Estey: Sun shines on Alberta Sunburst league first

Cubs, Riggers Victorious in Opening Day Sunburst League Action

Dan Chappel had a big night with 2 hits and 4 RBIs

May 6, 2026

By Dan Estey

Canadian Baseball Network

The Edmonton Cubs and Red Deer Riggers both scored wins on 2026 opening day action of the Sunburst League in Alberta on Monday evening. They were the first senior games ball played in Canada.

For the Riggers, last year’s Sunburst League champions, they opened their season with a decisive 14-3 win over the Calgary Diamondbacks on the road at Webber Athletic Park. Red Deer wasted no time in this one putting up three runs in the top of the first for an early 3-0 lead. Calgary answered back in the bottom half with two runs of their own. After a scoreless second, the Riggers would put their foot on the gas and not look back in this one. They scored four runs in the third, five more runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth. The D-Backs would get a single run in the third but this game early due to the league mercy rule.

Offensively for Red Deer, they were led by Jason Louis who was 3-for-3 in the game with a homer, a double and a walk while scoring four runs and collecting four RBIs. Veteran Tyler McWillie was 1-for-2 with a double, a pair of walks, four runs and an RBI while Owen Coumont was 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and a pair of RBIs. Mason Love-Hollman and Kyle Bellich were both 1-for-4 in the game each with a double and a run scored. Alex Lemieux rounded out the offensive going 0-for-2 with a walk, a run and a pair of RBIs.

For Calgary, they were led by Duncan Eglert who was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Nolan Handley was 1-for-2 with a walk, a run and a pair of RBIs while veteran Alex Bishop was 1-for-2 with a run scored. Nolan King wrapped up the Diamondbacks offense with an RBI.

Tyler McWillie picked up the win and doubled in a run for the Red Deer Riggers

On the hill, McWillie was working some double duty as he pitched up the win for the Riggers. He tossed four innings allowing three runs on three hits while walking four and striking out five. David Guldranson threw the fifth allowing only a hit while striking out one. Andrew Malone was the starter for Calgary and took the loss going 3 2/3 innings allowing 10 runs on six hits while walking six and striking out three. JP Willner threw the next 1 1/3 innings allowing four runs -- two earned -- on one hit while walking four and striking out one.

In other action, the Edmonton Cubs got their season off to a great start as they traveled to Centennial Park and downed the Sherwood Park Athletics 13-3. The Cubbies opened the scoring in the second plating a pair of runs for a 2-0 lead. The Athletics answered back plating a pair of runs of their own in the bottom half and add another run in the third inning for a 3-2 lead. That lead would be short lived though as the Edmonton bats woke up over the next couple of innings scoring five runs in both of the fourth and fifth inning running the score to 12-3. They added one more run in the sixth inning making the score 13-3 ending the game due to the league mercy rule.

Offensively for Edmonton, they were led by Dan Chappel who was 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Cory Scammell, the former Seattle Mariners draft, also had a pair of hits going 2-for-4 with two RBIs while David LeBlanc was 1-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs. Garrett Cyr was 1-for-4 with a double, a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs while Blake Davis was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run scored and two RBIs.

For Sherwood Park, it was led offensively by Bronson Paetsch who was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Connor Williams and veteran RJ Bourjet were each 1-for-3 with an RBI while Jeremy Harasymchuk and Greg Wallace each scored a run as well.

On the mound, Edmonton veteran hurler Jarvis Greiner was the beneficiary of all of the offense as he went the distance tossing six innings allowing three runs scattering eight hits while walking four and striking out five. Carter MacDonald, one of four Athletics hurlers this game, was saddled with the loss as he went two innings allowing 10 runs -- five earned -- on four hits while walking seven and striking out one. Brett Higgins tossed two innings, Jeremy Harasymchuk tossed an inning allowing an earned run on three hits and a strikeout while Andrew Mirasty tossed a scoreless inning allowing a hit and collecting a strikeout.

-Action in the Sunburst League will pick up again on Friday night as the Red Deer Riggers (1-0) will make their way back to Webber Athletic Park to take on the Calgary Rockies (0-0) in their season debut.