The Penticton U18 SOMBA Tigers returned to their winning ways with a pair of victories over the host Vernon Canadians.
The opening game of the doubleheader was a nailbiter for the Tigers, with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, and needing a pair of runs to force extra innings.
Luke MacIntyre was down to his last strike at the plate when he drove in Dexter Madsen from first base on a perfect hit and run.
Cohyn Cutler finished the game in the eighth inning, driving in the winning run for a 10-9 victory.
AJ Reiter got the win on the mound with three and a third innings of one-run relief.
In game two, the Tigers got a much-needed quality start from pitcher Marlo Spence who went the distance, striking out nine and allowing just a single run on two hits.
In other action, the Tigers were in tough against their Lower Mainland AAA B.C. Minor Baseball Association opponents, winning just one of four games in two doubleheaders at home the previous week.
They opened the schedule with a 6-5 heartbreaker to the Ridge Meadows Royals in a hard-fought contest.
Khy Cutler started on the mound for the Tigers and took the loss. Aden Samuel was two-for-four at the plate with two runs batted in and a stolen base.
Matt Olsen was two for three with a pair of RBIs and a stolen base.
The Tigers turned things around in the game, coming away with a 9-7 victory. Pitcher Samuel got the win scattering just four hits, striking out five in four innings of relief work.
Cohyn Culter led the offence, driving in three runs while Spence went two for three.
Sunday saw the league-leading North Fraser Nationals in town and winning both games, 8-3 in the first and 4-2 in the second.
READ MORE: Penticton baseball team riding the crest of 10-game win streak
The first contest was actually tied until the sixth inning when the Nationals exploded for four runs. Spence started and took the loss.
In the second game, Tigers pitcher tossed a complete game giving up just four hits, however, Nationals pitcher Kevin Morgan also had a strong game in the win.
The Tigers are now in a two-way tie for fifth place with the North Island Cubs, 6.5 games back of the leaders, the North Fraser Nationals.
Penticton has a pair of tough doubleheaders on Vancouver Island this weekend when they take on the Mid Island Mariners of Nanaimo and the Cubs in Power River. Nanaimo is ranked third.
READ MORE: Tigers on the hunt for first
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