PBA working to improve during stretch run

By Lethbridge Herald on May 7, 2024.

Herald FILE photo Prairie Baseball AcademyÕs Owen Lucas looks for the out as Edmonton CollegiateÕs Rejean Bourget slides toward the base during the second game of the Saturday doubleheader between the two teams at Lloyd Nolan Yard in April.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

The Prairie Baseball Academy  Dawgs varsity team are entering the stretch drive this week that will see them play eight games in a five day stretch beginning Thursday to end the CCBC regular season.

However, the team is entering the home stretch of the season having just gone 2-5 on this past road trip and have dropped a couple spots in the standings with an 11-12 record.

“We kind of laid an egg here the last 10 days, and dropped in the standings a little bit and [we] got some work to do to figure some things out and get ready for the championship,” said Todd Hubka, PBA head coach.

“I truly believe this team can win it all and we just need to make sure that we’re playing our best baseball when it  [CCBC World Series] starts next Thursday.”

The team began the weekend of preparation in the stretch run with keeping the mood light .

“We had a great game of floor hockey today [on Tuesday],” said Hubka.

“You know what, just forget about it for a bit and enjoy a rainy Tuesday. It’s the time of year where kids, they know what they need to do to win that last game of the year, and just stay relaxed, and [of] course we take our swings and everything else we can.”

Hubka wants to see more consistency in the bats.

“And hit early in counts, and go after fastballs and make pitchers have to adjust to us instead of us adjusting to them,” said Hubka.

“If we do that, we’ll have success. That’s one of the things that we preach and for whatever reason, sometimes we mentally block that out and we give the advantage to the pitcher by not being aggressive.”

PBA hosts Edmonton Collegiate for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Lloyd Nolan Yard on Thursday.

The CCBC World Series is from May 16-20 at Spitz Stadium.