MOOSE JAW — The Regina Red Sox had more than their fair share of impressive comebacks during their Western Canadian Baseball League championship season in 2025, but few will compare to what they accomplished on Thursday.
Trailing the Medicine Hat Mavericks 6-0 heading into the ninth inning, the Red Sox would send eight runs across the plate and go on to an 8-6 victory on Opening Night for the 12-team league.
Other action for Saskatchewan teams on Thursday saw the Moose Jaw Miller Express take a 6-4 win over the Swift Current 57’s and the Saskatoon Berries roll to a 13-2 win over the Weyburn Beavers.
Regina 8, Medicine Hat 6
The Red Sox looked to be all but done heading into the final couple of innings, thanks to a stellar outing from Mavericks starter Derek Archer, who allowed only two hits over seven innings of work while striking out three and walking two.
A pitching change in the ninth changed all that, though, and by the time Regina was done, they’d have sent 11 batters to the plate, racking up their eight runs on four hits, four walks and an error.
Brady Bye had two hits in the inning, including a bases-loaded double that scored Alex Roux, Mason Canter and Mason Tafoya with the go-ahead and game-winning runs.
Bye was the only member of the Red Sox with more than one hit, and Matteo Pierre knocked in a pair of runs in the ninth.
Aiden Schumaker got the start for the Red Sox and allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits over five innings while striking out six. Jake Fowler tossed 3 ⅔ innings of shutout relief and was the winning pitcher.
Jamel Chabot was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI for Medicine Hat, Eric Calder crossed the plate twice. Brandt Spencer gave up three unearned runs in the ninth and was the losing pitcher.
Moose Jaw 6, Swift Current 4
The two teams seemed content to give one another free passes throughout their season opener in Swift Current, with 57’s pitchers walking six and hitting four batters, while the Express hurlers walked a pair and hit six batters.
In the end, Moose Jaw’s two runs in the second inning were the difference, as Swift Current answered the Miller Express offence the rest of the way but couldn’t mount a comeback.
Chris Franks ended up with a solid outing at the plate in his Moose Jaw debut, going 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI while twice being hit by a pitch. Brayden Bunnell also had a pair of hits while Michael Rago scored two runs and Ben Waliczek knocked in a pair.
Keagan Knowler and Jake Hiromoto were both 2-for-5 with a run scored for Swift Current.
Jacob Glazener was the winning pitcher, allowing two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out six. Nathan Pisio struck out a pair in the ninth to earn the save.
Kyrell Adair allowed two runs in the first two innings and was the losing pitcher.
Saskatoon 13, Weyburn 2
Things were close in the early part of the game in Weyburn, as Saskatoon scored three in the first, the Beavers responded with a pair in their half of the inning and the Berries added single runs in the second and third for a 5-2 edge.
Two more runs in the sixth extended Saskatoon’s edge to five, and they’d blow things open with six in the seventh. The game became the first to use the new 10-runs-up-after-eight-innings mercy rule.
All but one Saskatoon batter had at least one hit, with Ethan Murdoch going 3-for-4 with a home run, double, three runs and three RBI. Nick Stinson was 4-for-6 with two runs and three RBI, Gael Salinas crossed the plate three times. Josh Henson scored two runs and knocked in a pair.
Colt Sussex-Uphold was 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI for Weyburn, while Robert Gurney went 2-for-4 with a run batted in.
Tyler Bailey started for the Berries and allowed two runs on three walks and two hits before giving way to Adam Korte, who scattered three hits over the next four innings while striking out six and was the winning pitcher.
Logan Lynch was the losing pitcher for Weyburn after allowing five runs, four earned, on nine hits over 3 ⅓ innings.
Saskatchewan action on Opening Weekend continues on Friday with Saskatoon at Weyburn in Carnduff (6:05 p.m.), Regina at Moose Jaw (7:05 p.m.) and Swift Current at Lethbridge (7:10 p.m.).
