The SOMBA bantam 2A Tigers baseball team opened the summer season with a pair of losses to the Rutland Rockies.
The Tigers hosted the Rockies at McNicoll Park on Father’s Day, bowing 9-7 and 16-5.
“They are the team to beat in the Okanagan for the bantam 2A,” said Tigers coach Aqil Samuel. “We lost a close one to them in the first game. Just kind of ran out of steam in the second game. They just have more depth than us.”
In the 16-5 pounding, the Tigers faced the Rockies best pitcher and weren’t able to score runs until the fifth inning. The Tigers pitching wasn’t able to contain the Rockies and over time it became harder to hang on, said Samuel.
“We throw everything we can at them in the first game,” he said. “It’s hard to keep that up for an entire afternoon. They just have the bats and the arms.”
The opening game had four lead changes. Tigers pitcher Tate Larsen was strong and had a 7-4 lead when he was taken out.
“The whole goal is for our zone tournament. The one game we want to beat them will be that game,” he said.
This weekend the Tigers are in Vernon for a mini tournament featuring Rutland and Salmon Arm.
The Tigers will host as AA invitational July 3-5 at McNicoll Park and Carmi Field. Salmon Arm, Edmonton, Vancouver and Vernon are also in the tournament.