The summer of 2015 represented another successful season on the diamonds for the Marysburg Royals.
It was the 87th consecutive season for a senior baseball team in Marysburg. This year鈥檚 edition of the Royals claimed the Saskatoon Senior Baseball League regular season pennant for the fifth consecutive season. Marysburg finished second at the Senior AA provincials and competed at the Western Canadian Championships. At the time this article was published, the Royals were still battling in the SSBL playoffs.
SSBL playoffs.
鈥淲e have played very good baseball this summer and competed very well at provincials and at Westerns,鈥� wrote Royals utility player Brent Puetz in an email interview. 鈥淭hese tournaments are always a highlight of the year. They are very competitive and you have to play your best every game in order to compete 鈥�
鈥淎nother highlight of the year is that we finished first overall in our league this season. This is no easy task as there are some very good teams in the league This is very rewarding.鈥�
After spliting the first two games of their playoff series with the Saskatoon Outlaws, the Royals were slated to play the deciding game on Aug. 31. The winner advances to play the Saskatoon Stallions, who swept the Saskatoon Guns in the other first round series.
Marysburg dropped the Outlaws, 9-2, in game one. Paul Strueby earned the victory.
In game two, Marysburg fell 8-6.聽 Brody Frerichs threw five innings for the Royals before Thomas Lessmeister stepped in for the final two frames. A couple errors late in the game cost the Royals, Curtis Strueby noted.
Pennant Winners
The Royals captured their fifth straight pennant by finishing the SSBL regular season with a 14-4 record.聽 聽
鈥淭he pennant is something we take pride in winning because it is hard for us to even field a team for the league playoffs due to guys gone for school and harvest,鈥� veteran Royals player Curtis Strueby wrote in an email interview.
The Royals were buoyed late in the regular season by a contingent of midget age players. Strueby said without them the Royals wouldn鈥檛 have been able to field a team.
鈥淲e especially need pitching and catchers right now and these young guys have come in and done a good job for us.鈥�
Marysburg closed out the regular season with a 13-4 win over the Saskatoon Guns. Dean Jaeb earned the win on the mound. Marysburg pounded out 12 hits, including a solo dinger by Geoff Strueby, and committed just one error.
Provincials & Westerns
At the Senior AA provincial tournament in Moose Jaw, the Royals made it all the way to the finals. They came up just short to the Regina Trappers
鈥淲e had been having a bit of an up and down year but put it all together at provincials,鈥� Curtis Strueby wrote. 鈥淲e came up just short in the final but we played very well all weekend long. Both semifinal games at provincials were two of the best games I have ever seen at provincials. The caliber of play was high. It was fun to be a part of that.鈥�
With B.C. deciding not to send a representative, the Royals had the opportunity to compete at the Western Championship in Baldur, Man.
鈥淲e went in confident,鈥� Curtis Strueby wrote. 鈥淲e have been there before and many of the guys had played in different Western and national tournaments so we have a lot of experience.鈥�
Unfortunately, the Royals lost each of their games at the prestigious tournament by one run. They fell 4-3 to Regina in the first game in 12 innings and 1-0 to Calgary in the second. Marysburg lost its third game, 2-1, to the hosts from Baldur. Their fourth game was rained out and not played because the outcome would not impact the standings.
鈥淥ur pitching and defence was very good all weekend long,鈥� Curtis Strueby wrote. 鈥淲e just couldn鈥檛 get the hit when it mattered. To lose the three games the way we did was really tough to take, but the games were all good and close, which was good to see.鈥�
Success
The Royals have put together a number of聽 successful seasons in a row. Puetz indicated this can be attributed to both the team鈥檚 veterans and its young players.
鈥淲e are very fortunate to have a good solid core of ball players who have played together for many years, and a great core of younger players who come and play. Every team needs to have younger players and we again are very fortunate to have good young ball players who want to be there game in and game out. 鈥�
The Royals had some highlights outside of competitive play this season. Former Royal Cole Bauml was picked by the Detroit Tigers in the 10th round of the Major League Baseball draft. The Lake Lenore product spent the summer competing in the rookie level Gulf Coast League.
In addition, the Royals once again held a successful youth baseball camp. Curtias Strueby said, 鈥淚t is always great to see the young players wanting to learn the game.鈥�
Tradition
Marysburg is now just three seasons away from hitting century mark for consecutive seasons of having a senior ball team. What has allowed the team to survive?
鈥淢arysburg is a community that has a lot of pride and that pride spills over onto the ball diamond as well,鈥� Curtis Strueby wrote. 鈥淚 think our current players know how special it is to put that jersey on. We have many, many second, third, and fourth generation players and we know we owe it to those who have played before us to keep this thing going. The guys we have brought in in recent years realize this as well and buy right in to what we believe in.鈥�
The veteran also pointed out that camaraderie has played a key role. Players have learned from the preceding generation the importance of getting along.聽
As well, Curtis Strueby emphasized the importance of people being willing to run the team and do the work needed to put a squad on the diamond each summer.
