Fastball season ends for Rainy River

Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River’s dreams of repeating as champs were dashed last Thursday when visiting Rainy Lake knocked the Royals out of the RR Dist. Fastball playoffs.
After losing to the league champs, Sight and Sound (Fort Frances), last Tuesday 10-2, the previously undefeated (in the playoffs) RR had to face the team it beat in the first game of the draw.
RL drew first blood scoring two runs in the first inning. RR answered back with one of its own.
Then both teams were scoreless for three innings in what was pretty much pitcher’s duel.
In the 5th RL cracked the egg a bit scoring two homeruns off RR pitcher Murray Armstrong. The Royals returned fire with three runs to tie the game at 4-4 after 5.
Two more scoreless innings saw the game go to an extra inning. RL scored two in the top of the 8th before being sent back into the field.
The first two RR batters were retired. After that Ken Guess hit a single and was advanced to third by the next batter. What seemed like a rally in the making was then halted as was RR’s season when Marty Armstrong struck out.
RL advanced to face Sight and Sound in the finals last night. Results were not available at press time. However RL has to beat Sight and Sound twice to win. A win by S&S would give them bragging rights to both the league and playoff titles. Something that RR did last year.