Despite injury bug, PBA ready to host
By Lethbridge Herald on May 19, 2022.
By Dale Woodard
for the Lethbridge Herald
The Prairie Baseball Academy has – quite literally- taken their lumps this season.
As they get set to host the 2022 Canadian College World Series, starting today at Spitz Stadium, the PBA roster has rivaled that of a MASH unit as much as it has a starting lineup for the baseball team.
While you could very well get writer’s cramp listing the PBA’s injuries this past Canadian College Baseball Conference season, don’t expect the hosts to come limping into this year’s championship, ranked second in the field of eight teams that will take the diamond for the next five days.
For the PBA, that starts tonight against the seventh-ranked Kamloops Thompson River University Wolfpack at 4:30 p.m.
The action goes until Monday with the championship game slated for 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. if a second game is necessary.
A veteran in the CCBC ranks, even PBA head coach Todd Hubka hasn’t seen an injury list like this.
“I’ve been coaching college baseball for 27 years and we have never had an injury bug like we’ve had this year,” said Hubka. “At one point, we had four broken hands, a dislocated knee, a torn knee and up to 11 guys out at a time because of injury. We’re going to get a couple back, but we’re still probably going to be missing a couple key guys in our lineup. So it’s been a crazy year with injury. You look into our dugout and there are more guys with casts on their hands than gloves. It’s been pretty crazy.”
So with TRU beckoning to start it all off tonight, it’s the next man up on the bench for those still standing as the PBA goes for a championship on home soil.
“The last couple of weeks we’ve had our bench guys who have had to step up and play some major roles on our team and they’ve done a great job filling in for the guys that went down,” said Hubka. “That’s what college baseball is about. You’re never going to win the tournament with just the nine on the field, it takes all 24 guys and the 24th guy is probably more important a lot of times than the 10th guy just because of exactly what we’re going through.”
Local catcher Teigen Parenteau, however, is among the healthy for first pitch today.
“It’s definitely exciting,” said Parenteau, 18. “I grew up watching the PBA play, coming to all the games. It’s very exciting to finally be a part of this. I think it’ll be a good weekend for us.
“I think we’re all ready to go. We’ve all kind of bonded together this year. We’ve dealt with some injuries and some setbacks, but we’ve all come together as a group and we’re all ready to go.”
Like his coach preached, Parenteau noted the next-man-up mentality.
“We have guys playing positions they don’t usually play. You have to know your role and just do whatever it takes to help the team win.”
After watching the COVID-19 pandemic wreck havoc with their schedule, the PBA now go for a championship title on their Spitz Stadium home field.
“You know what? The two years have been a long time and it’s nice to finally get back to a little bit of normal and to have it at home is a bonus,” said Hubka. “Everyone is looking at the weather right now and it doesn’t look good for (today), but we have field tarps and a lot of kids who know what they’re doing on a baseball field to get the field ready. So hopefully it will run smoothly.”
This much is for sure, they’ll have a healthy hometown crowd behind the backstop this weekend as tournament hosts.
“It’s exciting,” said Hubka. “The parents are all going to be here and hopefully the Lethbridge community is going to come out and support us. I’ve been here a long time and have played in a lot of these championships and I think this is the third one we’ve ever hosted. Usually, we’re on the road trying to win these championships and to be at home and be able to sleep in our own bed and hopefully win it in front of our family, friends and fans is going to be great.”
On Wednesday morning, the PBA gathered one more time for practice before the games begin this weekend.
“I think we’re pretty relaxed,” said Hubka. “They’ve been out of school since the end of April, so it’s just been baseball with no academics. We’ve had a really relaxed atmosphere at our practices and just getting our work in and getting ready for it. Hopefully they’re relaxed.”
However, Hubka noted in first-round games teams can be a little tight, especially a second-seeded team expected to make a run.
“Hopefully we play loose and to our ability in that first game and stay on the A-side of the bracket.”
They’ll have to get past TRU if they wish to do that.
“They’re a gritty bunch,” said Hubka. “On paper, I think we’re a better team than them and it shows in the standings. But it comes down to a double elimination tournament and a lot of times the top teams come out a little bit tight to start with because you’re supposed to win. If we can just stay loose and play the right way I think we should be fine.”
That means sticking to what has gotten them this far, and to the number two seed to boot.
“I think we stick to the same approach we’ve had all year, it’s worked for us for the most part and we’ve had some success,” said Parenteau. “You just stick to the same thing.”
That includes pre game rituals as well.
“It’s different for every guy, for sure,” said Parenteau. “Some guys have their music going and some guys seem like they don’t even have a game ritual. I like to show up nice and early, eat my breakfast, stretch out, get nice and loose and get ready to go.”
Action today kicks off at 1 p.m. as the top-ranked Okanagan Coyotes take on the eighth-seeded Victoria Golden Tide.
The home run derby and awards program goes at 7:30 p.m.
On Friday, the third-ranked University of Calgary Dinos (ranked 3rd) face the University of Fraser Valley Cascades (#6) at 10 a.m. followed by the fourth-ranked Vancouver Island University Mariners taking on the fifth-seeded Edmonton Collegiate Hawks (#5) at 4:30 p.m.
The second round of games with teams to be determined follow at 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The games continue Saturday at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Game times Sunday are 10 a.m. 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. before championship Monday.
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