Sooners split four-game set with Kentville

SYDNEY — The big bats came out on Sunday to help the Sydney Sooners salvage a four-game weekend set with the Kentville Wildcats and return to the top of the standings.

The host Sooners lost both games of the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League doubleheader on Saturday before rebounding for two wins on Sunday.

On Saturday, the Sooners' five-game winning streak ended when the fourthplace Wildcats scored an 8-4 extra-inning win at the Susan McEachern Memorial Ball Park in Sydney. The visiting Wildcats completed a sweep of the doubleheader with an 8-2 win in the nightcap.

In the opener, the Sooners rallied for two runs in the home half of the seventh inning to tie the game 4-4. Veteran shortstop Chris Farrow delivered the key blow, a two-run single that tied the game.

Kentville quickly responded with four runs in the eighth inning, including a three-run homer by Doug Hassell.

Cory Boutilier was the winning pitcher, while Sooners’ Parker Hanrahan was tagged with the loss, his first of the season.

In the nightcap, the Wildcats cruised to an 8-2 win to complete the sweep and improve their record to 4-6.

Drew Chase was the winning pitcher.

Rookie Parker Spencer was tagged with the loss in his first NSSBL start for the Sooners.

The Sydney Sooners returned to the win column on Sunday when they clubbed six home runs and had 30 hits en route to 8-2 and 16-4 victories over the Wildcats.

Those wins improved Sydney’s record to 9-3 and moved the team back into a tie with the Dartmouth Mooseheads (6-0) for first place.

In the first game on Sunday, defending league batting champ Sean Ferguson blasted a three-run home run to left and added a double, while sophomore slugger Corson O’Rourke launched a two-run blast to lead Sydney’s 13-hit attack.

Jordon Shepherd and Cory Christie both had a double and single.

Brandon MacKay had a double and a single for Kentville.

Righty Justin Brewer went the distance to earn the win. Tyson Slaunwhite was the losing pitcher.

In Sunday’s second game, the Sooners sent 13 men to the plate in the first inning and scored eight runs to jump out to an early lead. Sydney added seven more runs in the second inning to put the game out of reach.

Shepherd led the Sooners' 17-hit outpouring with a pair of three-run home runs. He now has a team-high four homers on the season.

Rookie Parker Spencer drove in five runs with a three-run home run, two doubles and a single in his four at-bats. Third baseman Brett MacMullin hit a solo blast and also had a double and single. O’Rourke stayed hot with a double and two singles, Breton Sibley had two doubles and Jordan Sampson chipped in with two singles.

For Kentville, Hassell had a two-run home run.

Keagan Murrin was the winning pitcher, while Wes Harding was tagged with the loss.

The Sooners travel to Dartmouth next weekend for a three-game series at Beazley Field.