The 2016 North Central Alberta Baseball League post-season ended in heartbreak for Westlock’s Red Lions last week.
The club lost both of their semifinal games against the Edmonton Blackhawks Aug. 20, losing their first game 2-1 in 10 innings and the second 7-5, also in 10 innings.
Manager Adam Sawatzky confirmed that the 20-inning semifinal run sets an unofficial record in the NCABL for extra innings and proves, on paper, what the scoresheet couldn’t: that each man on his team played with the heart of a Lion.
“We battled hard. The Blackhawks are a very good team, very resilient,” Sawatzky said.
Though the Lions out-hit the Hawks four in the first game and five in the second, they struggled to turn that momentum into runs, he said.
“That was a big difference. When they had a chance to score, they did. We left some guys on base,” Sawatzky said, adding that the games left both managers scratching for an advantage.
“As a manager, you try and think of any little edge you can give to get the guys the best chance to succeed.
“We left it all out there, didn’t leave anything in our pocket.”
With the season now over, Sawatzky added the boys will be taking a well-deserved rest.
Though the Blackhawks came back to beat Westlock in the semifinals, it was the Lions who gave them their first loss of the year 3-2 on July 6.
“We took a lot of pleasure in that,” Sawatzky added.
The Lions also battled hard through a slew of injuries, losing Josh Mowat to a torn MCL, Sean Beaudoin on and off to a hamstring injury and Sawatzky, himself, to a shattered pitching hand.
“The way the team stepped up after our rash of injuries speaks a lot to the character of the guys,” he said.
The year was also a good chance for the Lions to give some new talent time on the field, Sawatzky added.
“The goal is always to make it to playoffs and win the championship, but we had some younger players that got some more innings and more playing time,” he said.
“Our older guys performed at the same level that they’ve been playing at for years. I expect pretty much the same team back. We’ll be pushing for that playoff championship spot.”
