The Southeast Legacy midget AAA Twins thumped the Weyburn Beavers 10-2 in an exhibition game on April 26 and they are ready for their season to begin.
Coach Blaine Kovach said the win was a confidence boost for the team, and they need to use the next week for practice to keep on improving before the home opener.
“One more week of a little bit of tune-ups and we should be ready to go. Our pitchers are ready to go, their arms are lively and they’re feeling good,” he said.
Kovach was impressed with the way the team hit the ball, scoring 10 runs, and he hopes they can continue hitting well once the season starts.
“Hopefully, the kids can step up their game a little bit because we will be facing more above average opponents within our own league,” he said. “Hopefully, with the hot start coming up and we can get ahead of the pack with a couple of wins and, you know, let the offence and pitching lead the way.”
What the Twins need to keep working on is their situational hitting. Kovach said that it is just as important advancing the runners on base with a ground ball out, than getting a hit.
Even though Kovach said that the pitchers are ready to go, they still need to work on their control.
“My philosophy is, if you can get strike-one on every batter, you’re going to be living just fine. So, I need to work with the pitchers on getting more strike-one’s and being more (in) control of the zone,” he said.
There are only two players who were on the team last year but Kovach said the team has already started to gel.
“What I’ve seen in practice and with the game yesterday, the chemistry is already there. Lots of the kids have known each other for years now, doing other sports … but all in all so far, the chemistry’s better, they’ve gelled great, so far, and even as a coaching staff we’ve gelled,” he said.
Also, with the win, the Twins can build momentum from it and bring that into the season opener.
“That`s huge a win for the kids right off the bat, it definitely helps momentum, it helps get them up and ready to practice this week, knowing that the season is starting right away,” Kovach said.
The Twins begin their season with a doubleheader against the Saskatoon Giants on May 2 in Estevan at Lynn Prime Park. The next day, they are matched up against Muenster Red Sox for another doubleheader.
The games on both days start at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
