Ryan Bourcier's Late HR lifts Beavers over Cardinals
Its baseball. What else can you say , the game giveth , the game taketh away.
Wednesday night the Beavers hosted their WMBL East division rivals the Yorkton Cardinals, and once again treated the local fans to a tremendously entertaining game.

The Cardinals would strike first off Beavers starter Ryan Johnson , pushing across a run in the Top of the 2nd on a Kameron Mizzell Sac Fly for the early 1-0 lead , but the Beavers would answer in their half. Cardinals starter , David Toth , who entered the game 2-0 with an ERA of 0.00 , would get touched up for his first run allowed in 20 innings pitched in 2013 , a spectacular stat. The Beavers had runners at 1st and 3rd with 2 outs , when Carter McEachern would lay down a perfect bunt scoring Mitch Davidoff from 3rd , his 5th RBI of the season to draw it even at 1.

The hometown squad continued their push in the third. A Spencer Mallonee lead off double was pushed to third on a Spencer Kidder single and runner were at the corners with nobody out. Michael Lukkason produced an RBI groundout , his 6th RBI of the year , giving the Beavers a 2-1 lead. Then with 2 outs , the red hot , and still to be heard from Ryan Bourcier delivered a clutch RBI single to make it 3-1 Beavers after 3.

The Cards struck back for a run in the 4th , one the Beavers would tell you they would love to have back. A one out walk to Dylan Gross was pushed to third with two outs after a botched pick off attempt. Then Ryan Johnson would deliver a wild pitch bringing Gross home , and we had a 3-2 game.

In the 6th the Cards would knot the game at 3 , as catcher Kameron Mizzell delivered a 2 out RBI single to right scoring Nick Gallipeau , this after an error put two aboard with one out , and heading into the home stretch it was a brand new ball game. Johnson's night would be finished , and he wouldn't factor into the decision , going 6 innings , giving up 3 runs , just 1 earned , on 7 hits , striking out 5 and walking two.

The Beavers though would once again jump on top. Ryan Bourcier doubled to start the 6th , and was pushed to third on a Mitch Davidoff' single to left , setting the table for Dusty Kerns. Kerns continued to stay hot , hitting a medium depth fly ball to left , scoring Bourcier and once again giving the Beavers a 4-3 lead.

But here come the Cardinals. Kurtis McCallum was on to pitch the 7th for Weyburn , and after getting the first out , hit Liam Goodall with a pitch , which was promptly followed by a Justin Burgess single to stoke the Cardinals fire. Kevin Mcleod then punched an RBI single to right scoring Goodall and the game was tied at 4. McCallum bounced back , getting a fly out and a strike out to end the rally. But we were in familiar territory when it comes to Beavers baseball in 2013, a tie game late.

The match up of the night was in the bottom of the 7th. WMBL RBI leader Chris Manning was up facing David Toth , with runners at the corners and one out , and after a 9 pitch at bat that included 5 straight foul balls, some crushed by Manning, Toth induced a double play ball back to the mound that ended the threat. A great battle the Cards pitcher won.

Yorkton then had their chance in the 8th , with runners at 2nd and 3rd and just one out , reliever Houston Creighton got Matt Chevarria and Liam Goodall to pop up in the infield to shut the door. Momentum had swung.

With Toth's night done , Cards reliever Aaron Dick would come on to work the 8th. It would take just one pitch to bring Tom Laing alive. Ryan Bourcier turned on a first pitch high fastball and drove it out deep to left center field , his 2nd home run of the year giving the Beavers a 5-4 lead.

In the top of the 9th , the Cards went down in order, but not quietly. Justin Burgess and Kevin Mcleod would both hit deep fly balls to centre for loud outs , leaving Spencer Kidder to face Alnardo Rodriguez with the game on the line. Kidder would win the battle getting Rodriguez to strike out to end it, sending a spirited crowd home happy , and leapfrogging the Cardinals for 3rd spot in the division. It was Kidder's 2nd save of 2013. Houston Creighton picked up the win , his first in the WMBL, to improve to 1-2. Aaron Dick took the loss , he falls to 1-1.

The Beavers improved to 8-12 on the year , and with a Melville loss are just 2.5 games back in the eastern Division. The Beavers will now play their next 7 games on the road , as tonight started a 4 game in 4 night sequence that will take them to Regina , Saskatoon and Yorkton over the next 3 days , before a two day respite travelling to Okotoks and Lethbridge for a pair in each city next week. Next home game will be Saturday July 6th against the Regina Red Sox.

Team Notes......

- Ryan Bourcier is the real deal. Of course hitting a game winning HR can't hurt , his stats speak for themselves. Over the past 7 days he is hitting .444 , with a home run and 7 RBI , and has now driven in 17 this year , two behind the club and league leader Chris Manning. He also added his tenth double tonight , 2nd in the league. I had the chance to chat with him after the game. A great kid , very personable , and built like brick house. He attributes his success as of late to getting more comfortable against the opposition , especially within their division , getting the chance to see pitchers a 2nd and third time. He echo's the statement's I have heard all year long from the guys and those in tight with the club. It''s a tight knit group that expects to win , has battled some adversity , but thinks they have turned a corner. I couldn't agree more.

- Mitch Davidoff has quietly been red hot as well. Over the past week he is hitting .435 and has pushed his average over the .300 mark. He is a great compliment in the 6th spot in the order , and sets things up well to turn it over to the 1-4 hitters. Great approach lately as well , the strikeouts that were prevalent early in the season are slowing down , a great sign.

- Dusty Kerns has hit .381 over the last week , and has looked ever more comfortable at the plate. He has gone 6-10 in his last three games, and going forward can provide a nice punch in the bottom 3rd of the lineup. I like his fire behind the plate as well , plays to win , that's fun to watch.

- Michael Lukkason was back in the lineup tonight as the DH , it was nice to see. He has been limited over the past 5 games due to an injury , but got into the swing of things with a couple pinch hits over the last 3 games. He didn't look out of place tonight , he has a dangerous bat. A 1-4 with an RBI is a good night while maybe shaking off a little rust. His bat will be important down the stretch.

Jason Knox

Thursday June 20, 2013
Beavers Rally to take down Miller Express
With the Beavers coming off a disappointing 10-8 loss Wednesday , blowing an 8-2 lead to the Regina Red Sox in the 7th inning , the Beavers were looking for a bounce back performance against the Moose Jaw Miller Express. They got it.

The Moose Jaw Miller Express were meeting the Beavers for the 3rd time in 2013 , having won the first two meetings 12-10 , and 2-1 , and they would strike first. In the Top of the 3rd , Beavers starter Kevin Hatcher would issue back to back walks with one out opening the door for the middle of the dangerous Miller Express lineup. Frank Pluskota would double home Drew Danzeisen to give the visitors a 1-0 lead , and then Hank Stewart , who killed the Beavers in the season opener , delivered a sac fly scoring Jon Cotter and the Express would lead 2-0 after 2 1/2 innings.

The Beavers answered in the bottom half , as with runners at 1st and 2nd , Ryan Bourcier's ground ball to third was booted by Hunter Johnson , scoring Spencer Mallonee who had been hit by a pitch , cutting the lead to 2-1. The Beavers would get runners to 2nd and 3rd with two out , but would strand them there , an early theme of the night.

Moose Jaw would once again push across a run in the 4th on a 2 out RBI single by Matt Benn , making it 3-1. But from there the pitchers and strong defence would take over. Kevin Hatcher would pitch out of a bases loaded jam in the 5th , including getting an ever so timely line drive double play off the bat of Frank Pluskota to keep the Beavers in striking distance.

Hatcher would complete the 6th unscathed as well , allowing a 2 out single and nothing more , ending his night with a solid start. He allowed 3 runs on 5 hits , walking 5 and striking out 4 , and didn't figure into the decision.

Meanwhile Miller Express starter Marshall Dean was dealing aces. Through 6 innings he was pitching a very economical game , keeping his pitch count down , and keeping Beavers off the base paths , but then came the 7th.

With one out in the Beavers 7th , Dean would hit Spencer Mallonee with a pitch for the second time on the night to start the rally. Spencer Kidder then drilled a 1-2 pitch to straight away center , scoring Mallonee and cutting the lead to 3-2. That brought up Chris Manning , who would lace a liner to right center only to be robbed of extra bases by Matt Benn , keeping the score 3-2 for the time being. Then the albatross in the room , the 2 out at bat with a runner in scoring position , this time , the Beavers clicked. Ryan Bourcier delivered an RBI double left center scoring Kidder to tie things at 3 , then Mitch Davidoff would bloop an RBI single to right scoring Bourcier giving the Beavers their first lead at 4-3. Two huge hits in a big spot , the bench erupted as well as the fans.

Ryan Shaw worked a scoreless 8th for the Beavers , and Dean continued his strong night retiring the Beavers in order in their half of the 8th , we were set for a nail biting 9th.

Ryan Shaw retired Brennan Reidy to start the inning , but Jon Cotter sent the wheels in motion by hitting a moonshot triple to center , giving the Miller Express a prime opportunity to tie things up. Dalton Silva would relieve Shaw at that point , issuing a 4 pitch walk to Pluskota to put runners at the corners with one out. Up stepped Hank Stewart , who delivered the big blow in the season opener , a 3 run 9th inning double that cemented a come from behind win. Tonight the tables turned thanks to a fabulous defensive play by Chris Manning. Stewart's sharp ground ball to 3rd was snared at the bag by Manning , who then caught Cotter in a rundown between 3rd and home , executed to perfection with Dusty Kerns to get the out and bring the Beavers 3 strikes away from victory. Silva would continue to throw borderline pitches and not get the call , as frustration from the fans , bench , and catcher Dusty Kerns was easily heard and seen. Ben Bridges would walk loading the bases , setting up a showdown with Kevin Gratza with the game on the line. Gratza got ahead 3-0 in the count , before Silva would deliver three straight heaters , the last two swinging , to strike Gratza out and send the hometown fans into a frenzy. A gutsy effort after a tough game the night before , just a great gut check win for the Beavers.

Daniel Brown , who pitched a scoreless 7th for the Beavers would get the win ( 1-0) , Marshall Dean the loss ( 2-2). Dalton Silva picked up the save , his first. Here is some postgame thoughts from Dalton Silva on tonight's win.

https://soundcloud.com/#knox-tox/dalton-silva-postgame-audio

The Beavers are back in action Friday in Regina , and Saturday in Swift Current. After an off day on Sunday , the Beavers will host the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets for a doubleheader Monday starting at 6pm , with both games being broadcast on Ustream.

This is a team that is fun to watch , maybe even Weyburn's little secret , but every pitch of the 2013 season has been meaningful. Close games , extra innings , a great group of guys and a different feeling around the ball park. Do yourself a favour and check out this team in action , great entertainment in a great setting , i expect this team to be heard from before the WMBL playoffs are said and done.

Jason Knox

Tuesday June 18, 2013
Beavers end 4 game slide in Melville
The Weyburn Beavers headed into Melville Tuesday looking to end a 4 game losing streak , and that is exactly what they did. The Beavers have been coming up one hit short , but tonight , clutch 2 out hits and a great starting performance by Ryan Johnson were the catalyst against the Moneymen.

The Millionaires would get on the board first , in the Bottom of inning 1 , as Hector Ortiz would drive in a pair with a 2 run single immediately putting the Beavers behind the 8 ball. But the Beavers would come up clutch in their half of the 3rd.

Spencer Mallonee got the visitors on the score sheet punching an RBI single with one out in the inning to cut the score to 2-1 , then with two out , two big hits were the story. Dallas Monk knocked an RBI double scoring Mallonee to tie the game at 2 , and then the scorching Chris Manning crushed his 2nd HR of the year , a 2 run shot , giving the Beavers a 4-2 lead. It was Manning's 2nd of the year, and he continues to produce at a breakneck pace.

The Beavers added a run in the 4th on a 2 out single by Spencer Kidder , scoring Dusty Kearns , to give them a 5-2 lead. That was short lived as the Millionaires answered with a Firth RBI single and after 4 it was a 5-3 Beavers advantage.

Then it was Ryan Johnson's time to shine. The left hander was dominant on the night , tossing 8 innings allowing just the 3 runs , on 6 hits , walking 3 and striking out a superb 12, keeping the Mils down 2 to the bottom of the 9th.

Kurtis McCallum would come in and pick up his 1st save of 2013 , allowing 1 unearned run , but holding on for the Beavers 5-4 win. The Beavers are now 5-8 on the season , 5-4 in their division , 2.5 games back of the Regina Red Sox in the WMBL East.

The Red Sox will be in Weyburn on Wednesday , with Moose Jaw in Thursday . Both games will be broadcast live on Ustream. First pitch is at 7pm from Tom Laing.

Who is hot ?

- With the 12 strikeouts tonight Ryan Johnson is now tied for the league lead with 24 , matching Ryne Drummonds of the Red Sox.

- Chris Manning has been lights out in his 9 games. He is hitting .405 , good for 3rd in the WMBL . He has clubbed a pair of home runs , and added 14 RBI in that time , which is 5th in the WMBL. In 9 games he has five 3 hit contests , and has also added two separate 4 RBI games . He is the most dangerous hitter in the Weyburn lineup .

- Houston Creighton allowed 5 runs on opening day , since then , he has been lights out. In 7 appearances since he hasn't allowed a run , on 5 hits , striking out 4. The sidearmer has done a great job at killing an opposing rally , and has only walked 1 batter in his 8 appearances.

- Ryan Bourcier is heating up at the right time. Over the last week he is hitting .400 , adding a HR and 4 RBI. He is becoming the legitimate middle of the order threat we thought he would. Ryan is currently 2nd on the team with 10 RBI , is 2nd in the league with 6 doubles , and also 2nd in being Hit by Pitch with 7. Nice to see this young man from Warren Michigan getting comfortable.

- Michael Crain has been pitching fantastic as well. He is 1-0 in 4 appearances , including 2 starts. He has a sparkling 1.62 ERA , 6th in the league . In 16.2 IP he allowed just 3 earned runs.

Notes....

- Carter MacEachern collected his first WMBL hit tonight. The Thunder Bay Ontario native , and freshman at Trinity University joined the team on the weekend.

- Michael Lukkason left tonight's game in the Bottom of the 1st , he was replaced by Dallas Monk. Will get some information on his situation tomorrow.

Jason Knox

Friday June 14th, 2013
Beavers fall in Extras
The Weyburn Beavers were back in action Thursday night as they made their second visit to Currie Field in Regina this season , looking for the same results , they didn't get them them.

Once again the Beavers would get off to a fast start , Chris Manning would pick up an RBI single in the 1st driving in Spencer Mallonee for the games first run giving the Beavers the early lead. After the Red Sox struck for one in the 1st as well , the Beavers erupted in inning two.

Dallas Monk would push across Spencer Kidder with the go ahead run on a fielder's choice, that was followed by a Spencer Mallonee 2 run double and with nobody out in the inning the Beavers were in business up 4-1. Michael Lukkason would follow that with a 2 run HR , his first in the WMBL , giving the Beavers some early breathing room they would end up needing , with a 6-1 lead after 2 innings.

Mallonee's good night would continue , adding a sac fly in the 3rd to extend the Beavers lead to 7-1. The Red Sox would begin the fight back from that point on. The home town squad would put up a 3 spot in the 4th on three consecutive 2 out RBI hits , cutting the lead to 7-4.

The Beavers would add a pair of runs on a two run double in the 5th by Chris Manning , and a run in the 7th on a Ryan Bourcier RBI single , putting the Beavers up 10-6 heading into the 8th. But here came the Red Sox.

Daniel Brown , the 2nd year Beaver out of Raleigh NC made his 2013 debut in the 8th inning , allowing 3 runs in just 2/3 of an inning. Houston Creighton came in to throw one pitch to preserve the Beavers 10-9 lead , and they would hand the ball to Dalton Silva in the bottom of the 9th looking to put the game away , it wasn't to be.

After retiring the first two hitters, Silva gave up a single to Eric Baker , and then with two strikes on Hector Rivera , Rivera would double into right scoring Baker and sending the game to extra innings tied at 10. The game would stay that way until the 13th , when with the bases loaded and no one out , Pierre Dostaler would come through with the single to win the ballgame off Beavers reliever Kris Keating , and take an 11-10 win .

Chase Benfield would get the win for the Red Sox , tossing 3 innings of scoreless relief. Kris Keating the loss. The Red Sox out hit the Beavers 17-16 , while the Sox commited 3 errrors , the Beavers 2.

Next action for the Beavers is Friday night as they host the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets at Tom Laing. First pitch is at 705pm, with the Ustream broadcast beginning at 7.

Jason Knox

Thursday June 7th, 2013
Michael Crain sharp as Beavers down Cardinals
After an early season 2 day respite , the Weyburn Beavers were back in action Thursday night in Yorkton looking to build off an extra inning win in Regina on Monday. And they did just that.

The Beavers sent Michael Crain to the mound for his 2nd appearance of 2013 , but his first start. It would begin a little rocky. After a Liam Goodall single and Kevin Mcleod double the Cards were in business with runners at 2nd and 3rd with no one out in inning one. Crain would battle his way out allowing just the one run on a Michael Meany sac fly and the Cardinals had an early 1-0 lead.

Like good teams have to do , the Beavers quickly answered. Ryan Bourcier and Spencer Kidder would find themselves aboard via a single and a walk respectively , and with two out , and the runners on 2nd and 3rd , Dallas Monk would punch a 2 run single to centre giving the Beavers a 2-1 lead. They would tack on another in the 3rd as once again with two out , and Bourcier and Kidder aboard , Kurtis McCallum would rap an RBI single and extend the Beavers lead to 3-1 through 3 complete.

To the 5th where the Beavers would get some insurance. With one out Dalton Silva would drive in Mitch Davidoff's leadoff double with a sac fly and give the Beavers a 4-1 advantage , that was all they would need.

The Beavers pitchers were brilliant for a 2nd straight night , stealing the show. Michael Crain ( Dakota State ) would get his first win as a Beaver throwing 7innings of 4 hit ball , walking 5 and striking out 5 on 96 pitches. Kevin Hatcher ( Dakota Wesleyan) made his debut for the Beavers tossing a scoreless 8th , and closer Houston Creighton would pick up his 1st WMBL save getting Robert Shedden to ground into a game ending double play to send the Beavers home winners for the 2nd straight time. RJ Page took the loss for the Cards , going 5 innings , allowing 5 hits 4 earned runs , walking 3 and striking out 5.

Game notes...

- Michael Crain has now tossed 8.1 innings of ball this year for the Beavers , allowing just one earned run. Great start for the Fallbrook CA native.

- Nice to see the Beavers come up with some clutch two out hits to drive in runs. Dallas Monk and Kurtis McCallum had the biggest at bats of the night.

- Weyburn out hit the Cardinals 8-6 , with 7 different Beavers getting a knock. Again , nice team effort , guys picking guys up in big spots.

- Josaih Churchill shook off an 0-11 start getting his first hit of 2013 , also chipped in a walk as well.

- These two games were huge for the club , and the staff in general. The Beavers gave up 22 runs in their first two games but the pitching has stepped up. Just 3 runs allowed over the past two victories is a great sign.

With the Beavers record at 2-2 , they open a big weekend in Weyburn Friday night with the Brennan Luffman Appreciation game that was scheduled for last Friday. The tailgate party starts at 530 pm , first pitch at 7. The first 100 fans will get a free Hamburger / Hot Dog and a beverage of their choice . The Luffman family will simultaneously throw out the ceremonial first pitch in the contest , and there will be a presentation to the family as well. It's supposed to be a gorgeous night in town , get the park , it will be a special Weyburn sports moment you will not want to miss.

The Beavers will also host the red hot Medicine Hat Mavericks Saturday ( 7pm) , and Sunday ( 2pm) before heading to Estevan to play a neutral sight game on Monday against Yorkton.

Jason Knox

Monday June 3rd, 2013
Beavers down Red Sox in Extras
The Weyburn Beavers were looking for something Monday night in Regina , their first win of 2013 , and they got it in dramatic style.

The Beavers started early against Red Sox starter Bronson Gillam , scoring twice in the Top of the 1st. With Spencer Mallonee and Michael Lukkason aboard via a walk and an error , Mallonee would score on a Ryan Bourcier ground out and the red hot Dalton Silva added an RBI single to give the Beavers a two run lead.

For a while it would look like that is all the Beavers may need as starter Ryan Shaw was dealing early. The Cardale MB native pitched very efficiently holding the Sox at bay until the 5th , when with two out an error would bring home the first run of the game for the home squad and cut the Beavers lead to 2-1. Meanwhile , Bronson Gillam found his groove , shutting down the Beavers through 5 as well after a shaky first inning and we were seemingly locked in a pitchers dual. But neither pitcher escaped the 6th.

After William Shell relieved Gillam in the 6th and cut down a Beavers rally , the Sox once again threatened to take the lead. Shaw loaded the bases with no one out on a Cody Maas single, Chris Untereiner double and a walk. He would record an out before turning things over to Noah Axton , who after getting fly out , walked Tessandori driving in Cody Maas to tie the game.

Then it was a game left to the relievers , and two stood out. The aforementioned Shell was almost unsolvable on the mound as the Beavers could not get anything going through nine complete. Meanwhile , after Houston Creighton started the 7th , with two on and two out Dalton Silva would relieve him and begin a dominant performance , including back to back strike outs to end the Red Sox 9th with the bases loaded , pushing the game to extra innings.

In the 10th the Beavers would finally get to Shell . Dallas Monk lead off with a single , followed by Spencer Mallonee reaching on an error , setting the table for the heart of the order. It didn't take long. Playing in his first game , Michael Lukkason would drill a two run double to right field giving the Beavers a 4-2 lead , they would tack on another with a clutch Spencer Kidder single and take a 5-2 lead to the bottom of the 10th. The Red Sox would threaten in the 10th , getting 2 on with just one out , but once again Dalton Silva reached back for something extra and struck out the final two hitters to preserve the Beavers first win of 2013.

Jason Knox

Sunday, June 2, 2013
Weyburn Beavers drop a pair on Opening Weekend
It wasn't the way the Beavers had envisioned the start to the 2013 season as they fell short in their first two contests of the 2013 WMBL season.

The Beavers dropped a 12-10 decision at home Friday night in dramatic fashion , and then followed up with a 10-5 loss in Melville against the Millionaires Saturday in their first road game.

Friday night truly was a game that was a test of staying power as the game took 4 hours to complete, within it it's shares of ups and downs.
Beavers starter Ryan Johnson struggled in the Top of the 1st , allowing a lead off single , walking 3 , and contributing 2 wild pitches , but was able to wiggle out of it allowing just one run thanks to a pick off and a strikeout. He would hold the Miller Express at bay until the 4th where an error opened the door for a three run inning, and Johnson's night would end after 3 2/3 trailing 4-0. He allowed 4 runs ,all earned on 4 hits , striking out 5 , but was hampered by 6 walks that got his pitch count high.

Conversely , his counterpart Todd Leavitt was having an excellent start through 3 innings before the Beavers would get to him. Leavitt loaded the bases with nobody out on a single sandwiched around two walks , then preceded to walk Josaih Churchill with the bases loaded , then was let down by his defence as two runs would score on Dallas Monk's fielder's choice cutting the lead to 4-3. Spencer Kidder would add a sacrifice fly and after 4 innings the game was knotted at 4's.

Leavitt would start the 5th , but wouldn't finish it , as the Beavers once again put up a crooked number. With a Mitch Davidoff and Ryan Bourcier aboard with a double and a hit by pitch respectively , Kurtis McCallum would add an RBI double to give the Beavers the lead , and ended Leavitt's night after 4+ innings. Dalton Silva then greeted new Moose Jaw pitcher Ryan Paasch with an 2 run single , and two batters later Dallas Monk would single Silva in and Beavers had an 8-4 lead through 5.

The Miller Express would snap back in the 6th , as with two out , DH Hank Stewart stepped to the plate and drilled a 3 run home run over the left field fence off Beavers reliever Kris Keating , cutting the lead to 8-7. The Beavers would add single runs in the 6th and 7th on an RBI singles by Kurtis MCallum and Spencer Kidder , increasing the lead to 10-7 , a lead they would take all the way to the 9th when the Miller Express shocked the Beavers.

Beavers closer Houston Creighton , who had pitched a scoreless 8th , retired two of the first three he faced in 9th when things went south. Jon Cotter , who wasn't retired all night with 3 singles and 3 walks , drove in Drew Danziaizen to make it 10-8 , then following a walk to Miles Hunter , and an infield single by Mike Corso , the stage was set. Hank Stewart would stride to the plate with the bases loaded and promptly lace a 3 run double over the outstretched arm of left fielder Mitch Davidoff giving the Miller Express an 11-10 lead . Matt Benn would add an RBI single to make it 12-10 , leaving the Beavers down 2 heading to the bottom of the 9th. The Beavers would get a 2 out single from Spencer Mallonee , but Zach Shelsted struck out Mitch Davidoff looking to end the game . Jason Renner would get the win in relief for Moose Jaw , Creighton the loss. The Beavers were out hit 15-13 in the contest , with MJ committing 3 errors , the Beavers 2.

Saturday in Melville saw the Beavers allow the Millionaires to score in each of their first 6 innings en route to a 10-5 win. Beavers starter Chris Housley would go 4 1/3 innings allowing 9 runs , 8 earned , on 9 hits , walking 5 and striking out 5. Housley would take the loss , Kurtis McCallum would pitch 3 1/3 in relief , allowing 1 unearned run on 4 hits , and striking out 6 , in a great mop up effort.
The Beavers would get 2 RBI's from Dalton Silva , as well as singles from Ryan Bourcier , Spencer Mallonee and Josaih Churchill in the loss , as Millionaires pitchers allowed just 6 hits in the contest.

The Beavers will be getting some reinforcements in the next few days as some of the roster players had yet to arrive. Kyle Larson , Kevin Hatcher , Michael Lukkason and JoJo Taylor are expected in and will only make the team stronger , as there were some good things we saw over weekend.

Players , and Plays of the weekend.........

- Dalton Silva has had a red hot start. He has gone 5-7 over the first two games , with 3 walks. He also added 3 RBI and 2 runs scored as his hot bat from the finish of 2012 has come back for 2013.

- Mitch Davidoff and Kurtis McCallum have each recorded 4 hits through two games , looking dangerous in the middle of the Beavers lineup

- I like what i saw from Michael Crain in his 1 1/3 innings of relief on Friday. It was a a solid effort , one of those bullpen appearances that helps calm things down when the game is tight late.

- Sparkling defence was also on display. Dylan Lafrentz made a gorgeous diving grab in right field to save a pair of Moose Jaw runs Friday night. His speed was on display , at the time was a real momentum changer. Spencer Mallonee was no slouch either , making a remarkable diving stop on a ground ball up the middle with one on and nobody out in the 8th on Friday , scrambling to his feet and starting a double play. Again , at the time it was huge , and it's nice to see at key moments in a game the guys are making plays defensively that can win games.

The Beavers will be back in action on Monday in Regina as they face the 2 time WMBL defending champion Regina Red Sox , 7 pm start at Currie field. There next home game is Friday June 7th , when the Melville Millionaires come to town , on Brennan Luffman Appreciation Night.

Jason Knox

Starting at 5:30 pm on May 31st the Beavers are hosting a tailgate party sponsored by Labatts and Western Prime Meats. The first 100 fans will get a free burger or hot dog and beverage of their choice.

The Beavers are hosting the Moose Jaw Miller Express that night, a team Brennan also played with for 2 seasons. As well special guests, the Arcola Kisbey Combines hockey club, will be in attendance.

The Luffman family—mom Charlene, dad Randy and sister Shelby—along with Brennan’s girlfriend Keyla Tocher will all be there to throw out the first pitch simultaneously prior to the game. At that time they will be presented with gifts in Brennan’s memory from the Beavers Ball Club.

After the game, kids in attendance will be allowed on the field to run the bases and meet the Beavers and get autographs. The Canteen and beverage booth will remain open after the game to allow the Luffman family, fans, and teams to socialize and enjoy the rest of the evening.

As a lasting tribute to Brennan’s memory, the Beavers plan to build a covered deck on a concrete pad at the ballpark and name it after him—“Luffy’s Lounge”—it will be a lasting legacy for fans enjoyment for years to come. Plans will be available for viewing and for those wishing to make a contribution to the project, an account has been set up at the Weyburn Credit Union called “The Brennan Luffman Memorial Trust Fund.”

Make plans to come out and join us in paying tribute to Brennan and enjoy a night out at the ballpark for what should be an exciting season of WMBL baseball in Weyburn.

Garnet Hanson
Weyburn Beavers - President

The Beavers will be dedicating the 2013 season to Brennan Luffman , who passed away tragically this winter. The night will feature a pregame jersey retirement ceremony as Brennan’s #45 will be honoured, with the game featuring the two WMBL franchises that Brennan played for.

The Beavers will also be launching their new project, a covered seating area to be known as “ Luffy’s Lounge”. It will not be ready for the opener , but will be up and operational sometime during the 2013 season. The Beavers will be using proceeds from several ventures to fund the project , and anyone wishing to contribute is more than welcome as well.

The game will also feature a Labatts pregame tailgate party that will start approximately 1 hour before game time. The first 100 people in attendance will receive a free burger / hot dog and a beer as well as prize draws throughout the game.

In the spirit of the game of baseball we hope the people of Weyburn will flock to the park for this special night. Brennan left a legacy of not only baseball, but fun and laughter, and the Beavers hope this gives the community a chance to do something that Brennan loved, watch baseball ….and smile.

This promises to be an exciting year on the diamond, we hope to see you all at the opener.

Jason Knox

BEAVERS RETURNING NINE FOR 2013
With the Weyburn Beavers roster set for the upcoming 2013 WMBL season, let’s take a look at some of the returning talent from the 2012 squad.

The Beavers are bringing back three high profile Americans that contributed in a big way last season. Infielder Dalton Silva, a 3 year veteran of the WMBL from Hanford CA brings a dangerous bat to the lineup. Dalton had a slow start to the 2012 year, but as the midway point of the season came he rivaled any other Beaver player at the plate. Dalton will be looked upon to bring veteran leadership to the team, and as we saw late last season, the tighter the microscope, the better the results.

Infielder JoJo Taylor, a Marianna FL native, started the 2012 season with a bang. In the opener, he showcased his power from the left side driving a ball on a rope over the left center field fence in the rain shortened contest. A third baseman by trade, he looks to get a good shot at holding the position down in 2013. Taylor’s season was cut short when he was hit on the hand with a pitch, a bat the Beavers missed as the season came to a close. A healthy year at the plate and Taylor could be mentioned as a dark horse MVP candidate, he has that ability.

Daniel Brown, who hails from Raleigh NC, solidified the back end of the bullpen when arms became few and far between. He was tremendous in late game situations for an over taxed bullpen, and could be part of a platoon closer situation.

The Beavers are also bringing back 6 Canadians, including two local products. Kris Keating, a Benson SK native and Estevan Comprehensive School graduate offered up a solid rookie campaign. He didn’t waiver when facing the WMBL’s elite in any of his starts. With one more year under his belt at the NCAA level, I expect him to only get better.

Bienfait SK’s Dylan Lafrentz will also be a fun watch. Dylan came on late in the 2012 season and his speed was on display on the base paths and in the outfield. Again, a full year with Dylan at the top of the lineup can bring an element to the speed game that was missed in 2012.

Riley Schaaf will also be back in blue. The University of Calgary hurler was leaned on extensively out of the pen in 2012. A 6’6" left hander can be imposing, and at time he showed his promise with dominating stuff.

Luke Hawkins ended the season as the teams #1 starter. Another left handed weapon on the mound, Luke grew by leaps and bound in 2012, and there is no reason to think that will not continue with another year of college under his belt. The Victoria BC native will begin his season with the VIBI Mariners shortly.

Kurtis McCallum comes in as a "Jack of all trades". A useful role player , whether it be at DH or eating up innings on the mound, he did whatever was asked of him. He is a glue guy, just comes to the park and does his job. Hailing from Thunder Bay ON, he will be in his 3

rd season in Weyburn.
Chris Van Keulen looks to come in as the incumbent #1 catcher. Riley Schaaf’s catcher at the University of Calgary had himself a very good year in 2012 behind the plate. Having a veteran signal caller that is familiar with the staff is a big boost. Chris also impressed at the plate, providing some clutch hits throughout the season.

With the recent hire’s of Jon Neuberger ( Marketing ), and Derek Wallace ( Asst Coach), familiarity will be the lynchpin. Having people in place who expect a certain attitude can only help breed a winning formula in Weyburn.

Just a reminder , get your season tickets soon , this promises to be an exciting season at Tom Laing park , and although it is January , May 31st is simply a stones throw away. For more Beavers info you can follow me on twitter @KNOXTOX, or check out WeyburnBeavers.com

Jason Knox

BEAVERS DIP INTO ALUMNI POOL AGAIN
The Weyburn Beavers ball club is pleased to announce that Weyburn product and a 4-year veteran of the Beavers of Western Major Baseball League (WMBL) Jon Neuberger will be joining their staff in a newly created position as Marketing Manager. Jon is a member of the Neuberger family whose name has long been synonymous with ball in the Weyburn area; he’s in the process of completing a couple of classes to finish off his degree in Marketing so he was a natural choice for the position. Jon is everything we were looking for to fill the position—a familiar name and face in the community with the required educational background and youthful enthusiasm.

After 3 straight playoff appearances only to get bumped out in the first round by the Regina Red Sox we knew we needed to change a few thing to get to the next level. Our first priority was the coaching situation and we addressed that earlier with the hiring of Head Coach Phil Curtis. Now bringing Jon on board is going to address an equally important role of making sure the club has the operating budget to compete with the clubs at the next level.

The Weyburn and area fans and business community have been great to support our ball club since our arrival in the WMBL in 2002, but we realized if we want different results we needed to change some things. Having people like Jon that grew up here and know what our ball club brings to the community is a tremendous asset and is going to help us in our goal of bringing a WMBL championship to Weyburn.

Look for Jon to hit the streets of Weyburn in the coming weeks, but if you wish to contact him, his cell number is 861-9084 and his e-mail address is jon_neuberger11@hotmail.com.

Garnet Hanson
Weyburn Beavers - President

WEYBURN BEAVERS LOOKING AHEAD TO 2013
It’s January, there is a foot of snow on the surface of Tom Laing Park, but the preparations for what hopes to be a very successful WMBL season are in full swing ( pardon the pun).

After a promising, yet tumultuous 2012 season that saw several players come and go, as well as a midseason managerial change, new manager Phil Curtis has taken the bull by the horns since his appointment as bench boss for the upcoming season. Curtis, a Sherwood Park native, and Jamestown (ND) College alum will make the transition from the mound to the coach’s box after two years in Beavers blue.

After a promising, yet tumultuous 2012 season that saw several players come and go, as well as a midseason managerial change, new manager Phil Curtis has taken the bull by the horns since his appointment as bench boss for the upcoming season. Curtis, a Sherwood Park native, and Jamestown (ND) College alum will make the transition from the mound to the coach’s box after two years in Beavers blue.

With the market for summer league baseball talent at a premium, Curtis has already filled the player list for 2013, getting 24 verbal commitments by mid December, which is almost unheard of. The list consists of 13 Americans and 11 Canadians, with 13 pitchers among the 24 confirmed. Curtis has done such a good job at filling the roster that some players who have expressed interest are on a waiting list should a spot open up.

The big number that sticks out is 13 pitchers, a position the Beavers ended the season at very thin in 2012. In most games the bats were more than sufficient to compete at the very competitive WMBL level, but by seasons end tired arms caught up to them as the eventual WMBL champion Regina Red Sox swept the Beavers out of the first round of the playoffs in 3 straight games.

With 9 returnees coming back there is also some continuity and familiarity with the organization that helps a first year coach. The Beavers graduated 2 high profile and very successful local players in 2012, including multi year standouts Jon Neuberger (Weyburn) and 2012 All Star Derek Wallace (Oxbow) . Carrying the local mantle for 2013 are returning pitcher Kris Keating, a Benson native, and Estevan’s Dylan Lafrentz who roamed the outfield in the late going of the 2012 season.

It’s also with very heavy hearts that the Beavers said goodbye to their most vocal cheerleader, following the untimely passing of Weyburn native Brennan Luffman during this offseason. Brennan was a spark around the ballpark, and along with manager Dan Grant, a huge reason for the late season turnaround that has rejuvenated the franchise. Brennan touched everyone he played with, and associated with, and it will not be the same without him smiling at the ball park.

This is the first of several Beavers features i will be putting together over the next two months on DiscoverWeyburn.com , as we get you closer in touch with what is happening around the club as the season approaches. Next week i will take a look at the local talent assembled, including where they are playing there college ball this spring, and what they expect for the upcoming season. For all your up to date news on the Beavers and the WMBL you can follow me on twitter @Knoxtox , which also has links to my blog which takes a Beavers turn once the season gets closer.

Your voice of the Weyburn Beavers,
Jason Knox