Double wins for Major Dust Devils, a win and a loss for Juniors, Devils join Royals

Juniors vs Magrath: Michael Svab safe at home
C. Davis photos/videos

Chris Davis with Carrah Walter

Junior Dust Devils take on Magrath, Raymond, and Lethbridge

Pincher Creek's Junior Dust Devils had a home double header on Saturday My 31, hosting Raymond in the afternoon and Magrath in the evening.  The Devils defeated Raymond 22-10 but fell 13-8 to Magrath.

Regarding the win against Raymond, Devils Coach Bryan Mackenzie said "We were running there, and it was a good effort there from the kids, but just like this game here (the evening game against Magrath) we've got to have a couple less errors per person. If we can cut that down to one error per person per game we are going to win a lot of ball games at this level. It's just little things. That in baseball is the whole thing. The small things make a big difference."

Chase pitching

Regarding the game against Magrath Coach Mackenzie said there were "Some nice athletes on that team. Magrath has always got some good athletes, it doesn't matter what sport though, right?" Having seen Magrath teams in other sports, particularly hockey, I agreed with that assessment.

"It was good to see a good ball game like that. They came out there pretty early and were swinging the bat pretty hard on us. Again, we made a couple of little lapses in judgement, and that kind of got the best of us. In the last inning boy the kids came back and showed some heart."

Indeed, in the last inning the Devils were hitting well, stealing bases intelligently and frequently, and they were keeping those bases loaded, while taking advantage of any and every Magrath error.  Up against one of the toughest team's in the league, if not the toughest, they held their own and narrowed what was until then a huge gap on the scoresheet.  It was 6-2 and then 7-3 earlier in the game.

"We had a couple lapses in the top of the seventh there, said Coach Mackenzie, "and let in a few too many runs that we probably shouldn't have, but when the ball's hit right at you, and you don't come up with it, that's a gift. A big, long fly ball, that's a gift. A pop fly that doesn't even get out of the infield, and we don't get a glove on it, that's another gift." Which team gets the gift is part of Mackenzie's quest. "We've got to open those presents."

On Tuesday evening May 27 the Junior Dust Devils played an away game against Lethbridge. According to Coach Mackenzie it was a "Beautiful night playing baseball, a beautiful diamond, and we played a good team there. Boy did we jump out on them three to nothing in the first inning, and then we just got overpowered. When you go down there and get a lead like that, it does something to your psyche. There is a stigma about a City of Lethbridge team that they are unbeatable but we came out and we pounced on them and mashed the ball in the top of that first inning. It was really good to see."

Up next on the schedule for the Junior Dust Devils is a Wednesday June 4 home game at Sproule Field  versus Fernie, to start at 6:00 pm, followed by a double header away at Lethbridge versus Milk River and Foremost on June 7.

Major Dust Devils vs Fernie

Double wins for Major Dust Devils

Pincher Creek's Major Dust Devils hosted Fernie for a double header on Saturday, May 31.  The first game of the day was Fernie's second for the season, and the more experienced Devils romped to wide-margin win.  Fernie took that experience and built on it for the second game, which the Dust Devils also won, but by a much narrower 11-8 margin.  Fernie arrived with only 8 players, but they were 8 layers very eager to play, so the Devils lent them a player throughout, rotating different Devils into the Fernie outfield.  That was kind of fun to see, as the Devils on loan still played to their abilities against their regular teammates. A shout out to Easton Fitzpatrick, who went 6 for 6 at-bats.

Good sportsmanship, good baseball, and luckily, good weather.  A sunny afternoon, and a thunderstorm that threatened the evening game passed Pincher Creek by. 

On Sunday, June 1  five Junior Dust Devils joined the Fort Macleod Royals American Legion Team:

Chase Snider

Matthew Duncan

Deloy Mackenzie

Colter Van Ee

Beau Walter

Pincher Creek has 2 players that have played with the Royals for 5 years now, Josh Foster and Blair Goodreau. One player that played last year but is on the injured list this year is Tyson Goodreau.

The Fort Macleod Royals are part of the Montana State American Legion program. This is an elite level league for players aged 15-19 that is aimed at providing competitive baseball. Furthermore, it gives players an opportunity to further their baseball careers.

The Royals are attempting to begin a Junior program this year for players aged 13-15. This program is aimed at being mutually beneficial in that it will provide players access to elite level coaching and competition. In turn, the Royals will benefit from having a larger base of players that can contribute in future years.