We believe we are as good as anybody. We believe we are the best team in the league.
— Cardinal coach Bryn Biancalana
The Yorkton Cardinals are having their best season in Western Major Baseball League in the franchise’s history.
The team sports a record of 26-16, and set a team mark with nine straight wins, a string which came to an end last Thursday.
The record season for the Cardinals has the team in second spot in the East Conference, three-games back of Swift Current. Regina sits third 4.5-games back. Weyburn in nine off the pace, Moose Jaw 12 and Melville, with the worst record in the league in 20.5-games back.
The nine-game winning streak ending contest was in Moose Jaw where Miller Express pitcher Kyle Sonntag went the distance scattering 10 hits, and giving up only three earned runs in an 11-3 win.
One of the Cardinal hits was a solo home run by Dylan Borman.
Austin Douglas was the Cardinal starter. He took the loss based on five innings work. He gave up six hits and four earned runs.
Saturday Yorkton was scheduled to host Weyburn, but the game was postponed because of rain. The game goes today at 5.
Sunday’s home game did get played with WMBL East-leading Swift Current in town.
The Cardinals struck early scoring two runs in the home-half of the first inning, on a two-run single by Luke Wilkinson.
The Indians cut the lead in half with a run in the second inning, tieing the contest with another run in the fifth.
Yorkton scored two in the seventh, which proved the difference in the 4-2 win.
Kody Rock was the Cardinal starter but was gone from the contest after five innings work.
Spencer Jackson would secure the Yorkton win with three innings of relief in which he allowed only one-hit.
Richard England pitched the ninth for the save.
Cardinal coach Bryn Biancalana said the win Sunday, the earlier nine-game winning streak, and the overall season record are the result of attitude and skill.
“We expect to win. The bottom line, we expect to win,” he said after defeating the Indians.
And with success comes confidence.
“We believe we are as good as anybody. We believe we are the best team in the league,” said Biancalana.
Biancalana said the Cardinals have simply solidified across all facets of the game as the season has gone on.
As an example Biancalana said the entire pitching staff is showing character and is “just where we need it to be.
“We knew the pitching would come around.”
On offence the Cardinals are getting timely hits.
“We continue to grind out at-bats,” offered Biancalana.
Earlier in the season the Cardinals let a few games get away late, and while had those been wins Yorkton would be closer to Swift Current, Biancalana said those games helped the team develop.
“Adversity was good for us. Adversity makes you stronger,” he said.
With the Cardinals flying as high as they ever have many in the stands Sunday suggesting they are the best version of the team ever.
Biancalana said that should be something which fires his team, adding they are “the best Cardinal team ever record wise.” He added the Cardinals are a close knit team who are having fun racking up victories.
“The guys want to be here. They are teammates who are great friends too,” he said, adding they have one focus.
“They’re doing this for the city of Yorkton,” he added.
Up next
The Cardinals are into their final week of the regular season.
They were scheduled to play in Regina last night, (Tuesday), but results were not available at press time.
Today, (Wednesday) the Weyburn Beavers visit Jubilee Park, for a rare doubleheader. Game one at 5 p.m. will be a makeup game from the rain out Saturday, with their regular scheduled contest at 7. Both games are scheduled for seven innings.
Thursday Regina visits the Cardinals.
The season wraps up for Yorkton Friday in Melville.
