The U18 AA Estevan Brewers emerged victorious at the U18 AA Tier 1 provincial tournament over the weekend. The win qualifies the team for the Western Canadian Baseball Association Championship, scheduled for August 15-18.
Coach Jeff Kuchinka praised the team’s dedication and spirit. “We just have a great group of kids. They all show up every day ready to work, and we’re just having fun all year long.”
The Brewers won all five of their games during the tournament, starting with three round-robin matches. They defeated the Regina Blue Jays 15-5, the Regina Red Sox 7-6, and the Assiniboia Aces 13-3. Their strong performance secured first place in their pool and advanced them to the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, the Brewers beat the White Butte Broncos 7-1, setting up a championship game against the North Battleford Beavers, which they won 7-4.
“During the regular season, we had 24 wins and four losses, which put us in first place,” said Kuchinka. “That ranking carried through to the provincials, making us the top team of the tournament.”
With the provincials complete, the Brewers will now prepare for the Westerns. “We’ve got a couple of weeks to prepare, but we’re just going to keep practicing a couple of times a week to stay in form,” Kuchinka added. “We’ll be ready to go when we head off to St. James.”