With the youngest roster he’s had in eight seasons since taking over the program, head coach Evan Bailey expected the 2017 Okanagan Athletics would be a work in progress.
The A’s kicked off the new B.C. Premier Baseball League season at home over the weekend, earning one win in four tries against the Abbotsford Cardinals.
On Saturday at Elks Stadium, the Cards opened the series with a 13-6 win over the A’s. Okanagan scored five times in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead, but Abbotsford broke the game open with an eight-run sixth. Colton Shaper-Kotter led the offense with two hits and two RBIs.
In Game 2, Abbotsford scored six times in the sixth inning to overtake the A’s 11-7. Owen Alstad scored two runs in the loss.
On Sunday, rookie Carter Morris stepped up for the A’s with a complete game three-hitter and a 4-0 victory. The A’s who also managed just three hits, scored twice in the first inning to take the lead for good.
In the series finale, Tasei Yahiro shutdown the A’s in a one-hit shutout as the Cardinals prevailed 11-0. Abbotsford scored 10 runs in the third inning.
The A’s (1-3) will head to the Lower Mainland this weekend for four games against the North Delta Blue Jays.