The Muenster 15U AA Red Sox won the final 16-15 against Unity. (Facebook/Muenster Red Sox Minor Baseball)

By Mat Barrett

Baseball Provincials

Muenster Red Sox 15U AA team one of three local teams to win baseball provincials

Jul 23, 2019 | 10:28 AM

The Muenster Red Sox have brought back a provincial baseball title in the 15U AA Tier 1 division.

The Red Sox hosted the three-day event from July 19 to July 21, something that makes for a crazy weekend according to Head Coach Garret Korte.

“There’s a bunch of different variables,” he said. “Not just the baseball side, but just getting everything organized, and getting the diamonds in shape, so it was a busy weekend.”

As for the play that was on those fields, it was a great showing by the host Red Sox who went 3-0 in pool play, defeating Unity, Northeast from Saskatoon, and Regina en route to the semifinal. They squeaked by Lloydminster in the semifinal with a 6-5 win, setting up another matchup with the Unity Cardinals.

“The final was probably one of the craziest games I’ve ever been involved with actually,” Korte said with a laugh. “I can’t remember a game like that to be honest with you.”

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The game went back and forth, highlighted by plenty of runs. The Red Sox scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie it and force and extra inning, and they needed to do it again after Unity had scored in the top of the extra. They responded again, and won the game 16-15.

Korte said his team’s resiliency is one of the big reasons they were able to be wearing gold medals at the end of the day.

“They were down in both, the semifinal, and the final,” he said. “They stayed, what I would say, really level. They didn’t get too down or too up. They just kind of kept it together.”

According to Korte, at least 500 people showed up to the final, creating a pretty electric atmosphere for everyone involved.

“To hear a roar when we won, and to hear the roars throughout the games when we would tie,” Korte told northeastNOW. “I think it kept the kids pretty excited, and gave them a lot of motivation to keep going and keep plugging away.”

With plenty of spectators coming to watch a game like that, there may also be a little bit of pressure, especially considering these are teenagers.

“When you’re standing on the mound or up to bat and all these people are watching you, and all the pressure on them,” Korte said. “They delivered and I give them a lot of credit for that.”

Korte was quick to credit the volunteers for the event, saying they put on a “first class” provincial tournament.

As for what is next for the Muenster Red Sox U15 AA Tier 1 squad? There is still baseball to play. The team will head to Strathmore, Alberta in August for the Western Canadian Baseball Championships. Korte said they are excited to represent Saskatchewan, and small town Muenster as they take on many of the bigger centres in Western Canada.

More Gold

Meanwhile, the Muenster U15 AA team wasn’t the only local team winning provincials on the weekend.

The U15 AA Humboldt Dodgers took home the Tier 3 provincial title. The Dodgers were dominant over the three-day event in Martensville, winning all five games they played. Teams from Watrous, Swift Current, Saskatoon, Lumsden, and Sask Five all fell victim to Humboldt who scored less than 10 runs in just one of their games. They outscored their opponents 57-11 including a 12-1 win over the Sask Five Giants Sluggers in the final.

The Humboldt Dodgers 15U AA team won the Tier 3 division. (Facebook/Humboldt Minor Baseball)

Muenster also had a second provincial winner on the weekend as their U11 AA team won the Tier 1 provincial title in Weyburn. They also went 5-0 over the three-day event, including an 8-7 win in the final over the Unity Cardinals. They also defeated Lloydminster, Moose Jaw, Estevan, and Weyburn en route to the final, and ultimately the championship.

The Muenster 11U AA team won their Tier 1 provincials. (Facebook/Muenster Red Sox Minor Baseball)

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6