Pictured L-R: Rhett Cawood and Corban Zavlanos, won provincial gold with the Sask. Five Giants, and will now play together on the national stage with Team Saskatchewan. (submitted photo/Camille Zavlanos)

By Martin Martinson

Batters Up!

Battlefords duo named to Team Sask for 13U National Baseball Championship

Aug 10, 2023 | 12:49 PM

There will be a pair of Battlefords ball players representing Saskatchewan on the national stage in Woodstock, ON., later this month.

North Battleford’s Corban Zavlanos and Rhett Cawood were both named to Team Sask for the 2023 13U Baseball Canada National Championship, Aug. 24-27.

Both are fresh off a provincial gold medal, won together with the Sask Five Giants 13U team this summer. The tournament will mark their debut donning the Team Sask threads to represent their province in a country-wide tournament.

For Cawood, being named to the provincial team fulfills a goal he’s been working towards in recent years, and one that’s only made sweeter by the persistence it required to achieve.

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“Last year I tried out and made [the] Top-40, but then didn’t actually make the team, so it’s pretty awesome to make it this year,” he said. “Last year it stung not making the team, so this year my goal the whole season was winning provincials, making it to Westerns, and then making the Sask. team.”

Like going down a grocery store checklist, that’s exactly how it played out for the duo.

Together, Cawood and Zavlanos helped the Giants to a 20-5 record to finish atop the Baseball Saskatoon 13U AAA standings, making a run to the league finals, then provincials in Saskatoon where they brought home the gold.

It was an experience Zavlanos, who saw the team grow from a young up-and-coming group last summer to a veteran-laden powerhouse in his second year, said only helps the confidence heading into the national tournament.

The centre/left fielder has also been working towards a spot on the Sask. roster dating back to last year, which included a dedicated offseason of training to prepare.

“I did some baseball camps over the winter and I think that’s part of the reason I got way better this year,” he said, reflecting on the evolution of his game this season. “Going into this year I said I was going to try out and hopefully make the team, so representing Sask and going to Woodstock to compete is going to be a ton of fun.”

Team Saskatchewan will open their tournament Aug. 24 against Manitoba, with first pitch at 2 p.m. Sask. is guaranteed at least three games, prior to the start of the playoff rounds, Aug. 26.

The full tournament schedule can be found at the Baseball Canada website.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1