Charlottetown (3-12) sits last almost halfway through the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League (NBSBL) season despite its 3.62 team earned-run average, which is good for second-best in the league.
Runs haven’t been easy to come by for Charlottetown, which has scored a league-low 27 runs (1.8 per game). The offensive woes are not unexpected given the players, who batted in the top five spots in the lineup a year ago, have combined for seven plate appearances this season.
The Islanders look to get the offence going tonight when they tangle with the tough Moncton Fisher Cats (8-8) – a team with highest scoring offence in the circuit (81).
Game time is 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Field.
Charlottetown is coming off a 9-4 loss to Moncton six days ago in the Hub City and has dropped both meetings against the Fisher Cats this season.
As good as Moncton’s been scoring runs, its pitching is bogged down with a league-high 5.35 ERA and has surrendered the most runs (77) in the NBSBL this season.
Sam Lund is the ace right now. He is 2-2 with a 3.00 ERA and a second-best 46 strikeouts in 30 innings of work.
On the Charlottetown side, Brody McDonald is second overall with a 1.04 ERA, despite his 0-3 record and one save.
Lance Van Noy leads Moncton with a .333 batting average, tied with Charlottetown’s Jordan Stevenson for fourth overall.
On the mound, Stevenson is 2-3 with a 2.61 ERA.
Saturday, the Islanders welcome the Fredericton Royals for a doubleheader. Start time for Game 1 is 2 p.m. at Memorial Field.
Charlottetown travels to Fredericton, N.B., on Sunday for a rescheduled double-dip versus the Royals from early June.
Game 1 first pitch is 2 p.m.
Need to know
A look at the Moncton Fisher Cats and Charlottetown Islanders top players this season.
Batting Average
Moncton – Lance Van Noy, .333.
Charlottetown – Jordan Stevenson, .333.
Hits
Moncton – Paul Raglione, 15.
Charlottetown – Jordan Stevenson, 13.
Doubles
Moncton – Sam Lund, 4.
Charlottetown – Jordan Stevenson, 5.
Home Runs
Moncton – Paul Raglione, Josh Dennis, Serge Vatour, 1.
Charlottetown – Brody McDonald, 1.
RBI
Moncton – Serge Vatour, 14.
Charlottetown – Brody McDonald, 6.
Pitching
Wins
Moncton – Sam Lund, Justin Cormier, Juan Ortiz, 2.
Charlottetown – Jordan Stevenson, 2.
Strikeouts
Moncton – Sam Lund, 46.
Charlottetown – Jordan Stevenson, 31.
ERA
Moncton – Sam Lund, 3.00.
Charlottetown – Brody McDonald, 1.04.
