SASKATOON — Team East turned out to be the beasts at the Western Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon in Saskatoon.
Playing at Cairns Field on a beautiful day for baseball, East scored five runs in the fifth inning, added another three in the sixth and never looked back in their way to a 9-2 victory over Team West.
As one might expect, Saskatchewan players were all over the win on both sides of the ball.
Saskatoon Berries’ first basemen Gavin Panks led the Land of the Living Skies contingent, coming into the game in the fifth and promptly hitting a single before later scoring one of East’s five runs in the frame. His at bat in the seventh was even better, as Panks would hit a solo home run to plate East’s final run of the game. He’d finish 2-for-2 with two runs and two runs batted in.
Weyburn Beavers outfielder Joe Madill had an impressive outing of his own, hitting a double in the fifth and later scoring when Medicine Hat’s Carter Roth hit a two-run home run. He’d score his second run of the game the next inning on a single by the Swift Current 57’s outfielder Lucas Geisler. All told, Madill ended up 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBI.
Regina Red Sox second baseman Justin Simard did his part by knocking home teammate Wil Togher in the fifth and then scoring on Madill’s double. Simard plated Togher again in the sixth, and scored his second run later in the inning on a hit by Weyburn Beavers catcher Robert Gurney. Simard’s final stat line was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Moose Jaw Miller Express shortstop Thomas Soto and Saskatoon Berries outfielder Ethan Murdoch also had hits in the contest.
On the mound, Keagan Baker of the Regina Red Sox got the All-Star Game start and tossed a scoreless first, striking out one. Saskatoon’s Adam Korte pitched the second and struck out a pair, Moose Jaw’s Jacob Glazener took over in the third and allowed a single run on a single hit.
Weyburn’s Logan Lynch gave up a hit and struck out one in the fourth; Swift Current’s Max Noto and Regina’s David Gordon combined for a shutout fifth. Saskatoon’s Dallen Rude gave up a single hit and struck out two in the seventh, Swift Current’s Koufax Cranmer pitched a perfect eighth and Moose Jaw’s Nathan Pisio finished things off, allowing a single hit in the ninth.
Sylvan Lake’s Elijha Hammill was 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the West.
Roth was named the All-Star Game MVP after his 2-for-3 outing that included the round tripper, a run and two RBI.
Up Next
Saskatchewan teams are right back at it on Monday, with Moose Jaw at Medicine Hat (6:45 p.m.) and Weyburn at Swift Current (6:57 p.m.).
