The West Kootenay ‘A’ Orioles continue to roll through the Spokane American Legion Baseball (SALB) competition.
The ‘A’ Orioles swept Mount Spokane Saturday, with pitcher Marshall Debruyn throwing a no hitter in a 7-0 shutout in the first game of a doubleheader, followed by a 4-0 shutout tossed by Jake Maniago in Game 2.
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The Orioles jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back, scoring two more in the third, fourth and fifth innings for a seven-run lead. Connor Stainer went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, as nine West Kootenay batters had at least one hit with Darren Issel scoring two runs and driving in one.
Debruyn went seven strong innings, fanning seven and walking just one batter for his first no-hitter of the season.
The no-hitter was the second this campaign for West Kootenay, as Maniago earned his no-hitter on the first day of the season in a 14-0 drubbing of Gonzaga.
Maniago had his magic working again on Saturday, allowing just one hit over six innings, striking out four and walking one as the ‘A’ Orioles manufactured four runs off of just three hits for a 4-0 victory.
The Mt. Spokane pitchers gave up eight walks, however, and the O’s capitalized scoring twice in the second and adding runs three and four in the top of the fifth and sixth innings.
Stainer went 1-for-2 including a triple and two runs scored, while Debruyn and Jesco Knelson had the other hits for the Orioles.
The West Kootenay ‘A’ Orioles currently hold down first place in the Spokane American Legion League with a 9-1 record heading into their final six games of the season.
The ‘A’ Orioles don’t have any American Legion games scheduled this weekend, but they won’t be idle. The team is travelling to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to play in their annual invitational tournament.
West Kootenay returns to SALB action on July 5, when the O’s take on second-place Newport ‘A’ (9-2) in a doubleheader, then play another twin-bill against the third-place, 6-2, Prairie Cardinals in Post Falls on July 6.
sports@trailtimes.ca
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