Betts: Davalan helps driving Razorbacks' bus ... all the way to Omaha

“The good folks at MLB Pipeline website have written Tennessee Volunteers left-hander Liam Doyle’s fastball “has been the most untouchable heater in college baseball this year.”

Apparently no one told Arkansas Razorbacks outfielder Charles Davalan.

Davalan (St-Bruno-De-Montarville, Que.) knew he would see that fastball when he headed to the plate after a leadoff walk in the top of the third in Game 2 of the Razorbacks Super Regional against the Volunteers on Sunday.”

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Verge: Equipment drive in Labrador gives kids opportunity to play

“Twelve-year-old Newfoundlander Cailen Angnatok has yet to hit a home run.

But the bat, ball and glove he went home with thanks to an equipment drive for their small northern community, will mean he’s that much closer to crushing one out of the park.

“Do you think you're going to hit a home run someday?” asked his physical education teacher Matthew Mercer, who contacted vice president of the Paradise Minor Baseball Association, Susan Pennell, about setting up the drive.

“Yeah,” Cailen replied, a student at Jens Haven Memorial School.

The equipment will benefit Cailen and many other kids in the community of Nain, with some of the gear being kept at the school for kids from kindergarten to Grade 12 to use, and the rest going home with them so they can practice baseball on their own. “

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SandlotsMelissa Verge
Wilson: Oyen’s 1995 championship squad to be celebrated at WCBL’s first Rural Roots Baseball Classic

“When they galloped onto Saskatchewan's baseball scene, you did not want to lock horns with Oyen.

The Pronghorns, the lone Alberta representative in the Saskatchewan Major Baseball League (SMBL), joined the six-team circuit in 1993 and came ready to play.

Doug Lehman - who now has a ball diamond named after him in Oyen - and Doug Jones, who is currently the mayor of the town, were among those who helped give the team its start in the SMBL.”

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SandlotsIan Wilson
Antonacci: Late Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Asay was “superhero” on field and in forestry field

“On the rare occasion young Amanda Asay balked at doing her homework, her parents knew just what to do.

“Well, we had the hammer – if you don’t do your homework, you don’t go to ball,” George Asay said with a smile.

It was an ultimatum the Asays hardly ever had to issue, since the future Women’s National Team star was as keen about her studies as she was about baseball.

“She was awesome,” said George, who as Amanda’s first coach put a swift end to pushback from some boys skeptical about playing with a girl.”

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