Jays fall to New Lowell in season opener

May 13, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

The Aurora Jays began the 2015 North Dufferin Baseball League season with a loss last Tuesday.

Veteran pitcher Brent Owen took to the mound to start the game against the New Lowell Knights, giving up three runs in the first inning to put the Jays in a hole they just couldn’t dig out of.

Chris Rettie plated the Jay’s first run of the season in the fourth, cashing in on an earlier error.

Down 6 – 1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the home team put together a bit of a rally, scoring three runs before falling just short.
“We nearly pulled it off,” said Jays coach Rob Wilson. “We left the tying run on base.”

The game ended 6 – 4. Newcomer Stephen Vallee was the Jays’ top hitter of the game, picking up two runs off two hits in three at-bats, including a hard hit double.

Andrew Bukovec, consistent on the mound for the last few seasons, closed the game by giving up no hits or runs for the final two innings. He also had five strikeouts in his first outing of the season.

With Sunday’s away game in Barrie postponed due to rain, the Jays pick back up Tuesday, after press-time, against the Creemore Braves. They then head to Nobleton on Thursday to face the Cornhuskers before hosting the Angus Black Sox next Tuesday at Lambert Willson Park.

For stats, schedules, and more information, visit www.ndbl.ca.