With two games left in the regular season, the Westlock 35+ Red Lions, also known as the Grey Lions, are gearing up for a playoff run and a shot at a national title.
The Grey Lions currently sit in first place in the Alberta West Central Baseball Association with an 11-4 record, and with only two games remaining are locked into a playoff spot, said manager Rick Sereda.
So far, Sereda said he’s happy with how the team has performed.
“It’s been a lot of fun and the results have been pretty good,” he said, adding the pitching and defence have been great nearly every game.
“At times we forget how old we are,” he said.
Over the last three weeks, the Grey Lions have gone up against some of the top teams in the league, with mixed results.
“They’ve been very good ballgames,” Sereda said. “We’ve won some and lost a couple, but the calibre of play has been excellent.”
As in any strong season, there are a number of events that stick out as having had a positive impact. For the Grey Lions, it was winning the Harvey J. Doherty Memorial tournament at Keller Field at the start of June.
“The Harvey J. was certainly an early season highlight for us and it kind of gave us a kickstart into the early part of our year,” Sereda said.
The Grey Lions end their regular season with a home game on July 23 against the Stony Plain Codgers, followed by a road game on July 26 against the Fort Saskatchewan Athletics.
Before the playoffs start, the Grey Lions head down to Edmonton Aug. 2-5 to compete in the Canadian National Oldtimers Baseball Championships in the 35+ division.
In pool play, the Grey Lions are grouped with the Medicine Hat Tigers, the Grimshaw Huskies and the two-time reigning national champion Woodslee, Ont. Orioles.
“We’re excited about an opportunity to play against one of the best,” Sereda said of the game against Woodslee. “Playing that team from Woodslee is going to be a real good litmus test for us.”
That game against Woodslee will take on some added significance because it is scheduled for the tournament’s “feature game,” he said. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Aug. 3 at Telus Field in Edmonton.
“It should be in front of a pretty big crowd and we’re looking forward to it,” Sereda said.
