By Scott Roblin

Colts brave wind & dust in double-header against Calgary Redbirds

Apr 22, 2018 | 2:25 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Standing in the batters box was akin to standing in a hurricane on Saturday, as the Monsignor McCoy High Colts baseball team hosted the Calgary Redbirds for an exhibition double-header.

Falling 6-2 in their first game, the Colts had to deal with wind gusts of close to 100 kilometres per hour in the rematch against the Redbirds.

It was a defensive battle with neither side able to muster many offensive opportunities, as both teams settled for a 2-2 draw.

McCoy knocked in a pair of runs in the first inning thanks to RBIs from Wyatt Bergen and Joel Herron, taking an early one-run lead.

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Calgary was able to tie up the game in the third, with the 2-2 score sticking seven innings later.

Colts starting pitcher and Grade 12 senior Ethan Boutkan threw three innings on Saturday and said it was extremely challenging finding the strike zone due to the wind and dust.

“That was pretty crazy,” said Boutkan. “It was tough out there, but I battled and tried to throw strikes as many times as I could.”

Boutkan’s comment was echoed by assistant coach Austin Weisgerber, who added it was a tough afternoon on both sides of the ball.

“I think that’s the windiest [game] we’ve ever played in or been involved in,” said Weisgerber. “So, I thought our kids did a real good job battling, working hard in it. It’s not easy offensively or defensively playing in it.”

Saturday’s games against the Redbirds concluded the Colts’ first week of the season, posting a 1-2 record in three league games against the Medicine Hat High Mohawks and the Notre Dame Hounds.

A small team this season with only 13 players on their roster, the Colts are relying on their seniors in Boutkan, Bergen, Cavan Kolody, and Ethan Bartram to lead the way.

Weisgerber said that starts from the pitching mound out, an area where he feels the Colts will excel this season.

“We’re just going to continue to focus on pitching,” he said. “Defence I think is an area where we’re going to work hard on in practice. And just getting comfortable in the batters box, good at bats, getting comfortable with our swings, shaking off a bit of that winter rust, and just getting ourselves ready for the summer.”

The Colts return to league play on Tuesday night when they take to the diamond against the Eagle Butte Talons with first pitch set for 5:30 pm at Athletic Park.