In years past, the 91原创 Blaze have been fueled by strong starting pitching, but this year鈥檚 team may have a slightly different motif.
鈥淓xtremely deep hitting, probably the deepest we have had in four or five years,鈥� said Blaze coach Jamie Bodaly.
鈥淚ncredibly deep: one through nine we can mash the ball.
鈥淲e just have a really special team this year.鈥�
That power was on display over the weekend as the U18 baseball team won the KR3 Best of the West tournament in Kamloops for a fourth consecutive year.
Nick Rutckyj blasted two home runs while Mason Cratty hit another in an 11-1 victory over the Okotoks Dawgs in the championship final.
Kyle Ross and Kristjan Storrie combined on the mound to allow just the single run.
Justin Lawrence earned most valuable player honours.
And the best of the bunch just may be catcher/third-baseman Tyler O鈥橬eill, who Bodaly called the best hitter in Canada for his age group and a likely high pick in June鈥檚 Major League Baseball entry draft.
Bodaly said O鈥橬eill definitely upped his profile for scouts with his performance in Arizona last month on the Blaze鈥檚 annual spring training trip where they face some of the MLB rookie teams.
The Blaze did well on the trip, beating the Cincinnati rookies, falling to San Diego by one run, and then leading Milwaukee by eight runs before 91原创鈥檚 pitching collapsed and let the Brewers take over.
鈥�(Tyler) definitely raised his draft status,鈥� Bodaly said.
鈥淏efore Arizona, he was probably a fifth round pick. He just did so well in Arizona, I can see him going in the second round or a sandwich (compensatory round) pick.鈥�
In 2012, O鈥橬eill was third in the B.C. Premier Baseball League with a .398 average. He led the league in both home runs (six) and RBIs (39).
Where the team will need to improve is the pitching staff, which while not as strong as in year鈥檚 past, should still be OK.
鈥淲e have three Grade 10 kids who should be good,鈥� Bodaly predicted. 鈥淭hey are going to struggle at the start, but once the summer gets around and they get into their groove, I think they are going to be really good.
鈥淭he biggest thing is you have to throw strikes; right now we have been struggling to do that, but that will come eventually, I hope,鈥� he said.
The Blaze opened the PBL season with a on Tuesday. They play at North Delta Saturday and host Vancouver Sunday at McLeod Park at noon and 3 p.m.
