Reds to host tournament at Kinsmen

Times Reporter  

 

The Strathmore Reds AA Midget Baseball team will welcome local Alberta teams for a tournament the weekend of June 15 and 16 at Kinsmen Park. This is the second round tier of four divisions in total to go towards Provincials on July 19.

Sitting at 2-4 in league play, the boys have started to come together after the second week of the season, where they won their tournament in Lethbridge on May 18.

“We had a bit of a weaker start – we had a couple of arm injuries to some pitchers,” said Head Coach Ross Quennell. “And we do have a very young team, a lot of our core came out of bantam last year.”

That same core won the bantam silver at the Western Canada tournament last year, an experience at a high level that will certainly benefit the Reds come provincials. 

“The younger core is actually a big impact on the team, even though they are 15-years-old,” Quennell said. “It’s been a natural talent…most of them are just naturally athletic boys.”

Quennell has been coaching “pretty much half the team since mosquito baseball,” he said. “I feel like I’ve watched these boys grow up.”

As for the tournament at Kinsmen, the Reds believe Stony Plain Royals will be their biggest competition, based on their record. Stony Plain’s bats have been strong this season; they had 18 runs in their second game of the year against Edmonton. Quennell doesn’t feel that his boys are at much of a disadvantage.

“Our hitting is a big part of our game,” he said. “Our defense is coming around very well right now, and our pitching is probably the strongest point of the team.” 

Strathmore takes on Okotoks at 11 a.m. and Leduc at 5 p.m. on June 15, facing off against Stony Plain the following day at 4 p.m.