Cooper Olson pitched a complete game for the Lakers, while also adding three hits in the team's Game 1 win. (Submitted photo/Kerry Olson)

By Martin Martinson

Cusp of greatness

Standard Hill Lakers take opening game of NSRBL final

Aug 12, 2022 | 12:21 PM

The Standard Hill Lakers are just a win away from the senior baseball pinnacle.

The Lakers took home a 4-3 victory over the Wilkie Brewers Thursday night in Game 1 of the North Sask River Baseball League final, to give the team a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

Lakers veteran, Brett Harrison said the team showed good execution throughout the lineup and strong play from the mound-out to secure the victory.

“We got great pitching from Cooper Olson, and played solid defense and didn’t really make any mistakes,” Harrison said. “We got a few timely hits and scored just enough to win, so one more hopefully and we’ll bring another championship back to the lake.”

So close to a league title, another team may be tempted to rest on their laurels, though that’s not the case for an experienced Lakers group in search of their second league title in four years, in their fourth finals appearance over the last seven years.

GUN BUYBACK

Sask. provides new option for owners to keep guns amid federal buyback

7h ago

Meeting their heroes

WATCH: Education day with the Riders

11h ago

CRIME

RCMP investigating after shots fired at North Battleford home

12h ago

It is that experience – even on the cusp of a championship – that’s keeping them grounded and focused on the job ahead, after having seen all too well how quickly momentum can swing over the course of a series last summer.

“It was just last year that we won the first game of the finals and ended up losing two in a row [to Kindersley] in a heartbreaker there,” Harrison said.

It’s something they don’t intend to let slip through their grasp again.

“The game was over after about 10 seconds of celebration last night, and then it was back to remembering that feeling, that we haven’t won anything yet,” Harrison continued. “There’s nothing to celebrate yet and we still have to win one of the next two and we know Wilkie’s a great team, so we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Staying focused on the task at hand, and the next game in front of them, Harrison said the Lakers are looking forward to the opportunity ahead to return home for Game 2 Tuesday, in front of the home crowd at Silver Lake.

“We’ve got the best fans in the league and we know they’ll pack the lake and we’ll probably have 300 to 400 people watching that game so it will be a great atmosphere and hopefully we can get the job done.”

Tuesday’s Game 2 will begin at 6 p.m.

—

Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1