Nanaimo – Fighting for their playoff lives in front of their home fans, the Nanaimo NightOwls came back down 6-1, stealing the series opener against the Kamloops NorthPaws. The Paws got off to a hot start with four runs through the first two innings, but Nanaimo came roaring back with three in the sixth and four in the seventh to take the lead. The two teams left a combined 28 runners on base and collectively walked 25 batters.
Kamloops got off to a great start in the first, loading the bases with nobody out. Keegan Drinkle got hit by a pitch to bring in the game’s first run. Two batters later, Ibrahim Diaou got his first hit and RBI as a NorthPaw with a single, making it 2-0.
Nanaimo answered in the bottom half, but Kamloops came right back with two of their own thanks to a bases-loaded walk from Kenner Lauterbach and a sacrifice RBI from Keegan Drinkle.
Up 4-1, the NorthPaws added some of what were insurance runs at the time. With the bases loaded again, Jackson Glymph scored on a wild pitch. Kenner Lauterbach then hit an infield RBI to give the Paws a five-run lead.
Things started to fall apart in the sixth for the NorthPaws with two bases-loaded walks and a sacrifice RBI getting the NightOwls within two. In the seventh, an RBI double and a bases-loaded walk gave Nanaimo their first lead of the night. A fielding error then made it 8-6, capping off a four-run inning.
In the top of the ninth, Kenner Lauterbach doubled to get the NorthPaws within one, but the NightOwls shut the door, earning themselves a crucial victory. The two teams will be back at it Tuesday night, with Nanaimo looking to move one step closer to clinching their first playoff berth in franchise history.
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