The KPC Estevan mosquito AAA Sluggers baseball team is beginning to show improvement on the field after a slow start to their season and the hope is that continues into this weekend's Weyburn tournament and beyond.
The Sluggers' (3-15 including tournament play) recent doubleheader at Cactus Park's Tarpon Energy Services Diamond against the White Butte Broncos showcased the early struggles and better play of late that the team has experienced this year. Estevan fell 15-3 to White Butte in the first game of the doubleheader before rallying for an 11-6 win later that afternoon.
“The first game we struggled a little bit in the field defensively, just made a couple of mental mistakes overall,” said Ryan Siever, coach of the Sluggers. “We had a little bit of trouble throwing strikes that first game. It was kind of the same both games...we had a tough day just making some mental errors I guess more than anything, but for the most part we seemed to hit a little bit better in the second game than the first one.”
Siever said the Sluggers, which consists of seven third-year players, three sophomores and one rookie, had a weak start to their season, but seemed to turn a corner at the Regina Legasse Tournament on May 20 to 22 beating White Butte and playing their opposition tough in three others thanks to outstanding work by their pitching staff. He said the team's play in the recent doubleheader seemed a bit of a step back from their showing at the tourney, but that happens to all clubs during the course of a season.
“We're seeing improvement in all the kids,” he said. “We're starting to hit a little more consistently. We're making better plays in the field. It's just more or less the mental side of the game that we're still having a few issues with, but that will come. We had the same issue last year. It just takes a little bit of time to figure that stuff out, but we're heading in the right direction.”
The Sluggers have a chance to get back on track this weekend with a tournament in Weyburn. Siever said they'll get out on the field for a few practices beforehand with a goal of getting the team back on track and prepared for the tourney.
“I know these kids can go out and win these games. We should be competitive this upcoming weekend and I do expect to compete and win that tournament, but we'll see how things go. The more we can get together this week will be the key.”
