Jets soar

Greg Price
Vauxhall Advance
gprice@tabertimes.com

Vauxhall Academy of Baseball Jets defrosted its wings after a long winter slumber, to have an impressive 3-1 start to its spring season over the past two weekends.

“The nice weather has helped this year where we’ve been outside earlier than we have been in the past. The nice weather has made it so that we can play real baseball right away and compete at a different level than you can indoors,” said Steven Inch, an alumni of the program who is helping coach this season.

“The first weekend you have a little bit of rust on you, but our team didi a really good job of making those adjustments on some of those things we were not doing well that first weekend and making improvements in the second weekend.”

This past weekend saw the Jets able to take two from the PBA JV Dawgs. Game One at Nolan Yard saw the Jets get off to a good start by putting up a combined seven runs in the first three innings. The Jets lead held as they coasted to a 10-5 victory.

Matt Rath scored three runs on two hits, and added a stolen base to a solid game. Jordan Drey was the driving force in the four-run second inning when he hit his second home run of the spring, collecting three RBIs and two runs. Jordan Malainey also had a big game, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs and two stolen bases.

On the mound, Josh Burgmann faced the minimum in his two innings of work to start the game, giving up one hit, no walks and recording one strikeout.

“We had some errors in that second game and maybe that’s just the product of being outside again the first couple of weekends getting back to game speed, where maybe you are thinking your way through the game little more,” said Inch of the six errors the Jets committed over two games on the weekend.

“But, we swung the bat pretty well. Jordan Drey had his two home runs and our pitching, the guys did the little things right.It’s been a strong start to the spring.”

Game 2 needed an extra inning to settle a back-and-fourth contest with the Jets edging the Dawgs 9-7.

“That extra inning got the competitive juices flowing and the guys responded,” said Inch.

The Jets are back in Lethbridge for three games this weekend,
before heading off to Idaho.

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