Westlock’s Grey Lions are once again the Alberta West Central Baseball Association champions after beating the Fort Saskatchewan Athletics in three games last week.
After finishing in first place in the regular season with a 13-4 record, the Grey Lions needed to win two straight games in the best-of-three series to emerge as league champions.
It took the Grey Lions all three games to win each series, starting with the semifinal round against the St. Albert Cardinals.
The final series against the Athletics took place on Aug. 27-29.
Game One was Aug. 27 at Keller Field, and saw the Grey Lions suffer their biggest defeat all season, losing 11-2.
“It was a tough one,” said team manager Rick Sereda.
Before that loss, the team’s biggest defeat was by no more than two runs, he said.
“It’s a bit of a hit to the ego,” he said. “Ball’s a funny game. Sometimes it goes your way and other times it doesn’t.”
Game Two on Aug. 28 was a reversal of fortunes for the Grey Lions. Playing on the road in Fort Saskatchewan, the Grey Lions came away with a 9-5 win to even the series at a game apiece.
“We were in control from the beginning,” Sereda said. “The bats were lively.”
Game Three was scheduled for Aug. 29 at Keller Field, but was moved to Legion Field in St. Albert to take advantage of the lights “for player safety and quality of the game,” Sereda said.
The game went “very well” for the Grey Lions, as they walked off the field 7-1 winners.
They never trailed after taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Overall, the 2013 season was a good one for the team, Sereda said, and a lot of that had to do with how well the players got along.
“We’re a very cohesive group,” he said. “We get along really well and have a lot of fun in our dugout.”
The season included consistent play all year, including the team’s 13-4 regular-season record and strong performances in tournaments, including winning the Harvey J. Doherty tournament at home in early June.
In addition, there was the “great experience” competing in the Canadian National Oldtimers Baseball Championships in Edmonton Aug. 2-4. Although their tournament appearance ended a bit early, Sereda said it was overall a fun thing to do.
He added the team is already looking forward to repeating as champions in 2014.
