The 15U AA Cochrane Crush are Baseball Alberta Tier 9 provincial champions after going undefeated over the weekend in Fort McMurray.
Sponsored by Sure West Roofing, the team emerged from pool play without a loss, then rallied from a 6-1 deficit to defeat the Westlock Wild 16-9 in the semifinals. They shut out the host Fort McMurray Oil Giants 12-0 in the final to hoist the championship cup.
Head coach and Cochrane Minor Ball president Jackie Nickel says she’s proud of the team, which also included a few players from Canmore.
“They're such great young players,” said Nickel. “They worked very, very hard to improve, and I love how they ended the year. They came together, and they won. They did so well.”
Nickel is equally proud of the sportsmanship they showed throughout the season.
“Regardless of how they played, one of the biggest highlights of our season was having so many other teams and parents come up to me and tell me how respectful and sportsmanlike our team is,” she said. “For them to represent Cochrane that way is fantastic. That’s what I find with minor ball—we teach that kind of philosophy.”
The provincial title wraps up the season for the Crush. Many players have another year of eligibility at the 15U level and may return to chase another championship next season.