Pirates still perfect after doubleheader sweep

PLAINS – The Pirates used some late game heroics to keep their perfect season intact and take both the first and second games of a doubleheader against Superior. 

The Plains Pirates were able to remain perfect on Saturday after winning both games of their doubleheader against the Superior Rockies. 

The Pirates hosted the Rockies for a back-to-back doubleheader on Saturday May 17 at the field adjacent to the Plains High School track. The two wins moved the Pirates to a perfect record of 10 wins and 0 losses on the season.

“It was a complete team effort to give us the wins today,” Plains Head Coach, John Curry said. 

The Pirates have had a lot of those this baseball season, winning ten consecutive games in a row in the Clark Fork Babe Ruth League Majors division. 

This success continued on Saturday in Plains as the Pirates rolled to a 14-0 victory in game one of the doubleheader. 

The pirates held the Rockies to no hits over the four inning contest, shortened due to the 10 run mercy rule, with starter Derek Curry pitching the first 3 1/3 innings of the contest, striking out nine. 

On the offensive side of the plate Esvin Reyes led the Pirates attack with three hits, including five runners driven in.  

Reyes was not the only Pirate to provide the offense and the combined to get 14 runs off of ten hits in an impressive showing of firepower in the early game. 

The nightcap did not go quite as smoothly for the Pirates. 

After jumping out to a 4-2 lead over visiting Superior the Pirates found themselves down 8-4 with only six outs remaining in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

At this late juncture it looked very unlikely that the Plains team would be able to push their winning streak into double digits.

However, as they have done nine other times this year the Pirates of Plains found a way to seal the victory. 

Using some crafty bullpen work, after the Rockies loaded the bases in the fifth frame of the game, the Pirates kept the game within reach.

The Plains boys also used some aggressive base running and timely hitting the home team capitalized on late mistakes by Superior. 

After escaping the bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth, the Pirates plated three runs in the bottom portion of the inning to make things interesting.

Nevertheless, the home team was still down 8-7 with only three outs to give.

This tenuous situation called for some dramatics and the Pirates players had them in spades.  

Initially, it looked like the Rockies would be able to hang on for the win recording the first two outs of the final inning in a rather routine fashion.

However, the one base runner Superior did allow to get on used a couple balls in the dirt to move uncontested from first to third. A ground ball to short looked like it would be the final out of the finale but the Tristan Subatch barely beat the throw to first base, forcing across the tying run and extending the inning. 

Subatch than took the initiative moving from first to third and using another ball in the dirt to make a break for home, narrowly beating another throw, to give his team the walk-off win and keep their record spotless. 

Nathaniel and Jake Zigler handled the majority of the pitching for the Pirates combining to work five innings for the victorious team. 

Nathaniel also collected two hits from the offensive side of the plate, helping himself out, while their teammate Reyes had multiple base hits of his own. Adding to his big day Nathaniel drove in two runs. 

Despite their success Curry was adamant about making sure the kids had fun while playing.

“We have focused on getting the team to not be anxious and just enjoy the game,” Curry said. 

The Pirates will host another doubleheader next weekend and will partake in a Plains Day tournament in the coming weeks.