By Clarion staff
The Kindersley Raiders and Klippers will represent Kindersley in the 32nd annual Western Canadian Oldtimers and Senior Men’s Baseball championship this weekend.
There will be plenty of baseball action beginning Friday with 14 teams competing – six in the 19-plus division and eight in the 43-plus division.
The Klippers have won the 43-plus title two of the past three seasons and player/manager Ken Barrows said that they will try to defend their title.
“We are missing quite a few players, including a couple of our regular pitchers, because many of them are coaching minor ball teams that are at provincials this weekend as well,” he said. “But we’ll go out there and give it our best.”
In the 43-plus division, Pool A will include the Spring Lake Masters, Edmonton Eskimos, Medicine Hat Blue Jays and the Regina Drifters. The Klippers will be in Pool B with the Provost Buds, Sask Sportsmen and the Red Deer Legends.
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In the 19-plus division, the Raiders will be in Pool A with Red Deer Northstars and the Regina Ghosts. Pool B will consist of the Swift Current Marlins, Border City Jays and the Oyen Eagles.
All of the tournament action gets underway Friday at 10 a.m. when the Klippers take on the Sask. Sportsman squad. They will also play at 2:30 p.m. against the Provost Buds. The Raiders will kick-off their weekend against the Red Deer Northstars team at 7 p.m. All three games will be played on Berard.
Saturday, the action begins at 9 a.m. and continues throughout the day. The Klippers play the Legends at 11:45 a.m. on Berard for their only action of the day.
The Raiders will play two games, at 3:45 p.m. against the Ghosts on Flanagan field and against the Marlins at 8:45 p.m. on Berard.
Sunday, playoff day, will kick off with the 43-plus C and D finals at 8 a.m. The A finals will be played at 12:30 p.m. for the 43-plus group and 2:45 p.m. for the 19-plus division – both A finals will be played on Berard.
Barrows said the addition of the 19-p.us division a few years ago really kicked up the quality of baseball in the tournament.
“This is really good ball,” he said. “The division is basically made up of teams that are champions in their own leagues.
“Last year in the final, Regina and Lloydminster featured college pitchers that were throwing the ball 90 mph or just under.”
In last year’s tournament, the Klippers defeated the Spring Lake Masters 8-5 in the A final to claim the 43-plus championship. In the 19-plus division, the Raiders lost in the B finals to the Oyen Eagles.
The Regina Ghosts defeated Border City in the finals to claim the title.
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© Kindersley Clarion
