U15 AAA Canucks Overcome Flat Start To Continue Unbeaten Record

By Robert Thomas

A flat start accompanied with a lack of attention almost saw the Moose Jaw U15 AAA Canucks suffer their first loss of the season in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League (SPBL).

But a mid game rally saw the Moose Jaw U15 AAA Canucks defeat the Swift Current 57s 9 - 6.

The SPBL last placed team, the Swift Current 57s, took advantage of the opportunity presented to it and held an early multi-inning lead.

Swift Current would draw walks and then with some highly aggressive base running wracked up stolen bases and runs.

Swift Current would jump off to a 3 - 1 lead after the first inning.

Swift Current would increase their lead to 4 - 1 after the second inning.

The 57s would increase their lead to 6 - 1 after the third inning.

The inning also included an aggressive stolen base followed with a dramatic slide safely into home past Canucks’ bat catcher Emery Schoenroth. The 57s were marking their turf in a move of confidence.

A Swift Current 57s player slides past Moose Jaw Canucks catcher Emery Schoenroth - MJ Independent photo

After digging into the bull pen the Canucks for the most part managed to defensively shut down the 57s.

The fifth inning saw the Canucks score six runs in the fifth inning.

A major play that helped to rally the Canucks was bat catcher Schoenroth caught the 57s bat catcher not hustling after a pass ball walk and as a result he would manage to make it to third base.

In a resultant play Schoenroth would score the first of six runs by the Canucks in the fourth inning. The Canucks led 7 - 6 the first lead of the game.

The fifth inning would see two more runs for the Canucks a 9 - 6 lead.

There would be no further scoring.

The Canucks deep bull pen came up big in shutting down the 57s later in the game - MJ Independent photo

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Canucks’ bat catcher Schoenroth said the reason why the Canucks came under pressure had more to do with the team starting out with a flat game rather than a major improvement from the 57s.

“I think it was rough at the start. We didn’t get on their starter and we didn’t hit the ball as well as we can.”

About Swift Current’s aggressive base running Schoenroth attributed it to Canucks early play.

“We just weren’t awake. We just weren’t making plays as well as we could be,” he said about the 57s who in the opening innings turned singles and walks into multi base runs.

“They were being aggressive and making smart plays on the base paths,”

While catching Schoenroth had one of the 57s use aggressive base running to advance and then make a play sliding for home safe in a cloud of dust.

It was a play that gave Speedy Creek temporarily momentum in the game.

Asked if Schoenroth thought if Swift Current was a different team he said no.

“No the same team. We were the different team…yeah we didn’t play too good.”

Schoenroth had a heads up play when he was walked and Swift Current’s bat catcher was slow and inattentive on a pass ball.

Schoenroth would take the initiative and head to second base only to fly down to third base igniting the Canucks with each base he wracked up.

“There catcher was asleep so I decided to run.”

“It made us heat up and wake up and realize we were still in this,” he said describing the effects of his aggressive base running.

Asked if the team was relieved to get by the 57s he said “I’m glad we did lose to the last place team…we had some problems to begin with but once we woke up we showed them who was the better team.

Assistant Coach Curtis Novak said the start of the game may have seemed like it was all Swift Current but at the same time the Canucks were off on their play.

“Yeah they came out a little I think it was a matter of our guys coming out a little flat tonight,” Novak said, adding “we had a slow start and we had a few errors there.“

The errors took a while to get rid of by the Canucks who then managed to challenge the 57s.

“It was tough for us. It was a big start for them…we didn’t expect it coming from them.”

He pointed out the good things in the game by the Canucks is they “showed resilience And were able to come back.”

“I was really happy with the boys’ resilience was today. They were down three runs and not ready to give up “ Novak said.

They definitely were very aggressive on the base path tonight and I think we underestimated them but in the end the boys came back with resilience.

A change in pitching helped pump up the Canucks and they just rolled on, Novak said.

The U15 AAA Canucks maintain a perfect 10 - 0 record.