Jackfish are double trouble versus Kitchener Panthers

Welland hits 10 doubles in win on home field

Welland Jackfish manager Brian Essery’s battery helped power the Intercounty Baseball League team to its second win in a row.

Three pitchers combined to pitch a six-hitter and catcher Sam Cawker had four hits, including two doubles, scored three runs and drove in four, as the Jackfish tamed the Kitchener Panthers, 16-4, before an announced crowd of 1,164 under the lights Thursday night at Welland Stadium.

Essery called Cawker, 24, from Courtice, Ont., east of Oshawa, a “tremendous” addition to the team.

“We knew he was really good defensively, but his bat has been a surprise,’’ the manager said. “Hitting for a high average and playing great defence, he’s having an outstanding season to this point.’’

Cawker is batting .381 with seven doubles, one home run and 19 RBIS just 17 games into his inaugural season in the IBL. He also has drawn 15 walks and stolen seven bases.

The Jackfish, who improved to 3-0 versus Kitchener and to a league-leading 14-5 overall, had 22 hits in all, 10 of them doubles.

Ethan Hunt had three hits in five at-bats, two doubles, three RBIS and two runs; James Smiber was 2-for-4, with two RBIS and a run; and Giancarlo Morello had a double and two RBIS for the hosts.

Zarley Cina was 2-for-5 with two runs; Matt Hilderbrandt 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI; and Brandon Nicholson, 3-for-6 with three runs at the plate for the victorious Jackfish.

Nicholson stole two bases, increasing his total of thefts to a league-best 25.

Starter Jake Harford earned the win for Welland, improving to 6-1.

Harford allowed four runs on five hits and three hits while striking out two over six innings before giving way to Brett Lawson, who allowed one hit in two innings, and Deivy Mendez, who had two strikeouts in one inning of hitless relief in his Jackfish debut.

Essery said the Jackfish showed the “same intensity’’ against Kitchener as they had when they defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs, 14-2, on the road last Sunday to end a three-game losing slide.

“We have to bring that Saturday night for London,” added Essery whose team hosts the defending champion Majors in a 6:05 p.m. first pitch.

London (12-5) was home to the Barrie Baycats (11-8) on Friday, trailing the Jackfish by one game in the standings.

Welland wraps up the Canada Day weekend with a 5 p.m. game Sunday at Jack Couch Park in Kitchener.