In a blink, the Coquitlam Reds have bolted into first place.
That's largely because the Langley Blaze have been docked a dozen wins, dropping them from first place to sixth place in the B.C. Premier (16-18) Baseball League standings.
The sanctions are the result of a protest filed against the Blaze by the Coquitlam Reds in late June. The Reds are winners of 14 straight and now sit tied for first with the Nanaimo Pirates, both at 29-13.
With three games remaining in the PBL season, Langley now sits at 22-23 - instead of 34-11 - and in a fight to qualify for the post-season.
The Reds protested that the Blaze had used ineligible players in the form of junior (Under-16) players who played in excess of 10 games at the Premier level.
The players in question were Mason Cratty and Greg Rogers.
PBL rules state that junior players may play a maximum of nine games at the premier (U-18) level and, any games after that, require them to have a permanent roster spot on the team's PBL roster.
Premier teams have an allotment of 22 roster spots and since Cratty and Rogers exceeded the nine-game limit, that pushed the Blaze to 24 players. As a result, the Blaze's record was amended for that 17-game span -- they had gone 12-5, thus losing a dozen victories from their total.
The violations began as of May 29 and June 8, respectively, and neither player can no longer play for the Jr. Blaze, the top team in the B.C. Junior Premier League.
"If a junior player plays more than 10 games, he is a senior player [who] you have just hidden [on the junior roster]," said BCPBL president Ted Hotzak. "Some of the rules might seem picky and trivial but... someone stretched it."
Langley, which was in California for a tournament at the time and could not respond immediately, filed an appeal on Sunday, citing lack of clarification in the league's roster rules regarding violations and subsequent penalties, as well as the way the format was submitted.
But the league ruled on July 11 that they had upheld the Coquitlam protest and subsequently docked the Blaze the dozen wins.
"They violated the league roster rules," said Reds head coach Kyle Williams. "The league has a precedent going back to last year when a team was found to be using ineligible players and they've obviously stood by that ruling."
The two organizations have had a frosty relationship in the past but Williams was hoping they could both move on despite the latest clash between the two teams, who are among the flagship units in the BCPBL.
"I hope we can get past this at some point," he said. "We need, as coaches, to be able to get along and get on with just coaching.
"The near term might be difficult ... maybe the off-season is the best time (to discuss it). But we have to be role models for the kids on the field and do what's best for them, first and foremost."
The Blaze have won the past three PBL regular season championships.
The Reds, meanwhile, are smoking hot, collecting two more wins Wednesday to run their victory streak to 14 games.
Pitcher Dylan Remenyk was terrific, scattering seven hits while going the full 10 innings as the Reds prevailed 2-1 over the Vancouver Cannons in the first game of a doubleheader. Next, the Reds overcame an early 3-0 deficit and rallied for a 5-3 win. Brian Nicholas led the Reds' offence with three hits and one RBI.
