(Submitted photo/Clayton Westgard)

By Ben Tompkins

Take me out to the ball game

First annual Sask. Rampage slo-pitch tournament a huge success

Sep 22, 2021 | 9:43 AM

Last weekend marked quite the exciting time for the slo-pitch community here in the northeast as the first annual Sask. Rampage slo-pitch tournament was held at Spruce Haven and Exhibition Grounds diamonds.

There were 20 teams entered in the tournament, with the top three teams, qualifying for the Slo-Pitch Nationals. This past Saturday and Sunday in Melfort marked the last qualifier of the year.

There were teams from Alberta, Manitoba and of course Saskatchewan, along with a team that had already previously qualified for nationals.

There was also a $5,000 purse handed out, that was distributed between the first, second and third place teams.

Head organizer of the tournament, Clayton Westgard, said that the tournament was a huge success and that everyone involved was extremely pleased.

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“The tournament was awesome, first of all. A few kinks to work out for next year, but we got a lot of positive feedback, like a lot.”

Westgard will certainly be working on those kinks, as there seems to be a large promise of the event returning next year.

“Everyone said they’re coming back next year, so it’s definitely going to be an annual thing.”

Westgard even mentioned the smallest of details that made the event so successful, which he said mattered in getting so many people out to the ballpark.

“We couldn’t ask for better weather for it, that’s for sure, a little windy at times, but there were a lot of people that attended it, that’s for sure.”

Although there were teams from multiple provinces, according to Westgard and the genuine results from the tournament, Saskatchewan seemed to have the home-field advantage.

“The first place team was from Prince Albert and Saskatoon, the second place team was from Regina and the third place team was from Prince Albert.”

And of course, those placements meant a lot more than just having bragging rights to the first annual Sask. Rampage slo-pitch tournament as there was quite the added bonus.

“All three of those teams qualified for NSA World Series next year in 2022,” said Westgard.

A big tournament indeed that mattered a lot to the teams, a lot to the fans who are eager to have it back, a lot to Westgard who is excited to work out the kinks and a lot to the City of Melfort who will continue to be able to host an event of this magnitude.

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8