聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The Roblin Stars were simply no match for the second-seeded Canora Supers in the first round of the 小蓝视频east Senior Baseball League (SESBL) playoffs, said Greg Andreychuk, player-coach.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Supers won the first round of the playoffs, which took part in two games in the style of a best-of-three match, with scores of 6-1 and 16-2.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The first game took place in Canora on July 13. In the bottom of the third inning, five runs gave the Supers the breathing room needed to cruise their way to a 6-1 victory, Andreychuk said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Derek Palagian, the pitcher for the game, was in fine form, according to a statement by Andreychuk, throwing all seven innings and allowing just one earned run, and five hits with seven strikeouts to pick up the win. The Stars were kept in check most of the night as baserunners were few and far between.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Supers鈥� bats were alive with 10 hits, including two hit games by Greg Andreychuk and Zack Rakochy. Six of the hits came in the bottom of the third off Starss pitcher Greg Clark, who otherwise pitched a solid six innings.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Andreychuk said the Supers鈥� defensive members played very well with just one error.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The second game against the Roblin Stars was set in Roblin on July 14. The Supers began the match with its offence scoring 16聽runs on only eight hits. Twelve walks and two hit batters caused the game to end in what Andreychuk called a series-clinching blowout.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Adam Korb pitched five innings, and allowed just two runs on two hits with three strikeouts. He had excellent聽command of the strike zone, Andreychuk said. Logan Parachoniak pitched the final two innings to complete the game with a win for the Canora Supers.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Chris Newans had a huge night at the plate with a double, a home run, and six runs batted in. Both Travis Mentanko and Brogan Legebokoff had two runs batted in doubles. Greg Andreychuk, Terry Cumming, Clint Maduck, and Logan Parachoniak each had one聽hit. Part of the reason for the win was that the Roblin Stars鈥� pitcher, Bradon Zimmer, had trouble finding the strike zone consistently, Andreychuk said.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Round Two of the 小蓝视频east Senior Baseball League聽playoffs came and went quickly. Andreychuk said the Supers could not solve the puzzle of the Langenburg Indians, and thus lost in two straight games in a best-of-three series.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The recent loss marks the third time in four years that the Supers have had their season ended by Langenburg.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 During the first game, on July 19 in Canora, the Supers were kept from making runs by Dane Kolbyko, the Indians鈥� pitcher. Kobylko allowed just two unearned runs in the game, which meant the Supers lost 2-6.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Fielding and base running blunders also caused the Supers trouble in this contest. Andreychuk said. Perennial league home run king Travis Mentanko had bases loaded and two outs twice. Langenburg left Canora victorious.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Andreychuk said despite the loss, pitchers Derek Palagian and Darcy Blommaert played well in defeat.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The promising聽2016 baseball season came to an abrupt halt on July 21 in Langenburg, as the Supers fell 16-10.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 After scoring three runs in the beginning of the first inning, it appeared the Supers would be in fine form, Andreychuk said. Unfortunately, the Langenburg Indians鈥� bats came alive like never before, and the Supers found themselves trailing 7-4 after two innings.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Base-running blunders and sloppy fielding meant the team was unable to prevent the聽Indians鈥� baserunners from stealing bases, and a struggling pitching staff proved to be the Supers鈥� downfall, Andreychuk said. At one point, the Indians had a 15-4 lead, but in the final two innings, the Supers mounted a furious rally.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Despite the team鈥檚 efforts, in the end, the Canora Supers lost, even if they only needed three more runs to tie. Andreychuk said Phil Sobkow and Travis Mentanko waited in the wings and could have had an opportunity to score runs if the game hadn鈥檛 ended.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although the season ended bitterly, the Supers saw great improvement from their 2015 season. The Supers had a record of six wins and eight losses in 2015, and finished the playoffs in sixth place. In 2016, the record was nine wins, four losses and one tie, which brought the team to second place.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Supers would like to thank everyone, including the players, volunteers and fans for their support.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淭he future looks bright with a good mix of veterans and youth going forward into 2017 and beyond,鈥� Andreychuk said.
