A strong late-inning push wasn’t enough for the Weyburn Beavers Wednesday night, as they fell 6-4 to the Moose Jaw Miller Express at Tom Laing Park.
Head coach Cam Williams pointed to a few tough breaks that made the difference.
“Just tonight a couple bounces went their way, and a couple really didn't go our way,” Williams said after the game. “It sucks to still come out on the short end of it. But I think there's still some positives, especially when we battled, we scrapped together a lot of really good at-bats late in the game.”
The game saw tensions rise midway through, with Beavers catcher Rob Gurney ejected in the top of the fifth inning after exchanging words with home plate umpire Ron Shewchuk. Players from both dugouts had shown visible frustration with the strike zone throughout the game, with multiple players calling for consistency.
Despite the setback, Weyburn nearly pulled off a comeback. Trailing 4-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, the Beavers rallied for three runs, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Noah Brooks. They added one more in the eighth but couldn’t close the gap as Moose Jaw's bullpen held on.
Brooks finished the night 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Ian Heck went 3-for-4 and pitched five innings as the starter, striking out eight but taking the loss. Ethan Webster pitched four innings in relief, allowing just one earned run and striking out six.
Moose Jaw was led offensively by William Edwards, who went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Austin Gurney, who added a two-run double. The Miller Express outhit the Beavers 14–8 on the night.
Now 2–3 on the season, the Beavers will look to rebound quickly as they wrap up the homestand with back-to-back games against the Fort McMurray Giants. Williams emphasized the importance of setting the tone early.
“Some urgency earlier in the game tomorrow night will go a long way,” he noted.
Third-year pitcher Owen McConnell will make his first start of the season Thursday night.
“He always gives us a quality start and gives us a really good chance to win,” Williams said. “We’re excited to have him have the ball tomorrow.”
First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Tom Laing Park.