The Unity Midget AA Lazers opened their 2013-14 season in the Centre Four Hockey League Midget AA division with back-to-back games against the Prince Albert Raiders Oct. 12 and 13. The Unity team won the first game 4-0 and lost the Sunday game 6-5. See the October 21 Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald for full coverage of the games. Meanwhile, here are some photos from Sunday’s action.
Which local resident recently won a provincial Award of Merit? Find out on page 2 of next week’s paper. Also coming up in the October 21 Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald:
Unity Midget AA Lazers skate to the bench for a mini-celebration after scoring a goal in a game against the Prince Albert Raiders Oct. 12
Your weekly sneak peek into the upcoming Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald:
With the Unity Cardinals ahead 3-2, a very happy Cory Wildeman ran in after catching a fly to left field, making the third out in the final inning of the final game of the 2013 Saskatchewan Men’s Senior A2 Provincial Championships.
After losing 10-9 to the Bruno Bisons earlier in the day, the Cardinals came back to win the second game of the two-game final, giving them the senior men’s 2A provincial title.
Cory not only made the last play of the game, he started the game off by being the first one up to bat, hitting a single. After he stole second base, a Justin D’Entremont hit to centre field brought him home to score the first run of the game.
Neither team was able to do much with the bats in the next few innings and the score was still 1-0 for Unity, going into the top of the sixth.
Justin was first up and hit a double, then scored when Ryan Greenwald also hit a double. Ryan (“Wheels”) raced home on a single from Regan L’Heureux, to make the score 3-0.
With two out in the bottom of the sixth, Bruno’s Josh Kerpan hit a double and was brought home on a single by Kyle Sibley. With a potential tying run at the plate, Cardinal pitcher Taylor Heck struck out Curtis Sibley to finish the inning with the score 3-1 for Unity.
A change in pitchers for Bruno brought catcher Cody Thiel to the mound and the Cardinals were unable to get on base in the top of the seventh.
Taylor Heck, pitcher for the Unity Cardinals, was recognized as game MVP when the awards were handed out after the game.
Taylor Heck had pitched the entire first six innings, as well as the final inning of the game earlier in the day. After the Brunos got two players on base, Ben Gieni was called in to relieve Taylor, who was ultimately named the game MVP.
Thiel scored for Bruno, making the score 3-2. The Bisons loaded the bases and Cameron Weiman hit to left field where Cory caught the ball, getting the third out and ending the game. The score stayed at 3-2, giving Unity the win and the provincial championship
Members of both teams were presented with individual plaques to recognize their accomplishments and, of course, the Cardinals get to show off the large championship plaque unitl this time next year.
Congratulations, boys, on your win and competitive ball playing!
Bruno Bisons celebrate their victory, after beating the Unity Cardinals and forcing a second game to determine who would be the senior men’s 2A provincial champions.
In a must-win situation, the Bruno Bisons defeated the Unity Cardinals 10-9 in the first game of the championship final series August 11 in Saskatchewan senior men’s A2 provincials.
The Bisons jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs (Curtis Sibley and Cody Thiel, each an MVP in earlier games) in the first inning.
Cory Wildeman retaliated for the Cardinals with a homerun out over left field, followed by a Ben Gieni three-base hit and score in the second, tying the game 2-all.
Unity pulled into the lead in the third inning with two runs to Bruno’s one and a score of 4-3.
With the second homerun of the game, Justin D’Entremont runs home past an empty dugout as his teammates are outside waiting to congratulate him.
The fourth inning saw Unity bring home four players to score, including Justin D’Entremont who hit a home run over the right field fence. With Bruno only scoring one run in the inning, Unity was now ahead 8-4 and maintained their four run lead through the fifth inning which ended with a score of 9-5.
Bruno fought back hard, however, and scored five runs in the sixth inning, taking the lead at 10-9. Their runs included a three-base hit by game MVP Chris Osmak, who scored on an RBI from Curtis Sibley. That run proved to be the game winning run for the Bisons.
The Cardinals, despite their last-bat advantage, were unable to score in either the sixth or seventh innings and, if they were to win provincials, would have to do it the hard way –with back-to-back games.
It took 10 innings but eventually Unity emerged the victor in game 5 of the 2013 Senior A2 Baseball Provincial Championship Tournament. The win moved Unity into Sunday’s final, while the Carnduff Astros only had a short rest before playing the Bruno Bisons to determine who else would be in the final.
Keith Heitt slides towards home plate to score for the Unity Cardinals. Carnduff Astros’ Devon Carriere did get the ball right after this photo was taken, and made the tag but not in time.
The Unity Cardinals were trailing 3-2 at the end of the fifth. Whether it was struggling pitchers or hot batters, the sixth inning saw both teams have their entire rotation up to bat. The Astros scored four and Unity five, to end the sixth inning tied at 8-all.
Tightening down defensively, each team only saw four at bats in the seventh inning, with no runs scored by either team, leaving the game tied at 8-8 and going into extra innings.
Cardinal Justin D’Entremont scored early on an RBI by Taylor Heck (who went to the pitcher’s mound in inning six and stayed there for the rest of the game). Then, with two out and the bases loaded, the hometown crowd was hopeful for a bigger lead but Mark Ralston’s hit to centre field was caught by the Astros’ Danny Pool, ending the top of the eighth.
Devon Carriere, first up for Carnduff, got on base and with some aggressive baserunning, stole his way to third. He was able to score on an RBI by Danny Pool, tying the game once again. Danny didn’t get on base and with two out, Jason Boyes hit a foulball caught by Unity first baseman Mark Ralston to end the first extra inning.
Taylor Heck closed the game for the Unity Cardinals, pitching four and a half (approx.)innings, including the three extra innings.
Neither team was able to score in the ninth inning, both teams seeing “three up, three down.”
With Carnduff’s pitchers tiring, Unity was able to score four runs (Justin D’Entremont, Taylor Heck, Ben Gieni and Mark Ralston) in the 10th inning, but Carnduff still had last bat advantage.
Danny Pool had another RBI early in the bottom of the 10th, bringing home Adam Wilson. Danny’s hit was caught by Cardinal centre fielder Ryan Greenwald, making it two out but Carnduff still had two other runners on base. Jason Boyes was next up to bat and hit a single, bringing home Devon Carriere. The tying run was now on base but Carnduff’s last batter, Justin Crockatt left the runners stranded, ending the inning and the game at 13-11 for Unity.
Unity’s Cory Wildeman was game MVP.
Throughout the game, the sun made catching balls in field a little challenging at times, although Carnduff seemed to struggle with it more than Unity.
With the Rosetown Angels going down to defeat at the hands of the Unity Cardinals 4-3 the night before, and the Bruno Bisons losing to the Carnduff Astros 4-3 in a final extra inning played earlier in the morning, the Angels and Bisons met in a do-or-die game August 10 in the Saskatchewan 2013 Men’s Senior A2 Provincials.
Although the Angels’ Jeff Ebel put the first run up on the scoreclock early in the game, the Bisons retaliated with three runs in the second inning and never looked back. Rosetown was unable to catch up and, losing 15-3 to the Bisons, the Angels’ provincial run was over.
Curtis Sibley, who scored three runs during the game, was MVP.
Unity’s Ryan Greenwald is at bat, with Colin Pylypow catching for the Rosetown Angels and Adolph Fischer umping at the plate.
A close call at first base, with Keith Heitt the baserunner for the Unity Cardinals and Ryan Wickett first baseman for the Rosetown Angels.
Spectators and players enjoyed the summer late afternoon, both before and after the game. One spectator described the day as perfect, “not too hot and not too cold.”
After finishing the seventh inning tied at 2-2, the Carnduff Astros and Bruno Bisons went into an extra inning, August 9, in their first game at the 2013 Senior A2 Provincial Championship Tournament.
With each team bringing home a run in the 8th inning, the game was called and it will resume at 9 a.m., Saturday, August 10.
In the opening game of the 2013 Senior A2 Provincials Championship Tournament held in Unity, Saskatchewan, August 9, 10 and 11, the Unity Cardinals defeated the Rosetown Angels 4 to 3.
Cardinal runs were scored by Justin D-Entremont, Mark Ralston, Corey Wildeman and Regan L’Heureux. Regan was the game MVP. 
Rosetown’s runs were scored by Ryan Wickett, Jeff Kingwell and Cam Aitken.
Francis Kiefer started on the pitcher’s mound for the Unity Cardinals.
