OKOTOKS -- It was a good day for the East Division at the Western Canadian Baseball League All Star Game festivities on Saturday night, even if it ended up being a little shorter than they would have liked.
The East came away with a 10-3 win at the event at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks, with the contest rained out after six innings.
Ethan Menard of the Saskatoon Berries was named the game’s most valuable player after hitting the lone home run of the contest in the sixth inning.
“Couldn’t ask for anything better,” Menard told Trevor Fitzpatrick of the Canadian Baseball Network on wcblbaseball.com. “It was a great day for guys who normally have to go against each other to cheer each other on and have one common goal. Getting to be amongst the guys that work hard every day, it’s fun, real fun.”
As one might imagine, there were plenty of highlights for Saskatchewan teams, especially in the fourth and sixth innings when they did most of their damage.
Weyburn’s Ian Heck hit an RBI double in the top of the fourth to score Moose Jaw’s Austin Gurney and was then promptly singled home by Moose Jaw’s Will Edwards.
The Miller Express’ Thomas Soto then scored a run on a wild pitch in the fifth to make it a 4-2 game before the East blew things open the next inning.
The Berries’ Bailyn Sorensen contributed a two-run double that brought home Swift Current’s Wilmer Henriquez and Regina’s Brady Bye in the six-run frame. Weyburn’s Noah Brooks followed up with a double of his own that scored Sorensen and Medicine Hat’s Tyler Vanneste, and the rout was on.
Medicine Hat’s Luis Diaz had one of the top showings among East Division pitchers, picking up a strikeout and giving up a single hit in his inning of work.
The Home Run Derby took place earlier in the day, with Fort McMurray’s Matt Rhoades taking the title for the West after hitting 13 home runs in the first round and nine in the championship round.
Rhoades was able to edge Weyburn’s Ian Heck in the final after the Beavers veteran hit eight home runs. Heck had 11 in the first round, while Henriquez hit seven, Menard seven, Bye five and Gurney two.
After being played in Okotoks the past three seasons, the WCBL All Star Game will move to Saskatoon and will be hosted by the Berries in 2026
Be sure to check out the WCBL and Canadian Baseball Network websites for more from the game.
