Moncton, however, had lots to scribble down thanks to a four-hit, complete game gem by pitcher Justin Cormier - 14 hits and nine runs and generally solid play.
Cormier walked none and struck out four batters and went to 4-2 on the season. For him, the groove started the early in the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League game.
“I didn’t fall behind as many guys as I tend to do. We got a couple of double plays that really set the tone,” said Cormier. “(Late in the game) I was just trying not to walk anyone. We make a big deal of not walking batters. I knew if I could get ground balls the defence could make the plays.”
Conversely, Isles starter Jordan Stevenson (7-4) was banged around early, surrendering three hits and a run in the first inning. Moncton’s Josh Dennis scored in the second inning then catcher Mike Ivey’s two-run double in the third gave the Fisher Cats a 4-0 edge and sucked the life out of the Isles for the rest of the game.
Moncton went to 14-17 while Charlottetown dropped to 12-19. The teams play again Wednesday in Moncton to finish up the season. It’s a make-up game from Sunday’s rainout.
Stevenson would allow six runs on 10 hits, and certainly not helped by two Charlottetown errors, and was pulled after four innings for Colin Arsenault, who gave up just two hits.
Kyle MacDougall mopped up, but was hindered by three hits and three Islanders errors in the seventh that allowed three more runs to cross.
All in all not a good outing for the Islanders, but assistant coach Tex MacDonald put much of the blame on poor fortune.
“I think Moncton got all of the bounces. We got every bad hop. Granted we lost 9-0, but we had lots of bad luck,” he said.
Brody McDonald, Jesse MacIntyre, Jeremy MacKinnon and Jordan Duffy had the Islanders hits.
Ivey added a single while Dennis whacked a double and Sam Lund has three singles.
With the win, Moncton gains home field advantage in the team’s upcoming quarter-final series. The dates will be announced later this month.
McDonald and Jake Beck will be available to start for the Islander on the mound Wednesday.
