WOLFPACK BASEBALL PLAYERS SPENDING SUMMER PLAYING ON PRAIRIES July 16, 2009
Posted by lread in Baseball.trackback
Ben Bradford is one of 4 current or former WolfPack players in the WMBL
Summer time is a busy time if you are a baseball player. Some current and recently graduated members of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack are gaining some valuable experience during the ‘college off season’ by playing in the Western Major Baseball League on the Prairies.
Pitchers Jordan Broatch (White Rock, BC) and recent graduate (2008) Lee Ingram (Penticton, BC) are playing for the Regina Red Sox and Okotoks Dawgs. Outfielder Anthony Cros (Montpellier, France), who graduated in 2008 from the WolfPack is also with Okotoks. Ben Bradford (Kamloops, BC), who finished his final year with TRU this May has signed on with the Melville Millionaires.
“This season has been a great experience so far,” says Broatch, who was the ace of the WolfPack’s 2009 Canadian College Baseball Conference Championship team. “From learning new styles of playing the game to the cultural diversity of the team, it has been unreal.” Broatch is 1 and 2 with a 4.37 E.R.A. playing on a team which includes players from Texas, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, California and other areas of Canada.
Ingram is the closer on the defending WMBL champion Dawgs, who had five TRU players on its roster when it won the title. He has a record of 0-2 with a 4.50 E.R.A.. “I’m hoping to keep my spot as the closer and hopefully win a third title in three years”, he states. He has 7 saves this year, which is most in the WMBL.
Cros is also with the Dawgs. Okotoks is a place he loves to play. He was part of the WMBL championship squad in 2008. “It’s been a blast. I hit in the #3 spot in the line up so I have been a bigger role and contribution offensively. Up until a week ago I was leading the league in a whole bunch of categories including batting average (.405), on base percentage and R.B.I’s (32).
The fan support here is still tremendous. There is a bit of pressure to three peat this year with the Dawgs, but its all fun.”
Broatch is enjoying seeing not only a different part of the country, but learning pitching from a new prospective—that of a spot starter and coming out of the key bull pen to get some key outs for his club. “The life is amazing,” he adds. “Waking up, having food prepared by your billets. You have one job and that is to be at the ball park and to give your team the best chance to win. I could get used to this.”
Not only is life in the WMBL a chance for the players to experience a better calibre of baseball, but for those returning to school like Broatch, it will provide valuable lessons. “ I’m learning how to become a leader on a team through more experienced teammates. I hope I’ll be able to pass those lessons on when I return to TRU in the fall.”
Cros , too—after spending last school year in the NAIA with Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma—is looking towards returning to Thompson Rivers. “I am thinking of returning to Kamloops and finish my degree in business administration for the fall 2009 and spring 2010. The plan would be to sign with a professional independent team starting in may of 2010. It’s important for me to succeed in the WMBL this summer, hopefully I ‘ll get noticed at some point and it ‘ll open up opportunities for the seasons to come.”
The Western Major Baseball League regular season continues until the end of July. The league features 11 teams in three divisions.
EXTRA BASES: Bradford, who graduated from TRU’s baseball program this spring is hitting .188 with 6 hits in 32 at bats. He has 4 RBI.
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