After being thrown into the line of fire as a younger squad in 2017, this year’s North Battleford Midget AA Beavers lineup enters the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League campaign with a better idea of what to expect.
“I think it’s shaping up to be a good season,” Beavers manager Bert Benoit said.
“We have some young players moving up from bantam to the midget ranks and they have a solid skill set. Along with them, our returning veterans are a little stronger on the bat and they are quicker with their throws on defence.”
Although they started off the season with 14-13 and 12-7 defeats over the weekend to the host Moose Jaw Canucks at Ross Wells Park, Benoit was pleased with how the team played in the contests.
“I really liked how they clawed their way back in the first game as it was 12-3 for Moose Jaw at one point and we tied it back up,” Benoit said. “The guys didn’t want to give up and they played right to the very end.
“We’ve only practiced outside three or four times, so there were a few more errors than usual, but that’s to be expected at this time of year. Other than that and one bad inning where we gave up a few runs, it was a solid outing in both games.”
Having gone through some early season struggles after losing many members from their 2016 Tier I provincial championship squad, the Beavers rattled off six wins in their final eight games to pick up a silver medal at the Tier III provincial championships in Saskatoon last July.
“This year we have a lot more confidence on the roster,” Benoit said.
“If you look back at the start of last season, it was a big change for our team but having that experince under their belt should help. I think many of the things they learned will be passed down to the new guys moving up from the bantam ranks.”
“If you look back at the start of last season, it was a big change for our team but having that experience under their belt should help. I think many of the things they learned will be passed down to the new guys moving up from the bantam ranks.”
That experience is also noticeable in the Beavers rotation, as they have up to nine pitchers that can take to the mound at the moment.
“We’re sitting pretty good in that department,” Benoit said.
“We’re sitting pretty good in that department,” Benoit said. “I think all but three of our pitchers got a chance to play against Moose Jaw, so we have a lot of options at the moment.”
The Beavers will go back out on the road this weekend for a pair of games against the Weyburn Beavers.
Their home debut will take place at Beaver Lions Stadium on Saturday, May 19 at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. against the White Butte Broncos.
That will be followed up with home games against the Parkland Expos from Yorkton at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 20.
