Bulls await first round opponent

By Lethbridge Herald on August 4, 2023.

Herald photo by JUSTIn SEWard Lethbridge BullsÕ Kalem Haney slides head first into third after hitting an RBI triple against the Okotoks Dawgs during Western Canadian Baseball League action on Friday night at Spitz Stadium in this August 2023 file photo.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

After a one-year hiatus of not being in the playoffs, the Lethbridge Bulls begin their quest for a second Western Canadian Baseball League title in three years on Monday in either Sylvan Lake or Okotoks.

Lethbridge’s opponent likely won’t be determined until tonight as both teams are battling for the first place in the West Division.

The Bulls will finish in third place.

“Yeah just excited to get going here,” said Bulls head coach Chance Wheatley.

“You know, I think we’re in a good spot heading into the playoffs.  You know, I like the way that we’re playing. Yeah (I am) excited.”

Wheatley thinks that all three aspects of the game have to come together if the club is to knock off one of those teams in the first round.

“I think a lot of the year we’ve pitched well and we haven’t hit, or we’ve hit well and we didn’t pitch well, or the defence wasn’t there that day,” said Wheatley.

“So just kind of putting all three aspects of the game together is  kind of what we need to do.”

Wheatley sees  both teams  having pitching depth and  hitting depth.

“I think they’re actually pretty similar teams,” said Wheatley.

“They both got a lot of pitching depth and some dangerous bats in their line-up.”

Wheatley said they’re both very good teams.

“So you know, we need to come out with our ‘A’ game to move past them.”

Carlin Dick is not worried about whoever the opponent maybe.

“I feel good about it,” said Dick, on the team’s play.

“I think we’ve been playing really well lately and I don’t think I’m really worried about playing anyone. Like whoever comes in our path, like we’re going to give them our best effort and let the chips fall where they may.”

Dick feels it will be a challenge either way.

“I think that there’s a lot of belief in the locker room that guys believe that we can do this and win it all,” said Dick.

“And whoever we play, you’ve got to beat the best to get there anyway. So it doesn’t matter really who we play because you’re going to have to play them both.”

Josh Kabayama said playoffs are always fun.

“The crowd usually gets pretty into it and it’s exciting,” he said.

“And there’s a lot of energy in the building. So it’s just a good environment and it’s fun to play in.”

Game 1 is set for Monday in Okotoks or Sylvan Lake, Game 2 is at Spitz Stadium on Tuesday night at 7:05 p.m. and Game 3, if necessary, will be Wednesday back in one of those team’s ball parks.

The Bulls wrap up the regular season tonight in Okotoks against the Dawgs.