The Porcupine Plain Pirates are one of eight teams in the Highway 3 Baseball League which begins its new season on May 30. (Porcupine Plain Pirates/Facebook)

By Derek Craddock

PLAY BALL!

Highway 3 Baseball League hyped for 2024 season as schedule unveiled

May 9, 2024 | 1:00 PM

The next wave of senior baseball all-stars are just days away from hitting the diamonds in northeast and north central Saskatchewan.

The Highway 3 Baseball League finalized its schedule Wednesday night with Birch Hills and Nipawin facing off in the opening game, a rematch of last year’s finals series.

READ MORE: Nipawin and Birch Hills to square off in Highway 3 Baseball League Finals

With that game on May 30 quickly approaching, the league has been getting ready for what’s expected to be another amazing baseball season.

Board Member Adam Morrison spoke after last night’s schedule meeting and said it’ll be a different season as no new teams have entered the fold.

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“It’s the first time we haven’t had expansion, so all the teams are familiar with each other,” he said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of parity in the league this year which is awesome.”

One of the big changes for the 2024 season will see Nipawin move to the West Division while Tisdale plays in the East Division.

Eight teams are participating this year with Pasquia, Hudson Bay, Porcupine Plain and Tisdale in the East Division and Birch Hills, Prince Albert, Humboldt and Nipawin in the West Division.

Morrison said that all the teams and their fans can’t wait for the first pitches to be thrown out.

“You certainly see it in some of the communities that have been around since the league started. Arborfield, Birch Hills, Tisdale, Humboldt, they all get great crowds and then Nipawin had amazing crowds last year,” he said.

“Everyone’s kind of excited that that the balls are getting rolling here and with the nice weather we’ve had this spring, it feels like it’s taking a lot longer to get the season going even though we’re starting the same time we always do.”

The Highway 3 Baseball League schedule runs from the end of May to August with two showcases taking place. The first is on June 15 in Birch Hills with the second scheduled for July 6 in Arborfield.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com