The bantam AA Cowichan Valley Mustangs swept their way through four exhibition baseball games last weekend as they prepared for the Vancouver Island zone championships later this month.
The games might not have meant anything in the standings, but they were still invaluable for the Mustangs.
"Yes, they were exhibition, but important as we prepare for zones and hopefully provincials," coach Tod LeSergent said.
The Cowichan team won 10-7 over Nanaimo's AA team and 13-5 over Campbell River's single-A team in Nanaimo on Saturday, then returned home to take both sides of a doubleheader against the North Island AAA Royals, 4-3 and 9-5. The North Island Royals include players from Port Alberni, Parksville, Comox Valley, Campbell River and Powell River.
Nicholas Yu earned the win in the second game of the doubleheader against the Royals, pitching five innings and giving up just four hits and one run while striking out six. Kale Eddy and James McMahon shared duties over the last two innings.
At the plate, Cam LeSergent had three singles and two stolen bases, Jake Winter had a single, a double and one steal, and McMahon and Eddy had two singles apiece. Matt Miller's lone hit was a triple, while Brandon Langer and Tanner Cummings also had singles. Cummings added a steal to his stat line. LeSergent, Langer and McMahon finished with two RBIs each, and Miller and Brady Radcliffe had one each.
Before they head to zones, four Mustangs - Yu, Eddy, Cole Anderson and Zach Waddington - will suit up for one of the two Vancouver Island teams at the BC Summer Games in Nanaimo this weekend.