SASKATOON — The Saskatoon Berries had plenty of impressive late-game comebacks in their record-setting Western Canadian Baseball League regular season in 2025, and they added another to the books on Saturday night.
The Berries scored the tying run in the eighth inning, held off a rally by the Regina Red Sox in the top of the ninth and then scored the game-winning run on a passed ball in their final at bat to take a 3-2 victory at Cairns Field.
Saskatoon improves to 6-2 and remain in first place in the East Division, Regina drops to 3-5 and into fifth place.
Other action for the WCBL’s Saskatchewan teams Saturday saw the Weyburn Beavers roll to a 16-4 win over the Swift Current 57’s and the Medicine Hat Mavericks score five runs in the eighth in a 10-6 win over the Moose Jaw Miller Express.
Saskatoon 3, Regina 2
Regina held a 2-1 lead heading into the eighth inning when Saskatoon began their comeback.
Gavin Parks knocked home Nash Nichols with the tying run and himself would get into scoring position before Red Sox reliever Jake Fowler escaped the inning.
Regina nearly regained the lead in the ninth when Justin Simard and Mason Tafoya hit back-to-back two-out singles and Alex Roux walked to load the bases. That brought the always dangerous Brady Bye to the plate, but Berries pitcher Tanner Hosick got a ground out to third to end the threat.
That set the stage for the bottom of the ninth, with Brock Laird drawing a one-out walk, going to second on an Erik Aguirre single and eventually scoring on a passed ball to give Saskatoon the walk-off win.
Aguirre was the only member of the Berries to have multiple hits as he finished with a 2-for-4 outing that included a double.
Owen Stempel started for Saskatoon and had a decent outing, holding Regina to two unearned runs while scattering three hits and striking out five over four innings. Four relievers — Willis Simair, Brooks Jones, Reid Beck and Hosick — took over from there, holding Regina scoreless the rest of the way.
Justin Simard was 2-for-5 with an RBI for Regina, Matteo Pierre had a run-scoring double in the second.
Daniel Crabtree turned in a quality start for the Red Sox, allowing a single run on three hits and striking out four over six innings. Fowler tossed the final 2 ⅔ and took the loss.
Weyburn 16, Swift Current 4
The Beavers wasted no time getting things going at Tom Laing Park, scoring five in the first, building an 8-2 lead through five and then tacking on eight more runs in the seventh for the mercy-rule win.
Weyburn’s big inning saw a bit of everything, as they had three singles, three walks, two hit batters and an error, eventually sending 12 batters to the plate.
Hugh Montgomery led Weyburn by going 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Austin Boylan, Brayden Mayencourt and Will Seivier all crossed the plate twice and had two RBI. Ryan Weaver hit a triple and knocked in two, Gunner Ferguson scored three runs.
All the run support made for light work in Josh Pritchard’s quest for the win, as he’d put together a quality start with two runs allowed, five hits and seven strikeouts in six innings.
Jake Hiromoto knocked in a pair of runs for Swift Current, Anthony Hector crossed the plate twice.
Gavin Lippa got the start for the 57’s and was the losing pitcher after allowing five runs on six hits in 2 ⅔ innings.
Weyburn improves to 4-3 and move into sole possession of second place in the East, Swift Current falls to 2-4 and remain in sixth.
Medicine Hat 10, Moose Jaw 6
The two teams found themselves in a relatively low-scoring battle heading into the eighth inning, with the teams having exchanged a pair of runs in the seventh to see the Mavericks leading 5-4.
Medicine Hat took control of things the next frame, though, putting five across the plate to hit double digits on the scoreboard. The Miller Express got two back in the ninth but would get no closer.
Evan Morrison had the big hit in the Mavs big inning, cracking a grand slam over the centerfield wall for his lone hit of the night. Nate King was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, Blake Dale went 2-for-5 with three RBI, Johnny Vulcano picked up three hits and Adam Vulcano scored two runs.
Julian Pokorny started for Medicine Hat and allowed two unearned runs on four hits over five innings, Levi Tibbetts ended up with the victory after taking over in the seventh and allowing a pair of runs.
Ben Waliczek went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, Thomas Soto also had a pair of hits and crossed the plate twice. Will Edwards and Jimmy Kurtz each knocked in two.
Sean Bavis opened on the mound for Moose Jaw and had a quality start, going six innings and allowing three runs on nine hits and striking out four. Jake Hicks took the loss after allowing a pair of runs in the seventh.
Moose Jaw falls to 3-4 and are in fourth place, Medicine Hat improves to 4-4 and move into third.
All four Saskatchewan teams are in action on Sunday afternoon, with Weyburn at Saskatoon (1 p.m.), Moose Jaw at Medicine Hat (2:05 p.m.) and Swift Current at Regina (2:05 p.m.).
