was just a tough night, you know?” Squirrels coach Michael Minner said. “Give their guys credit – they battled. They scored a run on an infield hit, on a play we make all year and they score another run on a ball that we catch all year.

Members of the Charleston Fighting Squirrels stand in attention during the opening ceremonies of the Babe Ruth World Series on Monday, August 14, at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau.Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

“We didn't make those two plays. It’s just a tough one that, after a really, really good night and a really good opening day, you hope to come out and take care of business and we just didn't.”

While a negative focus remains on the defense, both pitching and some slick defensive work made a strong-hitting Canada team falter in its ways. After opening the game with a first-inning score, Canada scored just two runs in its next 10 innings.

Levi McKinnie opened the game up with 2.2 innings of work, throwing 72 pitches before Minner brought in Bennett Logan, who threw 66 pitches and, with one out in the seventh inning, gave way to Noah Pruitt, throwing 62 pitches and pushing the full length into the 11th inning.

Combining for a total 200 pitches over 10.2 innings and allowing just eight hits, the pitching staff’s strong night set the tone early.

Members of the Charleston Fighting Squirrels catch the first pitch during the opening ceremonies of the Babe Ruth World Series on Monday, August 14, at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau.Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

Jack Wyatt, a recent Jackson graduate, led the charge in the infield with two tough plays at second base. His stellar glovework not only worked to impress the crowd but kept morale high for a Squirrels defense that was battling to avoid a Canada walk-off late.

“Baseball is a fun game,” Wyatt said. “I just use it to have fun making good plays fun and it feeds energy to the dugout and hopefully ramps up our offensive building next inning.”

In addition to a strong day in the field, Wyatt’s double in the top of the second equalized the game at 1-1. Notching an RBI in the win, his presence on both ends could play a vital part in the Squirrels’ run to make a statement at the Babe Ruth World Series this week.

“Jack's been a really good defender for us all year long,” Minner said. “It's his first year with our program, but he's done a really, really good job of defending. He made some really tough plays that kept us in the ballgame in some situations where, if we don't make them, you know, things get away from us quicker. We're glad he's a Squirrel.”

With just three games remaining in pool play for Charleston, the focus turns to Virginia on Tuesday night. After a tight loss to Canada in a game where the offense failed to execute, the Squirrels look to find new life against an intranational foe.

“I don't think we lived up to our expectations,” Minner said. “We would like to have snuck out of here with a win, and we expected to win. That didn't turn out the way we wanted to, so I hope this will lock us in and we’ll refocus us. Hopefully, we'll play a better game tomorrow and get us a win and get back in the mix of things.”