You can’t win them all

Although it may look like it to a spectator sitting up on the bleachers, baseball is not an easy game to play. It takes a whole lot of skill and practise to get good at it. It doesn’t just happen overnight, that’s for sure.  Sometimes you need to be challenged and lose a few games to get better. Don’t worry about winning every single game if you want to improve. Look at the bigger picture.

Playing teams of a higher calibre may not always be fun, but if you pay attention to what they do you will learn all the little things that you can work on as a team to make yourself better.

The Lakeland Northstars Bantam team are already playing in the Baseball Alberta top tier of the AA league. Their goal is to win the Provincial AA Tier 1 tournament held on the August long weekend in St. Albert. By winning the AA Tier 1 tournament they will be the Alberta team representative at the Western Canada Finals held a few weeks later.  Very few teams, other than the big city teams, get this privilege.

This past Thursday, they tested their skills and hosted a AAA team from Lloydminster at Wilson Field. Starting the game they took an early three run lead in the bottom of the first inning. The Northstars held onto the lead into the third inning when the Twins eventually caught up and then took the lead for the rest of the game. The Twins would win the game in the end by 10 runs. But the North Stars never really looked out of place or like they couldn’t compete at this level.

The coaches Tyler Warawa and Sheldon Ballas used a new pitcher every inning. Getting the nod to start the game was chucker Keagan Locke, who never even allowed a run. Nolan Dechaine and Andon ‘Ace’ Ballas coming in to hurl in the second and third inning consecutively allowing only one earned run each while pitching. Colton Lacoursiere, Evan Gauthier, Seth Cobourne, Zachary Lapointe and Brent Hoshowski all throwing one inning each.

At the plate Evan Gaithier with a double, two singles and driving in one. Seth Cobourne with two singles. Colton Lacoursiere and Colby ‘the Cobra’ both with an RBI single. Zachary Lapointe and Kamden Brunet both each with two RBI singles. Andon ‘Ace’ Ballas with a single.

The fielding was very good on this night too. The Northstars infield turning a double play plus snagging a few hard-hit grounders for the outs. Out in the outfield  Coby the ‘Cobra’ Warawa making a diving head first Kevin Pilar type sliding catch when the bases were juiced. The deadly snake saved at least two runs.

Tonight the North Stars will be hosting Wainwright in provincial round-robin action right here at home on Wilson Field. Game time is 6.30. Come on down to the ballpark for some entertainment.

The new upstart Midget Sox played in Chestermere this past weekend winning two out of three games. And as Meatloaf would sing, “two out of three ain’t bad!”