It's a busy weekend for baseball in North Battleford with the 15U Beavers' tournament. (Submitted photo/Travis Florence)

By Martin Martinson

Batters Up!

Beavers 15U baseball tournament kicks off this weekend

Jun 9, 2023 | 4:21 PM

It’s a beautiful weekend for baseball in the Battlefords.

The Battlefords Beavers 15U teams will host their home tournament this weekend, featuring 10 clubs from across the region, with games beginning Friday night, and running throughout the day Saturday and Sunday at the Blue Jay Field (by the Don Ross) and Civic Centre #4 Diamond (behind the Civic Centre).

The two Beavers 15U teams are coached by Russ Iverson and Travis Florence.

Iverson Beavers

The Iverson Beavers are coming off a B-side win in Prince Albert last weekend and will open their tourney Friday evening at 6 p.m. against the Saskatoon Braves at the Blue Jay Field.

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The Iverson Beavers U15 team. (Submitted photo/U15 Beavers)

Featuring nine returning players from last year’s team that made it to the final four at provincials, Iverson said the team are really starting to hit their stride, having played some of their best games of late.

“Our bats are starting to come alive now, and our pitching’s been very consistent since the beginning,” Iverson said. “We have three lefties and three righties as kind of our main starters [on the mound], and as a team, we’re progressively getting better each week.

“We’re hoping to be able to build on that experience from last year and bring home a provincial title this year. That’s been our goal from the beginning of the season.”

Following their opening game of the weekend Friday evening, the Iverson Beavers will then play two games Saturday, against White Butte at 11:15 a.m. at the Blue Jay Field, and at 6 p.m. against the Sask 5 Giants at the Civic Centre #4 Diamond.

Florence Beavers

This weekend will mark the first tournament play of the ball season for the Florence Beavers, a young team made up of entirely 2009-born players.

Florence said the team, who are 7-5-2 to open the season, are chomping at the bit to get the weekend action underway.

“It’s going to be an exciting weekend full of ball, fun and sun,” he said with a laugh. “It’ll be probably our biggest tournament besides the provincial weekend in mid-July, and it’s just a good weekend for everyone to get out, develop their ball skills, and have some fun.”

The Florence Beavers U15 team. (Submitted photo/Travis Florence)

Florence said this year’s group have been quick to mesh well together, something that has really started to reap rewards resulting in team success.

“This team has good chemistry and the skills are really starting to come now,” he said. “In the last couple of weeks I can see some of our pitchers starting to emerge and that bats are getting pretty hot, so all in all, it’s starting to come together as a whole.”

The Florence Beavers will open their schedule with a pair of games Saturday at 11:15 a.m. against the Humboldt Dodgers at the CC4 Diamond, and 3:45 p.m. against the Meadow Lake White Sox at the Blue Jay Field. The team with then wrap up round-robin play Sunday against the Eston Ramblers at 11:15 a.m.

Each team at the weekend tournament is guaranteed to play three round-robin games with at least a single home game. The top four seeds will then advance to the playoff rounds to cap the tourney Sunday afternoon.

The full weekend schedule can be found here.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1