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Global News
5 days ago
- Sport
- Global News
Family-driven slugger Menard delivering at the plate for Saskatoon Berries
Ethan Menard's start to his second season with the Saskatoon Berries may have come a bit later than he expected, but the top-of-the-lineup slugger has certainly made up for lost time. Missing Saskatoon's first nine games of the Western Canadian Baseball League season with his University of Texas-Tyler team playing in the NCAA Division II College World Series, Menard has put together an MVP-calibre campaign in just 30 games for the Berries. A threat to capture a triple crown title, Menard leads all WCBL batters this summer with a .404 batting average and 12 home runs, while ranking third in the league with 46 RBIs. 'It's unbelievable every night,' Berries outfielder Ethan Murdoch said. 'It seems like every day he puts together a few swings where it's like, 'Man, that could be anybody's best swing of the year.' It seems like he does it every day, even some of his flyouts.' Story continues below advertisement As part of that dominance at the plate, Menard has strung together a 17-game hit streak that has helped rocket the Berries to first place in the WCBL with a 39-7 record. The combination of individual and team success has made this senior season a special one for the power-hitting infielder. 'I couldn't be happier,' Menard said. 'Coming through in the big spots when I need to, that's been the thing that I've been trying to chase after. It's just worked out to this point, so hopefully it keeps going.' Menard is coming off an MVP performance at the 2025 WCBL All-Star Game earlier this month in Okotoks, Alta., delivering the game's lone home run in a 10-3 victory for the East Division. Also competing in the league's annual home run derby, Menard became the second Berries player to win all-star game MVP honours after Carter Beck last season. That was the second-most surprising moment of his day, however, as his father Marty, stepmom Kindi and four siblings, Easton, Eibilene, Marti Kay and Edge, drove nearly 3,200 kilometres from their home state of Louisiana to meet him for all-star weekend. 'I was sitting in the locker room before the home run derby and Carter Beck comes up to me and said that somebody needed to do an interview about a jersey,' Menard said. 'I was like, 'All right, whatever.' At Okotoks, they have that little pavilion in left field, so they were all hiding behind it. I'm walking up the little hill and they all jumped out and surprised me. It was just pure shock.' Story continues below advertisement It was a trip that began the Monday prior, with the Menard family working their way up through the United States before arriving at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks less than two hours before game time. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We drove a lot of miles and we surprised Ethan in Okotoks,' Marty Menard said. 'It was really nice. He had no clue we were here.' Following Ethan's MVP showing in Okotoks, the Menard family loaded back onto the highway to make the trek to Saskatoon and Cairns Field, where their eldest son has become a fan favourite since arriving just over a year ago. 1:33 Saskatoon Berries chosen to host 2026 WCBL All-Star Weekend According to Marty, it's still surreal to hear stories of how well-known Ethan is in the community due to his combination of power hitting and an affable personality. 'We hear the 'Mayor of Saskatoon' and all of these things,' Marty said. 'To walk in and see all of this and 2,000 people, I mean, I think his high school championship had 1,200 people. He was like, 'Dad, it's just amazing there and I can't wait to go back.' So we couldn't wait to go see.' Story continues below advertisement On Thursday, the Berries marked their return to their home diamond after a season-long road trip, one for which the Menard family was front and centre as Saskatoon hosted the Swift Current 57's. In the eighth inning, with Menard making his fifth plate appearance of the night, the WCBL's league leader in home runs went deep again with his family watching on to help secure a 9-0 shutout victory for Saskatoon. 'It's everything I could ask for as a ballplayer,' he said. 'You always hope to have good seasons wherever you go and help the team. Just being able to do that in front of them is really big, so it's nice having them out.' Watching his son fist-pump around first base as the ball sailed over the wall in left field was an emotional moment for Marty and the rest of the Menard family. 'Chills, there's no other way to describe it,' Marty said. Leaning on Menard to provide a bulk of the team's offence this season, Berries head coach Joe Carnahan said he had an inkling that his first baseman would do something special on Thursday night — especially considering who was in attendance to watch Menard touch all four bases with the home run. 'That's what it's all about, special moments like that,' Carnahan said. 'If I was a betting man, I kind of had a feeling he was going to hit a home run (Thursday) like he did in the all-sar game. He comes up in big spots, no matter what those big spots are.' Story continues below advertisement A threat to take home league Most Valuable Player honours at the end of the season, Menard says he is being fuelled by a desire to bring a championship to Saskatoon in his senior season. But even with the dog days of the baseball season sinking in, it's weeks like the one he just experienced that deliver perspective on why he's devoted his life to the diamond. 'It can be tough with a lot of games in not a lot of days,' Ethan said. 'Just seeing them and having them here, it really just reminds you of what you're doing it for. You're doing it for the little kid that's inside of you, the want to compete and do it at the biggest level that you can. Having them there really pushes me, trying to be a role model for my little siblings.' Moments after recording the final out in their victory over Swift Current, it was a quick beeline over to the first base-side fence line for Menard to share in one of those moments with his family. Those moments have become exceedingly rare over the years with his baseball career taking him across North America, but make the weeklong road trips and hours in the car worth it for the Menards. 'My youngest is five and a half (years old) and watching him wait on his brother's autograph was about as good as it gets,' Marty said. Story continues below advertisement Sitting just five wins away from tying the WCBL record for wins in a single season, the Berries (39-7) kick off a home-and-home series against the Moose Jaw Miller Express (21-26) at Cairns Field on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Global News
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Saskatoon Berries awarded 2026 WCBL All-Star Weekend festivities
Even though the team has not yet finished their second season in the Western Canadian Baseball League, the Saskatoon Berries have caught the eye of the league with their ability to put on a show. That will be the case next summer at Cairns Field, as the WCBL and the Berries have announced the league's annual All-Star Weekend will be moving from Okotoks, Alta., to Saskatoon for the 2026 edition of the event. 'We have been working on this for a while,' said Berries president Steve Hildebrand. 'I appreciate the league and the governors of the league giving us this opportunity to host the 2026 All-Star Weekend. I think it's going to be a fantastic weekend and I'm really excited for our fans, but also all of Saskatchewan and Alberta coming out and enjoying a great day.' The announcement was made at the 2025 All-Star Weekend in Okotoks, which wrapped up on a rainy Saturday night at Seaman Stadium with the East Division earning a 10-3 victory over the West Division in a truncated seven-inning tilt. Story continues below advertisement Six members of the Berries played in the game, including infielder Ethan Menard, who was named the All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player with a solo home run in the sixth inning. It marked the second year in a row a Saskatoon player had picked up the award, following teammate Carter Beck in 2024. According to Hildebrand, Berries management has been discussing the possibility of hosting All-Star Weekend for at least a year and feels like next summer will be the perfect time to welcome the league to Saskatoon. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We actually looked at this for the 2025 (season) and felt it was just too quick,' said Hildebrand. 'We went through a lot in our first year to make sure everything was going well, we looked at the 2025 weekend and took a step back saying, 'Let's try to get it for the 2026 All-Star Game.' We came up with the idea of having a full weekend, having a two-day event rather than just one day and it was accepted by the league.' WCBL All-Star Weekend will be split into a two-day event for the first time, with the WCBL Home Run Derby being held on a Saturday night, followed by a 1 p.m. opening pitch on Sunday between the East and West Divisions for the All-Star Game itself. 1:38 Saskatoon Berries sending six to 2025 WCBL All-Star Game Hildebrand also mentioned there will be a community festival held over the weekend, with an emphasis on promoting baseball at the grassroots levels. Story continues below advertisement While Seaman Stadium is more than twice the size of Cairns Field in fan capacity, Hildebrand added discussions are ongoing to bring in more seating for the event. 'Okotoks has a beautiful facility and they have a lot of great seating areas,' said Hildebrand. 'We hope to do that as well and hope to expand a little bit, with the help of the guys at Gordie Howe (Sports Complex). Hopefully, we can find some space there that we can grow a little bit as well and have more people out to the games.' Through 20 home games so far this season, the Berries sit second place to the Okotoks Dawgs in overall attendance with nearly 32,000 fans through the gates this year and an average attendance of 1,599 fans per game. Combined with the team's success on the field this season leading the WCBL with a 34-7 record entering a double-header on Monday against the Weyburn Beavers, Hildebrand is encouraged to see the recognition of what the Berries have built over the span of just a few years. 'I think what we've done, not only on the field but social media-wise – all the tickets we've sold – they're really impressed by what we've done so far,' said Hildebrand. 'Like we do with our group, we just try to set the bar as high as we can.' The Berries will close out their season-long road trip with stops in Weyburn and Swift Current, before returning to Cairns Field on Thursday night to face off against the 57's at 7 p.m.
Global News
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Bat boy to Berries slugger: Ethan Murdoch chasing WCBL title in senior season
After a handful of seasons playing in the Western Canadian Baseball League, senior Ethan Murdoch wanted one last chance to suit up in his home province of Saskatchewan. It's a move which has paid off in spades at the plate for the Saskatoon Berries outfielder, becoming one of the top offensive threats in the WCBL. Taking the field in all but one game so far this season for Saskatoon, Murdoch is leading the team with 21 RBIs and 22 runs scored, while tied for the Berries' home run lead alongside Cory Wouters with five deep shots this summer. 'Our lineup makes it easy,' said Murdoch. 'I don't really have a lot of pressure on me up there, just go up and get my swings off. I know we're going to score every night, I feel like we score 10 (runs) every night.' Story continues below advertisement Returning after a year away from the league, the Marshall University slugger began his journey in the WCBL well over a decade ago. Dating back to a time when even the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets were still around, Murdoch was found on ball diamonds around his hometown of Swift Current in the early 2010s. It was there that he became the bat boy for the Swift Current 57's franchise, then called the Swift Current Indians, alongside the team's head coach Joe Carnahan. 'I used to be the bat boy I think at eight or nine years old,' said Murdoch. 'In that setting just taking in how (Carnahan) coached the game back then and also working with him in the off-season. I've been hitting with him for years and he obviously shaped my swing. Also the way I play on the field, but also just the mentality in the field, in the box.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Fast forward 13 years and Murdoch is now swinging the bat at Cairns Field with Carnahan instructing him, as the Berries first head coach in franchise history. 'I've known him since he was seven or eight years old as a bat boy,' said Carnahan. 'Then he was catching bullpens for us when he was in high school. Just to have the opportunity to be able to coach him, then just seeing his development over the years, then him going off to school and now being able to be a little piece of it this year too.' Story continues below advertisement Murdoch is one of 10 Saskatchewan-born players listed on the Berries roster this season joining fellow outfielder Carter Beck (Carnduff), infielders Cory Wouters (Saskatoon) and Nathan Houston (Melville), catcher Jackson Hodgson (Saskatoon), as well as pitchers Adam Beamin (Saskatoon), Carter Kopp (Saskatoon), Colin Plain (Saskatoon), Dallen Rude (Muenster) and Merek Yeager (Muenster). 2:06 Saskatoon Berries rocket to top of WCBL standings with undefeated home record According to Carnahan, Murdoch's journey from WCBL bat boy to one of the top producing hitters in the league is a testament to the pathways which are open for baseball-crazed kids across Saskatchewan. 'You look at our team alone, all of the Saskatchewan kids we have throughout the province,' said Carnahan. 'It's just an opportunity for the Saskatchewan kids to play good level baseball in the summer and be close to home.' Reunited at Cairns Field with the man who helped spark his passion for the game all those years ago in Swift Current, Murdoch is determined to wind up his collegiate career by celebrating a league title alongside Carnahan — putting in the same level of trust with the Berries head coach that he's seen throughout his development in baseball. Story continues below advertisement 'Trusting him, trusting that if I come here I can get better and I can have a good experience here,' said Murdoch. 'I know the way he runs his program here and that was really important to me, just knowing what I'm going to get every day because I was around it however many years ago. Just knowing the expectations he has that I'm going to show up here to get better.' In a short amount of time, Murdoch has become one of Carnahan's most trusted bats at the top of the Saskatoon lineup and added the outfielder will be a big part in determining how deep the league-leading Berries will go this summer. 'He's earned everything he's gotten,' said Carnahan. 'His work ethic is second to none, he fits in really well with this group and he'd fit in with any group. We're very fortunate to have him here.' Holding the WCBL's best record at 18-3 nearing the midway mark of the 2025 season, the Berries wind up a home-and-home series with the Regina Red Sox (11-9) on Wednesday night with a 7 p.m. opening pitch at Cairns Field.
Global News
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Extra innings comeback extends Saskatoon Berries' undefeated streak at home
Saskatoon Berries outfielder Jalen Freeman has shown bunt hundreds of plate appearances before in his career, but none were as dramatic as what he laid down on Wednesday night. His play in the 11th inning against the Medicine Hat Mavericks proved to the game-winning play. 'I'm fast and fast people, we use that you know what I'm saying,' said Freeman. 'It's to get hits, we want to get hits. So we're going to use that bunt and get to first.' Freeman's bunt was fielded by Mavericks pitcher Luke Barrientos, but he would sky his throw over top of first base to allow Berries runner Nomar Prieto to score the winning run in the 5-4 contest. Swarmed by his Berries teammates, Freeman was able to deliver the final nail in what marked Saskatoon's biggest comeback of the season yet, rallying from a 4-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning. Story continues below advertisement 'Had to get it down,' said Freeman. 'Coach called for me to put the bunt down in that situation and I had full confidence in doing so.' The win Wednesday allowed the Berries to sweep the Mavericks over their two-game set at Cairns Field, a team which came into the week sitting first place in the Western Canadian Baseball League. Now those standings have flipped, as the Berries have raced out to a 9-2 start to the season and now sit tops in the WCBL themselves. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'You got to be able to win games a bunch of different way and this year we've been able to do it a bunch of different ways,' said Berries head coach Joe Carnahan. 'We've been able to pitch it a little bit, we've been able to do it with our speed, been able to bang it around a little bit. It's good to have a couple different ways to win games and sometimes you need a little luck.' Rookie Merek Yeager threw six innings in the start for Saskatoon, while relievers Tanner Hosick and Zac Laird were able to get some big outs in the ninth and 10th innings to give the Berries a chance with the bats in the 11th. 2:04 Saskatoon Berries Academy grad Yeager makes historic jump to WCBL club According to Carnahan, the entirety of the Saskatoon roster has arrived into town and are now chasing a championship together. Story continues below advertisement 'This is the roster,' said Carnahan. 'Summer is always ever-changing with things that happen, but this is the roster we plan on having and we're happy to have everybody here.' Among that group is fan favourite Ethan Menard, who returned this week from the University of Texas at Tyler for a second summer in Saskatoon. Leading the Berries in RBIs last season, Menard picked things up right where he left off as he came through with a key RBI double in the eighth inning to drive in a pair of runs. 'Seeing the talent that we've brought in from Day 1 and the aggression we play with, just knowing that if we go and be the enforcer we're going to have a chance in any ball game we play in,' said Menard. 'It's amazing to watch.' The Berries have also proven to be kings of Cairns Field this year, defending their home diamond with an undefeated 6-0 record at home so far this summer. According to Freeman, the feeling around the team is there's plenty more in store this summer, with the hopes of keeping that dominance at home alive. 'We love fans coming out to support us and we're going to give them a show every time they come out here,' said Freeman. 'They're paying for a ticket, we're going to get them right, you know.' Story continues below advertisement The Berries were slated to visit the Brooks Bombers on Thursday night, but that game has been postponed due to rain and has been rescheduled to a double-header on Friday at Elks Field in Brooks.
Global News
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Global News
Saskatoon Berries Academy grad Yeager makes historic jump to WCBL collegiate roster
Though his first start at Cairns Field was a big moment for Saskatoon Berries pitcher Merek Yeager on Wednesday night, it's not quite the same as being on the mound at Rogers Centre in Toronto – an experience he got to revel in back-to-back years, selected to the Toronto Blue Jays' Canadian Futures Showcase. 'When you actually go out there and then you're on the same mound as Kevin Gausman and José Berríos it's like, 'Woah.'' said Yeager. 'You have to make it count and you just got to be ready to go, but I think the whole atmosphere with that was just so much fun.' It's not just those within the Blue Jays Academy who are taking note of the Muenster product's potential as he's now blazing a trail for the Berries program as a whole. Yeager has graduated to the Western Canadian Baseball League's summer collegiate team in Saskatoon after suiting up for the Berries Academy U18 squad last year. Story continues below advertisement Now a member of the Berries' main summer collegiate roster, Yeager has become the first Berries Academy grad to make his WCBL debut. 'It lined up so nicely for me personally,' said Yeager. 'I'm in Grade 12 … but I couldn't do anything else, so I went to the Academy. I got better and now I'm lined up having a WCBL season before I even go to college. 'If I know I can succeed in this, I'm hoping I'm pretty well set for college too.' Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "If I know I can succeed in this, I'm hoping I'm pretty well set for college too." Yeager faced three batters in a short call-up last year to the Berries from his academy program, but is now a full-time member of the team's WCBL roster with two starts including his first collegiate win on Wednesday in a 14-6 victory over the Fort McMurray Giants where he struck out six batters over five innings. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy According to Berries head coach and academy director Joe Carnahan, the 18-year-old Yeager has pitched well above his years this month. 'He's still in Grade 12 this year,' said Carnahan. 'For him to come in and throw against college hitters and be as successful as he's been is a real positive, and just a tribute to his work ethic and the way he's developed over the last couple of years.' Launched in tandem with the summer collegiate club in 2024, the Berries Academy was created to give students in grades 8-12 opportunities to train on the diamond as part of their school day and open up doors at the next level of baseball. Story continues below advertisement 2:04 Saskatoon Berries star Beck returns from dominant season at Indiana State Instruction has been led by a handful of instructors including Carnahan and Berries pitching coach Ryan Olchoway, who started the very first home game in the WCBL club's history in May 2024. Olchoway said Yeager has progressed greatly since he was introduced to the academy program and isn't surprised to see the success he's achieving. 'To be the first guy from the academy to the Berries summer team is a great guy to be,' said Olchoway. 'He works hard every single day, he's a good guy to be around and he likes to compete. That's the kind of guy we're looking for coming into the academy and then playing for our summer ball team.' Yeager has already committed to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas for the fall, one of several commitments the Berries Academy is already starting to produce. Story continues below advertisement Carnahan added that's been a big draw for getting the program off the ground, in showcasing direct pathways to the university level both in Canada and south of the border. 'That's part of the reason why we're doing it,' said Carnahan. 'To have kids start younger, come through the academy and then play for us in the summer. It's really nice to see.' Looking forward to the day that even more of his Berries Academy teammates join him on the summer roster, Yeager believes it's just the start of the next wave of Berries talent to form a local pipeline – one he hopes will lead to the Berries competing for WCBL titles for years to come. 'It's possible to make that jump,' said Yeager. 'There's a few other guys on the team like (Aidan Marien) and (Aiden Kilshaw). Those guys were in the academy too, those guys are trying to get up there too. To know that those guys are working for a spot, it felt like I almost paved a path for them and it means a lot to me.' Seeing their seven-game win streak come to an end on Sunday night against the Swift Current 57's, the Berries (7-2) will begin a two-game set at Cairns Field on Tuesday at 7 p.m. against the East Division-leading Medicine Hat Mavericks (9-2).
