By Cody F. Schmidt

RE/MAX Field saw fourteen innings of action across two games tonight as the smoke lifted from the city enough to finish the series between the Edmonton Riverhawks and Springfield Drifters. The Drifters were able to take the first half of the double-header 5-2 over the Hawks .

After Springfield was the first to get on the scoreboard, the Hawks struck back in the 3rd. #47 Will Vasseur led off the frame with a single, before #54 Sam Kane was plunked to join him on the base paths. Then #36 Jakob Poturnak got the fortune of a throwing error that disrupted what should have been a double play, instead the bail sailed into the outfield and Vasseur was able to score. #5 Bryce McFeely followed with a double to the warning track, but the Hawks were unable to tie the game in the 3rd as the throw came in to home in time to tag Poturnak on his slide.

Starter #48 Fernando Palencia worked efficiently, tossing the first six innings of game one. He was really only roughed up in the 3rd where the Drifters were able to score three in a sudden two-out rally. A walk followed by a pair of singles and a double put the runs across, but otherwise Palencia pitched quickly and effectively. Fernando’s first two frames both were 3-up-3-down affairs with a double play in each, and his 5th only had six pitches thrown to retire the side. The Drifters stole another run in the 6th with a hit batter that took second and third on steals coming around on a single. Finishing game one, #27 Brendan Loeppky was tagged with another run off a hit batter, who came across with a steal and a fielder’s choice.

In game two the Hawks weren’t able to turn things around, as Springfield took the series with an 2-1 win. The Drifters tied the 1st inning run that Edmonton was able to put on the board, then snuck ahead in the top of the 7th. The Hawks threatened in the bottom half but a play at the plate spoiled their chance at tying things up.

Looking to reverse their game one fortunes, the Riverhawks took an early lead in game two. #6 Taichi Nakao led of the 1st with a slap single, and he was moved up with a walk to #3 Michael Soper. Just like in the first game, the Drifters fumbled on a double play that advanced runners and led to Nakao crossing the plate on #5 Bryce McFeely’s sac fly.

Game two pitcher #33 Halen Knoll was back to his usual tricks with 3 strikeouts across his 6.2 innings on the mound. The Drifters hit a solo homer to tie the game in the 3rd, but that was all they would score against Knoll. Working effectively, Halen tossed back-to-back five-pitch innings in the 4th and 5th. Pitching nearly the entire game, Knoll was replaced with #16 Tylor Jans with two outs in the 7th as the Drifters hit a double off the wall to take a one-run lead.

The Hawks will be back in the park tomorrow night as the Nanaimo NightOwls come to town. The weekday set kicks off with Field of Dreams Night presented with BASF InVigor. There’s only six more home games left, so make sure to hit up tickets.gohawks.ca and come to RE/MAX Field before the summer is over!