Posts in Sandlots
Shushkewich: Love of baseball helps unite Earle family

“Ask any baseball player, and they will likely tell you one of their biggest supporters is their family.

It’s usually the glue that keeps the puzzle together, during the good times and even when things aren’t going your way.

This especially runs true for Lucas and Lindsay Earle (Oro-Medonte, Ont.), who have forged their paths within baseball, in their own distinct ways. “

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McFarland: Alberta unveils 16U Girls Canada Summer Games roster

“It’s been a long time coming.

For the first time ever, female baseball has been added to the Canada Summer Games, with the debut coming August 18-24 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Every provincial baseball body has been working towards this summer since the initial announcement back in 2022, and the rosters are starting to take shape.

Baseball Alberta announced its 16-athlete roster on June 20, which will be coached by Chris James, Mark Randall and Tara Sliwkanich.”

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SandlotsJoe McFarland
Elliott: Okotoks Dawgs 2018 summit resulted in changes ... and titles

“The G7 Leaders’ Summit was held in Alberta last week.

We saw the police presence at the airport, helicopters circling and extra security staying at the hotel. And maybe in a few years we’ll see how successful the meeting at nearby Kananaskis was.

The results came in a few years ago from the Okotoks Dawgs 2018 summit. The Edmonton Prospects had eliminated the Dawgs in the summer college league playoffs by a 2-1 score in the decisive game. That meant three Dawgs playoff exits courtesy of Edmonton in three strait summers.

Dawgs founding father John Ircandia called a meeting for the next morning Aug. 4, a Saturday. More than one coach wondered “could we be all fired?”

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McFarland: Pitching in WCBL Rural Roots Classic was homecoming for Benton

“It was a homecoming Max Benton didn’t think he would ever make.

The Lethbridge Bulls starting pitcher toed the rubber at Doug Lehman Field in Oyen for the Western Canadian Baseball League’s Rural Roots Classic, where he had done it many times before as a member of the Badlands Baseball Academy.

Sitting down Sylvan Lake’s Noah Konings, Simon Baker and Bryce Turner in order to start the game, it was as if he had never left.

Benton cruised the rest of the way, allowing five runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five in six innings to pick up the win in a 19-11 victory in front of 550 fans.”

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SandlotsJoe McFarland
Estey: Gold Bat honours to Sarnia's charge of the Hit Brigade

“The Sarnia Brigade came within a game of winning the Canadian Amateur Baseball Central Gold Bat Tournament in 2024, but fell short in the final to the eventual provincial champion Newmarket Hawks.

This year, a different year, the host club would not be denied as they won the Gold Bat title with a 5-2 win over the Windsor Stars in the tournament finale at Stan Slack Field at Errol Russell Park on Sunday afternoon. “

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SandlotsBob Elliott
Elliott: Dawgs Tucker climbed from Mount Pearl to Seaman Stadium mound

“The joint was jumping.

Speakers at Seaman Stadium were blasting “Heave Away” by The Fables, the Celtic rock band from St. John’s, Newfoundland, as reliever Chase Tucker took his warm-up tosses.

The Fort McMurray Giants had a man on third as Tucker (Mount Pearl, Nfld.), replaced Josh Mills and made his first pitch.

Tucker heaved it all the way to the backstop with the runner scoring easily from third.

Lord liftin’ as a Newfoundlander might say.”

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Goldeyes, Baseball Manitoba team up for successful baseball clinic in Nunavut

“Just like the ice and snow blanketed the ocean in the distance, Donnie Smith was also covered in multiple layers.

(Two pairs of long underwear, baseball pants, sweat pants, long sleeve shirts, pullovers, and a hoodie, to be exact.)

But just south of the Arctic Circle in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, it was still time for baseball.

Smith, a former Winnipeg Goldeyes pitching star (the second ever to have his number retired), boarded a Calm Air flight earlier that day, alongside Baseball Manitoba clinicians, Winnipeg Goldeyes general manager Andrew Collier, and a plane half full of goods to be delivered to the remote Canadian hamlet.”

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SandlotsMelissa Verge
Elliott: Rose family thrives in Wild Rose country

“This really is Wild Rose country.

It says so on every license plate in the province.

And it has said so for years at Seaman Stadium, home of the Okotoks Dawgs.

Aidan Rose plays second base for the Okotoks Dawgs in the Western Canadian Baseball League. And before that Rose (Calgary, Alta.) joined the Dawgs Academy at age 12 from the Rocky Mountain Little League. So, this season with the college team represents his 11th in a Dawgs uniform.”

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