In every season, there is a turning point.
For Ken Fuglerud, coach of the Vauxhall Spurs, that turning point hopefully came Monday night in game two of a doubleheader against the Lethbridge Miners. After Vauxhall dropped game one 9-8, the Spurs came through with a 16-8 win in game two.
“I hope we build off that second game, because that was our best game of the year,” said Fuglerud, who added his team played well in all facets, especially on defence, as Vauxhall did not commit an single error.
Things started out rough, however, as starter Justin Hochstein was touched up for five runs in the first inning.
Fuglerud kept his starter in the game, and his faith was rewarded, as Hochstein shut the door from there in six innings of work.
“It was the best outing of the year for him... He got hit around to start but after that he settled down and hit his spots.”
Offensively, Caleb Zsednai was two for four, Levi Kress was one for one with a stolen base, Colyn Cleland went three for three with two runs battled in and a triple and Kaden Odland was three for five with two RBI and a double. But the big star was Chris Hermann, who made the most of one of his two at bats. With the score 9-8, Hermann connected with a grand slam, to put the game out of reach.
“That was a big hit for us,” said Fuglerud.
With the lead, Brandon Fehr came in to pitch the seventh inning, and shut the door.
The coach added his team was patient at the plate, and drew walks where the time was right, which aided an offence that pounded out 14 hits.
In the opener, however, defensive breakdowns again cost the Spurs, according to Fuglerud.
“I thought in the first half of the game we coughed up a bunch of errors,” said Fuglerud, who added that did not help his starter, Ryan Colby, who gave up six hits in four innings of work.
Caleb Robinson pitched two and two-thirds innings, as Lethbridge won the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Cleland, Zsednai, Ty Odland and Kaden Odland all had one hit each to pace the offence.
Last Friday at home, the Spurs split with the Fort Macleod Royals.
Vauxhall dropped game one 11-1, despite a solid pitching performance from the team’s starter, Victor Caruso, who went five-and-a-third innings.
“Victor was throwing very well,” said Fuglerud. “We gave away some runs early off of some botched defence.”
The Spurs came through in game two and took a 7-5 win, thanks to more good pitching.
“Ty Odland came out and threw his best game of the year,” said the coach, who added Odland worked six innings, allowed three hits and struck out six.
Ryan Colby pitched the last inning for the Spurs, who also got some timely hitting in the contest, accord to Fuglerud.
“Chris Hermann had a key RBI single for us in the sixth inning.”
With the two splits, the Spurs sit at 8-8 on the season in American Legion play. The team now prepares for a Canada Day exhibition game at Jets Stadium at 6:30 p.m. against Strathmore. The weekend will see the Spurs head to Medicine Hat for a tournament.