Latest news with #SaskatoonBerries
CTV News
4 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Berries clinch top spot in east; Red Sox earn playoff berth as WCBL postseason picture comes into focus
The Western Canadian Baseball League's (WCBL) playoff picture is coming into focus with less than two weeks remaining in the 2025 regular season. With a 6-4 win Saturday over Moose Jaw, the Saskatoon Berries cemented their position atop the East Division standings – clinching the number one seed for the regular season. The feat means Saskatoon will have home field advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Already at 40 wins and nine games remaining in their schedule, the Berries have more than enough opportunities to set a new league record for single-season wins – set by Sylvan Lake at 44 in 2024. Still yet to be decided is the league's best record. Saskatoon sits 7.5 games ahead of Okotoks. Regardless of which team represents its respective division come the championship final – the team with the best record will host two of the three games. Red Sox to appear in 18th-straight postseason South of Highway 11 in Regina, the Red Sox secured their berth into the playoffs with a 6-3 win over Weyburn Saturday night. The game was the second half of a two-game set Saturday due to a previous rain cancellation. Currently in third place in the East, the Red Sox (23-24) are 17 games behind Saskatoon and have no chance of catching the Berries. However, the Sox do have a slim chance of catching the second place Mavericks and finish above Medicine Hat. Regina has not won a WCBL championship since 2012. The Red Sox did not play in 2020-21 due to the pandemic. Swift Eliminated, Beavers fight to stay alive With Weyburn's loss to Regina Saturday, the Beavers are one loss away from being eliminated from playoff contention. Regina plays host to the Beavers again Sunday afternoon. On the flip side, should Moose Jaw (21-27) defeat Saskatoon in their game Sunday – Weyburn will also be eliminated, clinching the Miller Express' ability to defend their 2024 East Division crown. The last place Swift Current 57's suffered a blowout 24-4 loss at the hands of Medicine Hat Saturday night – officially eliminating them from the playoffs for a second-straight season.
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.
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
They're in: Saskatoon Berries clinch WCBL playoff berth one week before All-Star Game
The Saskatoon Berries beat the Regina Red Sox 10-4 last night at Currie Field in Regina. The Saskatoon Berries beat the Regina Red Sox 10-4 last night at Currie Field in Regina. The Saskatoon Berries became the first Western Canadian Baseball League team to clinch their berth to the 2025 playoffs with an 18-2 win over Swift Current Saturday night. Now two-thirds of the way through the season, Saskatoon holds the best record in the league at 31-5, eight games ahead of second place Medicine Hat in the East Division. The Berries' pitching is giving up less than five runs per game — the best in the league, with just 172 runs against. Led by All-Star batters Ethan Menard and Cory Wouters, the offense is the second best in the WCBL, scoring 320 runs in 36 games, averaging nearly nine per game. Saskatoon has 19 games left in the 2025 season, ahead of the WCBL's All-Star Game, which is scheduled for Saturday night in Okotoks, Alta. In 2024, the Sylvan Lake Gulls set the league record for wins in a season (44). By the time the All-Star Game was played that season, the Gulls had 32 wins.
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Saskatoon Berries just keep winning
The Saskatoon Berries enter the second half of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) season with only four losses. And they're doing it with everyone in the roster. While most teams would have admitted defeat after giving up five runs in the first inning on Sunday against the Regina Red Sox, the Berries didn't give up. 'Yesterday we were down early,' said Joe Carnahan, head coach of the Saskatoon Berries. 'Dallen Rude did a good job of calming everything down on the mound and the bullpen did a good job. We were able to have a big inning, and that's just the biggest thing with this group. They just keep playing no matter what the score is.' The Berries went on to win 7-5 Sunday — one of many examples of this team's resilience. 'I think as a team we really came together when we walked off against Moose Jaw last week,' said Dallen Rude, a Saskatoon Berries pitcher. 'We had a big outing from a guy who hasn't pitched in a bit, and the bats came out at the right time.' The roster is deep at every position meaning players need to be versatile to get into the lineup. 'We have a really deep group, so just guys subbing in and out, and they got their chances, and they take it,' said Turner Zdunich, who has suited up at first base, outfield and at pitcher for the Berries this season. 'So, it helps to keep guys fresh all the time.' Coach Carnahan — a two-time league MVP himself — knows it takes more than just hits, runs and strikeouts to be successful, though. It takes chemistry. 'We have a good group,' he said. 'They hold each other accountable and they just love playing the game of baseball, and they love being around each other. And we've just been fortunate with this group for them to be able to gel pretty early, and just enjoy one another; being around one another.' After a 4-3 win Monday against the Moose Jaw Miller Express, the now 27-4 Berries are flirting with a WCBL single season record. The record for most wins in a regular season is 44 by the 2024 Sylvan Lake Gulls, but the Berries aren't worried about the results. 'I wouldn't say we're worried about that,' said Zdunich, who recently finished his freshman season at Colby Community College. 'We just take it one game at a time and win.' And whether players are in the starting lineup, the bullpen or have a day off, word travels fast about how fun it is to be at the ballpark on game day. 'The crowds are fantastic,' said Zdunich. 'Couldn't get any better. The games are good, the weather's been great for us, so no complaints.' And playing close to home has its benefits too. 'That's like the best part about coming here and playing, is the fans,' said Rude, a product of Muenster and a teammate of Zdunich at Colby Community College. 'You get great crowds here in Saskatoon and just a lot of family and guys coming out to support the team.' The Berries are back in action tonight against the Moose Jaw Miller Express. First pitch is at 7 p.m. from Cairns Field.
