18U A Canucks Win Mothers’ Day No Hitter Season Opener

The Moose Jaw 18U A Canucks kicked off their season in a big way on Sunday afternoon as they defeated the visiting Indian Head Rockets 17 - 0 in a fifth inning 10 run mercy rule finish.

It was a day with a big win but also a day where the moms posed for photos with their sons at the end of the game.

The victory stood in for roses.

A Canucks base runner hustles down to first base - MJ Independent photo

The Canucks only had four players get to the plate in the first inning. A base runner was stranded at second base as three batters went down.

As the game progressed though they were strong against the Rockets who struggled with pitching.

Moose Jaw got on the scoresheet with two runs in the second inning followed by eight runs in the third inning and seven runs in the fourth inning.

A couple of key triples resulted in three RBIs for the Canucks.

A bright spot for Indian Head came on a pitching change and their new pitcher threw off speed pitches the Canucks had problems with. But unfortunately for the Rockets the Canucks adapted.

Trotting easily into third base - MJ Independent photo

“It was our first game of the year. We started off a little slower on the bats and then we got it all together. Our pitching was solid all game. We didn’t give up a hit and it naturally came around,” Beau Swan head coach of the Moose Jaw Canucks 18U A told MJ Independent.

Swan said he was happy with the “solid effort that they kept throughout the game.”

A pitching change for the Rockets, where an off speed pitcher came in, threw a bit of a stick in the Canucks’ wheels that temporarily confused batters.

“It was a little bit different than the first guy so we had to adjust. We made the adjustments and kept going,” he said.

A Canucks player slides in head first safe to third base - MJ Independent photo

Swan, who coached the Canucks 15U AA team last season, says he is happy with the 11 player 18U A team he is coaching this season.

The Black team is one of two 18U A teams - the other team is the Canucks 18U A Grey team - that Moose Jaw Minor Baseball Association (MJMBA) is fielding in 2026.

Last season MJMBA fielded a single 18U A squad.

Having two teams leaves the Black team with nine rookies at the level and two returnees.

The teams were not selected to “stack” one team with talent over the other but was designed to be at even strength, he said.

Canucks’ pitcher Dillon Flanagan winds up to throw a strike - MJ Independent photo

Swan said he is looking forward to “just having a good year altogether. They all get along really well. They all played hacky sack at the start (of the game) just to get loose. We want to continue the growth.

Starting off with the win is a big boost but at the same time a bit of a problem as it makes it hard to find things to work on.

“We’re always excited with the win the way it turned out. I’m sure there’ll be some tough teams ahead. We just have to work throughout the season and hopefully things will improve as the season goes.”

“It’s tough to pull something out when you win like we did today,” he said.

Pitching and hitting are two things the team plans to work on.