Verge: Two-way player Dugdale a key to Blaze’s success

The Langley Blaze won the 18U championship at the Perfect Game Canadian National Tour tournament in Dorchester, Ont., on June 8. Photo: Baseball BC

June 23, 2025

By Melissa Verge

Canadian Baseball Network

The connection is magic.

That chemistry, combined with the talent of the 2025 Langley Blaze (18U) has helped power them to the best start they’ve had since the program's inception in 2001, said head coach Jamie Bodaly.

It’s challenging to quantify the importance of team chemistry, but their Blaze roster, sitting at 23 wins and four losses, just clicks.

“Everyone holds each other accountable,” Bodaly said. “They lift weights together, they go and hit extra together, they’re just always doing things together.”

The Blaze currently lead the BC Premier Baseball League, followed by the North Shore Twins, who have 25 wins and seven losses, and the Mid Island Pirates, six-and-a-half games back at 19-13.

They recently won the Perfect Game Canadian National Tour championship that wrapped up June 9, defeating the Great Lake Canadians 8-3.

The depth of the pitching on their roster is strong, with at least 10 of their pitchers throwing 90 mph, Bodaly said.

On offence, the bats from every player on the roster have been consistent.

“They're all tough outs, there's no weak spot in the lineup,” he said.

Evan Dugdale (Maple Ridge, B.C.) has been a star on the mound and at the dish for the Langley Blaze. Photo: PBL

Their roster is led by Evan Dugdale (Maple Ridge, B.C.), who Bodaly says has been one of their top hitters and pitchers and leads the team in home runs.

For Dugdale though, too, it’s really the connection the players on the team have that sticks out to him, he said.

It shows up in the form of unconditional support.

“After every outing we always pick our guys up,” he said. “If they have a bad at bat and they weren’t doing as well as they could’ve on the mound, we always pick them up, keep up the morale of the team.”

Of the players on the roster, the majority have scholarships to play at schools in the U.S. beginning in September. Eighteen players will be heading off to pursue their baseball careers, including Dugdale, a 5-foot-11, 173-pound right-hander, who committed to Vernon College in Texas.

The school caught his eye for the location and exposure it offers, said Dugdale, who started playing baseball when he was just six years old.

Back then, he loved running the bases, but now, his love for the sport has grown to encompass many aspects of the game.

The camaraderie with his teammates, the travel, the competition.

Those are all things he’ll experience with his new team in Texas.

“I think that's going to be a lot of fun down there,” he said. “I think there's good development, as well they play in a pretty good conference.”

For a future beyond that, he hopes to play professional baseball.

But for the present - he has his eyes set on continuing the success the Blaze have had all season.

“My goal is that we can win this league, and then hopefully we can win the provincials as well,” Dugdale said.