Sluggers win provincial title

Chris Clegg
South Peace News

The Gift Lake Junior Sluggers posted a 5-1 record in winning the Alberta Bantam B Boys championships in Calgary on July 12-14.

The Sluggers competed with six other teams in the event. Calgary Silver Springs, Parkland, Calgary South Diamond Demons, High River Timbrs, Calgary Black and Edmonton Beverly Miners were the other clubs. The Sluggers played a preliminary round with the other clubs with each playing four games with the top four advancing to the playoffs. Opponents were determined by luck of the draw.

The Sluggers began their title run with a 7-3 win over Silver Springs on July 12. Later in the day, they lost their only game falling to the Miners 10-9.

The Sluggers entered play the second day knowing they would have to run the table to win the title. They did just that with convincing victories. They first defeated Parkland 12-5 before blasting the Timbrs 27-1.

In the playoffs, the Sluggers met Parkland again and won 4-2 in what was one of the best games of the tournament. Earlier, Silver Springs defeated the Miners and were awaiting the winner of the Sluggers-Parkland match. They may have wished for a better fate as they were trounced in the title game 19-1 by the determined and obviously more talented Sluggers.

The Sluggers went 5-1 in the tournament outscoring their opponents 78-22.