Bantam Royals loom as team to beat
Elimination tourneys | Bantams at Royals Back; peewees at Queen Square
The Fredericton Pershing Resources Inc. Bantam AAA Royals are the team to beat in this weekend's provincial bantam baseball elimination tournament and that sits just fine with them.
"No question, I believe we are the team to beat," said Royals coach Randy Nicholson in an e-mail interview. "What has made us 9-1 (in regular season play) is our pitching. We have the most depth and roster with six very confident young men." The Royals host the tourney beginning Friday at 3 p.m. when they face the Saint John Cardinals. Moncton and Chatham are also involved in the double knockout event, which unfolds at the Royals Back diamond.
Moncton plays Chatham at 6 p.m Friday night in the second game of the day. Action picks up Saturday morning at 9 a.m. with Chatham facing Fredericton. At noon, Moncton faces Saint John. Fredericton completes the round robin portion of the tourney at 3 p.m. Saturday with a game against Moncton while Saint John and Chatham meet at 6 p.m.
The championship game is at 10 a.m. Sunday morning, with provision for a second sudden death game at 3 p.m.
The winner represents New Brunswick at the national tournament to be held in Mascouche, Que. Aug. 13 - 17.
This event is separate from the provincial championships slated for the Aug. 29 weekend in St. John.
"The trademarks of our team, if (I was) describing them to someone who hasn't seen us play, would be hitting and pitching," Nicholson said. "It begins with the pitching. And our one through nine hitters are the best around. There simply is no weakness.
"I'm also very fortunate this year to have a great assistant/pitching coach in Paul Oxford. Paul has worked extremely hard and long with our pitchers and catchers and the work is paying off."
So strong is the team concept that Nicholson shies away from discussing individual players for fear of not being able to mention them all.
"It's really, really tough to talk about just a couple of players," he said. "And I just don't want to get into (pitching) rotations and strategies. The only thing I would say is, I certainly looking for my second year players to lead by example in every area of the game."
The normal wear and tear of the summer hasn't been a problem for the Royals either as they've cruised along.
"Thankfully, everybody is healthy," Nicholson said. "All 12 guys are fired-up and ready to go.
"I attribute the conditioning to our other assistant/conditioning coach, Tom Reid. Tom has been a huge part of the mix this year. No question, we are a better team with the enthusiasm and mental toughness Tom brings to the field each and every practise."
While they are expected to win this weekend the Fredericton coaching staff put a healthy attitude even ahead of a winning attitude believing one will eventually lead to the other.
"What we are all about is teaching young boys and helping them to become ball players with character," Nicholson said. "Playing the game with respect and pride; teaching the importance of teamwork and positive support when things don't always go our way and to properly deal with that.
"The life lessons of this great game of baseball reach far beyond the 2008 season, hoping that one day these young men will have that desire to want give back to their communities."
The bantam tournament isn't the only playoff action in town this weekend. The Fredericton Monteith Underground Services Royals will also be hosting the provincial AAA peewee elimination tournament at Queen Square.
Play opens tomorrow at 5:30 with Saint John facing Kennebecasis Valley on one diamond and Fredericton meeting Chatham at the unlit diamond two. At 8 p.m. Riverview will meet Moncton on the main diamond.
Saturday at diamond one Chatham and KV will play at 9 a.m with Riverview and KV meeting at 3 p.m.
On diamond two, Fredericton faces Riverview at 9am; Moncton plays Saint John at noon; Saint John and Fredericton play at 3 pm and Moncton meets Chatham at 6pm.
In Sunday's playoff round the team with the best record in the round robin plays the fourth place team at 10 a.m. on one diamond while two plays three on the other. The winners meet for all the marbles at 2 p.m.
The winner goes on to the nationals in Vaughan, Ont, near Toronto. August. 21-24
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