By Cody F. Schmidt

It was a non-standard game before it even started as due to some travel issues, the Springfield Drifters arrived in time to start the game at a delayed 9:30pm MDT. The call was made ahead of time to limit the game to 7 innings. The Edmonton Riverhawks were ready and waiting, and launched a parade of hits to take the game 9-1.

While the fans in the stands had to wait a bit for the game to start, they didn’t have to wait long for the Hawks to get on the board! #36 Jakob Poturnak worked his 1st inning at bat into a full count, then lifted off with a 418 foot solo homer over the wall in centre field. The Hawks were back at in in the 3rd, as #6 Taichi Nakao reached first on a Springfield error, then was driven home by #12 Rex Watson with a 391 foot double that bounced off the wall in left. Watson hit another double in the 5th with one out, then a wild pitch that bounced off the catcher’s knee was enough of an opportunity for Watson to run home unassisted.

A madcap 6th allowed more runs for the Hawks as #47 Will Vasseur led off with a double and #25 Trey Dunn walked. Then what should have been a routine double play blew the inning open, as a missed tag at second and a pair of poor tosses led to both runners making it home, and #26 Russell Young staying on base. The action didn’t stop there, as Nakao singled to line up a pair of runners for Poturnak to drive home with a warning track 2RBI double to cap off the Hawks’ lopsided lead

Starter #23 Brady Kobitowich made it through his first two frames scoreless, despite loading the bases with two outs in the 2nd. In the 3rd a leadoff double was pushed home by a sac bunt and a sac fly to tie the game and give Brady his first earned run. The Drifters were held quiet in the 4th and 5th, unable to retake the lead as Kobitowich cruised through the innings, only allowing a couple hits. Across his 5.0 frames, Brady tossed a single K and a pair of walks, while allowing seven hits.

In the 6th #46 Michael Yusypchuk took over, and had a pair of huge assists thanks to Poturnak. After a leadoff triple slid in just before the tag, Poturnak fielded back-to-back balls to hold the runner and get a pair of quick outs. A 6-4-3 double play earned two quick outs in Yusypchuk’s 7th, before a grounder sealed the deal on his 2.0 innings of pitching.

The fun continues tomorrow night at RE/MAX Field, as the Hawks will face the Drifters again during Superheroes Night with Global Edmonton. Then to beat the heat on Sunday, the series will wrap with a special 10:30am MDT start. Swing by the park and get your spot ahead of time by visiting tickets.gohawks.ca.