SARNIA – The rally caps ran out of juice once more for the Lions on the diamond.
On Friday night, the Lambton Men’s Baseball program dropped both games in their doubleheader against the visiting Durham Lords at Errol Russell Park, falling to 0-6 on the season as a result. The Lords improved to 3-4 with their victories.
Durham picked up an 11-4 win in Game One before finding an offensive rhythm and rolling to an 18-2 win in Game Two.
On the heels of their comeback effort against the Seneca Sting in their last outing, the Lions came into Friday’s doubleheader against the Lords with a renewed sense of confidence within the group. They showed themselves that they can compete with the top teams in the OCAA, and they were looking to carry that momentum into a busy weekend of baseball.
After both teams scored a pair of runs in the first inning, Durham started to put some separation between themselves and the Lion in the second. The Lords rough up Lambton starter Jackson Fawdry (Sarnia, Ont.) in the second inning, scoring nine runs after batting around.
Once again, much like the situation they found themselves in during Game Two against the Sting, the Lions found themselves down big early on. However, they continued to fight on both sides of the ball.
Colby Ferguson (Forest, Ont.) made his first pitching appearance of the season in relief of Fawdry in the third inning and delivered one of the finer relief performances you will see. Ferguson threw five innings of shutout baseball, allowing just three hits while striking out a pair of Durham batters.
Ferguson kept the offense for the Lords in check, not allowing another runner to cross home while facing four or fewer batters in each inning of work. Unfortunately for the Lions, with the exception of a pair of runs in the bottom of the third, their offense was also held in check.
In each of his first four innings of work, Ferguson stranded a Durham baserunner in scoring position before sitting down the Lords in order in the top of the seventh to cap off his stellar night of work.
Game Two didn’t go Lambton’s way on either side of the ball. Lambton got on the board with a pair of runs in the third inning, but the Lords got five of their own off Lions’ starter Matthew Smithson (Port Rowan, Ont.) over his three innings of work. Durham would pad their lead, feasting on the Lambton relievers and cruising to the five-inning win.
It’s a quick turnaround for the Lions, as Lambton will play host to the Centennial Colts on Saturday afternoon. First pitch in Game One is set for 1:00 p.m. at Errol Russell Park.