With a final strikeout in the ninth inning on Tuesday, the Saskatoon Berries saw their first season of existence end on their home diamond of Cairns Field.
The Berries dropped a 5-3 decision in Game 3 of the WCBL East Division Final to the Moose Jaw Miller Express, seeing their season come to a close one win away from a WCBL Championship Series appearance.
“I think we’re obviously a little disappointed initially,” said Berries star outfielder Carter Beck. “But if you step back we’re all definitely proud about how we handled things throughout the season and how it went. I think there’s a lot of guys who are looking forward to coming back next year for round two.”
The Berries’ inaugural season started on a sour note, losing their first five games as a franchise. But what followed was a stellar back half of the regular season and the program’s first playoff series victory over the Medicine Hat Mavericks in the East Semi-Final.
Fans took notice with more than 55,000 tickets sold over the course of the Berries’ first summer of play, ranking the second-highest in the entire WCBL.
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“So many people when we first started this journey doubted what this was all about,” said Berries president Steve Hildebrand. “I felt very confident in it, I know our group felt very confident in it. I think our team on and off the field showed that we’re here to stay and (made) so many great memories for a lot of people in this city.”
While the Berries missed their chance to raise their first championship trophy, they’re counting the 2024 season as a success and hope the buzz generated this summer will create lifelong baseball fans in the community.
“You look in the crowd, you look around town, you look everywhere and you see everyone wearing Berries gear,” said Berries head coach Joe Carnahan. “All the kids and everything, hopefully, it gives a little jolt into baseball and everybody excited for it, wanting to go play it as a young kid.”
The Miller Express and Okotoks Dawgs will begin the WCBL Final on Thursday, with Okotoks looking for their third consecutive championship.
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