Expos silence Cannons in rematch
June is perhaps the most exciting month of baseball for players.
Teams are beginning to sort themselves out and early contenders are starting to emerge. The Rose City Thorns returned to the win column in Niagara senior men’s baseball this week with a 8-2 victory over Thorold Fantoms, and the Welland-based Thorns are now tied for first place with the Fort Erie Cannons.
Both teams enter the weekend at 3-1, half a game ahead of the Niagara Falls Expos and Welland Chiefs, both 2-2; and a full game up on the Niagara Falls Junior Falcons, 2-2.
Rounding out the standings in the eight-team loop are the St. Catharines Cobras and Merritton Alliance, each one game under .500 with 1-2 records; the Thorold Fantoms, 0-4 and three games off week.
The Chiefs had an up-anddown — more accurately, downand-up — at home this week. They rebounded from a 14-2 loss to Fort Erie Monday and downing Thorold 8-2 under the lights at Welland Stadium two nights later.
It was the second loss in as many nights for the Fantoms, who dropped an 8-2 decision to Rose City Tuesday at home.
Merritton grounded the Niagara Falls Juniors Falcons 10-4 on the road Sunday for its first win of the season, and the Expos doubled St. Catharines 12-6, also on the road Sunday.
Pitching gem for southpaw
Our Game of Week was a rematch of last year’s championship final, and once again it was Expos prevailing over Fort Erie, this time by a 7-2 score.
The bats came out early for Niagara Falls Wednesday night at Oakes Park in Fort Erie, as the Expos plated one run in the first inning and four more in the second to chase Cannons starter Ryan Soltesz, 0-1; from the mound after two innings of work.
Niagara Falls southpaw Kevin Niven, in comparison, got to finish what he started, pitching a complete game to even his record at 1-1.
“This is a really good hitting team,” Niven said. “I played them in the championship game last year, so I know I have to keep them off balance.
“As a predominantly fastball pitcher I need to make sure I’m hitting the corners of the plate at all times.”
In his second start of the year, Niven was strong and used the corners plus his deceptive curveball effectively to strike out batters. He limited the host Cannons to two earned run on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Expos coach Bob Ethier believes the defending champions are stronger than they were in 2016.
“I think we’ve got more depth,” he said. “We were good last year, but a couple of these young guys have come in and they’re good little players.”
Niagara Falls, moving quickly to support Niven’s pitching gem with runs, took advantage of poor location from Soltesz, who gave up two hits and three walks in the second.
T.C. Murray had the best night offensively for the Expos, going 2-for-3 with a double and batting Upcoming games in the Niagara District Baseball Association’s senior men’s division. Admission to all games is free.
Niagara Falls Expos at Rose City Thorns, 7 p.m.
Merritton at St. Catharines Cobras, 7:30 p.m., George Taylor Field
Niagara Falls Expos at Merritton, 1 p.m., George Taylor Field; St. Catharines at Rose City, 7 p.m., Welland Stadium
Niagara Falls Falcons Juniors at Thorold, 7:30 p.m., McMillan Park
Merritton at Welland Chiefs. 7:30 p.m., Welland Stadium; St. Catharines at Fort Erie, 8 p.m., Oakes Park
in three runs.
Niagara Falls has scored 19 games in the past two games, both of them victories, after scoring only nine runs in three games to start the season 1-2.
“We started off pretty slow,” Ethier said. “Hitting-wise, we’re right there. One through eight, anyone can be a three or four hitter.
“It’s big for the starting pitching. If (Niven) is throwing like he was today and then he can relax out there because he has a sevenrun lead. It’s big.”
Fort Erie settled into this game behind the relief pitching of Zak Porter. Porter was a star who shone too late for the Cannons, allowing no runs or walks and limiting Niagara Falls to two hits over three and a third innings in relief of Bryce McNeil while striking out seven.
Fort Erie finally broke through with three singles in the sixth, but even a late home run from Serge Gervais would not bring the Cannons within contention.
Fort Erie looks to get back in the win column next week when they host the St. Catharines Cobras on Wednesday and the Expos travel to Welland Stadium to play the Thorns on Friday.