Baseball season well underway

Times Reporter

 

It was a busy weekend for Strathmore girls baseball teams. 

The Strathmore Renegades Squirt team was in Calgary Nosecreek for a tournament from May 13 to 15. 

“After losing their first game they won three straight, and defeated Red Deer in the final to win the tournament,” said Lanky Johnson, coordinator for the girls teams. 

Coach Vince Olson said the better the pitching they faced, the better the Renegades hit the ball, and his pitchers, Cassidy Hinz, Hailey McCallum, Serina Cayoutte and Ann Sauve did a good job on the mound. 

The Strathmore Thunder tournament also took place May 13 to 15 at the Agricultural grounds ball diamonds. The peewee division was won by St. Albert over Medicine Hat. Johnson said it was an exciting final with Medicine Hat trailing by one run. They left the bases loaded in the final inning and were unable to score.  

The Strathmore Blazers (97’s) took third place with a win over Calgary West Valley in the playoffs. The Strathmore Heat (98’s) had a good showing, but were unable to make it to the playoff round. The Camrose Crossfire, who defeated Red Deer Rage in the final, won the bantam division. Strathmore Thunder took the consolation win after a 2-2 record win a victory over Ardrossan Xtreme. 

It is early in the baseball season and many of the teams had not had much time to prepare for the early tournament.

“Being still early in the season most teams are still adjusting lineups, but it gave all teams a chance to see what others have, as well as all teams prepare for July when provincials are,” said Johnson. 

“For the weekend the team was pretty good, but the hitting was up and down, and our pitching which has been good this season were allowing too many walks in the two games we lost. In the four games we played on the weekend, they only gave up 10 hits and struck out 35, but the walks will hurt you,” said Johnson.

Peewee Blazers coach Craig Kopp said his team overall was good but at times were having too many mental errors. It’s back to league play for all this week. There are upcoming tournaments in Calgary for the local Mites and in Red Deer in June for Squirts, Peewees and Bantam.