First Win in Franchise History!
2022-06-04
Ivan Brethhowr Hits Grand Slam as Hawks Dump Owls
Riverhawks play spoiler in Nightowls home opener
Edmnton 7 at Nanaimo 5, June 3, 2022
Game Day Story by Dayton Abbott
The Edmonton Riverhawks beat the Nanaimo NightOwls 7-5 in dramatic fashion for their first win in franchise history.
The game had been a close until the 7th, when Edmonton’s Ivan Brethowr stepped to the plate. The bases were loaded and the big product from Arizona State University was facing a pitcher’s count: 1-2. But the 6’6” 240 pound right fielder jumped on the next offering and delivered a grand slam to suddenly make it a 5-1 game. The Hawks then cruised to a 7-5 win.
The Capital City Crew had gotten out of the gate well. In the first inning, leadoff man Aaron Stinnett singled. Then, with two away, Minot State catcher Mark Ossanna delivered another single followed by one from Kelly Corl, driving in Stinnett.
That lead lasted all the way until the bottom of the 6th when Nanaimo’s Landon Frei hit a towering home run over the left field wall to tie the game at 1.
As the tie score suggests, pitching was not an issue for the starters, Scottsdale, Arizona, native Riley Barrett, who started on the bump for your Riverhawks, and the NightOwls’ Seth Gurr of Coledale, Alberta. Barrett, would pitch 5 2/3 innings, surrendering just 1 run on 4 hits and 2 walks. Gurr went 5 1/3 innings giving up 1 run as well on 5 hits and 1 walk. It was the bullpen that failed to deliver for the Nightowls, especially in the 7th.
Brett Grupe started that inning with a leadoff single followed by a Brad Jolley walk. After Tyvon Moore stuck out swinging, Aaron Stinnett was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Nanaimo made another pitching change and bought in righty Evan Siegel to face Ivan Brethowr. The big man from Olathe, Kansas, took a cut at the first strike and took the next one looking, helping to make the count 1-2. Brethowr then took a great cut at the next pitch and sent it over the left centre field wall. GRAND SLAM RIVERHAWKS! It was another first in the early days of the history of this young team. Carson Friesen followed the big shot up with a RBI double to make it 6-1 at the end of the inning.
In the next inning, Nanaimo’s Tim Holyk started a comeback effort for the NightOwls launching a 2 run homer. But that was all they would get and Edmonton answered in the next inning when Kelly Corl singled to drive in Mark Ossanna, who had ripped a double.
The Riverhawks took a 7-3 lead into the bottom of the 9th, when the Owls scored another 2 on back to back singles with 2 out and 2 on base. But the rally stalled there and the game ended on a Landon Frei strikeout.
The winning pitcher on record for the Riverhawks first win is Riley Barrett while Halen Knoll is credited with the first save in team history.
Game 2 in the series goes Saturday night, with the first pitch is set for 7:35 p.m. MST which you can watch on NightOwls.tv. We’ll post a pre-game story here. Riley Barrett
Ivan Brethhowr hit a grand slam as the boys busted open a 1-1 game against Nanaimo with a 5-run 7th inning. The boys then cruised to a 7-5 win. How sweet it is!!! The Riverhawks and NightOwls go at it again tomorrow. Game is at and will be on NightOwls.TV
Watch for updates on the Riverhawks Twitter and Instagram feeds as well as our Facebook page. A complete game preview and summary will be posted here at riverhawks.ca.