CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — The P.E.I. Junior Islanders had an impressive start to the New Brunswick Junior Baseball League season, with a convincing two-game sweep of the Chatham Ironmen Sunday in Charlottetown. Both games were shortened due to the mercy rule.
P.E.I. 11 Chatham 1
P.E.I. spotted Chatham a first-inning run and that would prove to be the only time the Ironmen would score on the day. The Islanders cashed in three runs in the bottom of the first and blew the game open with a seven-run third en route to an 11-1 victory in six innings.
Connor McGregor lead the charge with four hits, including a pair of doubles. Josh Myers and Johnny Savidant each doubled and Connor Jones contributed a two-run single. Ryne MacIsaac and Gabe Penalver also chipped in with hits for the home side with Penalver’s shot through the drawn-in infield ending the game.
On the mound for P.E.I., Nolan Hicken, who earned the win, and Patrick Gallant each went three innings, combining to allow six hits and striking out five.
P.E.I. knocked out Chatham starter and Holland College Hurricane Zach Gosse in the first. Aaron Dunn and Evan Savoy also saw mound time for the visitors. Trey Dunnett, another former Hurricane, had three hits for Chatham.
P.E.I. 11 Chatham 0
The Islanders exploded for seven runs in the first inning of Game 2 and never looked back, cruising to the 11-0 win in five innings.
Myers, McGregor and Brett Caissie all had run-scoring singles in the big inning. McGregor stayed hot with two more hits, as did Myers, Savidant and Gallant.
Chandler Laporte went 3 1/3 strong innings for P.E.I. for the win, yielding only one hit and striking out three. Penalver finished the contest, giving up one hit and striking out two.
Matt Carroll was tagged with the loss for the Ironmen. Dunnett and Nick Noel had the Chatham hits.
The Isles hit the road this weekend for a doubleheader Sunday in Saint John, N.B.
