Elliott: Finally 2020 starts, first pitch thrown in Manitoba

Jeremy Wasilewski was a force at the plate for Interlake going 4-for-6 knocking in a run and scoring twice.

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

At 12:58 p.m. Central Daylight Savings time on Sunday afternoon, Brandon Racette, of the Elmwood Giants went into his wind up and threw the first pitch to start the Manitoba Junior League.

Exhibition games and inter-squad games have been played in Canada but to the best of our knowledge Racette’s pitch to lead-off man TJ Matuszewski, was the first thrown in competition in the country this year.

Racette threw a strike as the Elmwood Giants -- Corey Koskie’s old team (and on Koskie’s 47th bithday) -- beat the Pembina Valley Orioles 12-2.

Now, the early start never would have happened if the game had been televised. It’s not good to pick up a TV broadcast five minutes into the game. But credit the umpires for being ready for the better than on-time start.

Elmwood lost the nitecap 6-0.

At 1 p.m. Central Daylight Savings time, Carson Epp of Carillon Sultans went into his wind up and threw a ball St. Boniface at Steinbach, Man.

St. Boniface won the opener of the doubleheader 4-0. Carillon bounced back like a bad check winning the nitecap 14-2 with Zach Giesbrecht on the mound.

At 1:02 p.m. Central Daylight Savings time, Jayden Allary threw the first pitch for the Interlake Blue Jays at Stonewall, Man.

Allary threw a strike to the first Winnipeg South hitter. The South scored a 15-9 opening win over Interlake.

Interlake won the second game of the doubleheader 10-9.

Jeremy Wasilewski was a force at the plate for Interlake going 4-for-6 knocking in a run and scoring twice. He played first base in the opener and caught the second game.

At 1:02 p.m. Central Daylight Savings time, the St. James A’s-Altoona Bisons contest began. Altona won the opener over St. James A’s 9-2

And the Bisons gained a sweep with a 2-1 victory in the nitecap.

Prince Edward Island is scheduled to open play on Monday night, with Quebec and Prince Edward Island right behind. But in 2020 the first pitch of the season was thrown in Manitoba.

Manitoba’s highlight on the diamonds over the years, according to long-time former Sand Diego Padres scout Murray Zuk (Souris, Man.):

1. 1991 World Youth Championships, Brandon. Canada won gold with a roster which included Baseball Canada president and former Los Angeles Angels RHP Jason Dickson (Chatham, NB) and St. Louis Cardinals 1B coach Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.).

2. 1999 Pan Am Games, Winnipeg

3. 2017 Canada Summer Games, Winnipeg. Manitoba Surprises by winning silver in front of sold out Shaw Park)

4. 1994 Winnipeg Goldeyes won the Northern League championship in their inaugural year, sweeping the playoffs

5. 2012 Winnipeg Goldeyes win American Association championship

Honourable mentions _ 1994- Brandon again hosts the World Youth championships … 2020 _ The first pitch in Canada in a league game being thrown in the Manitoba Junior League.

And also ... Zuk cheering for his grandsons play against each other in the provincial championships.

Standings

Team Name G W-L PCT GB

Altona Bisons 2 2-0 1.000 -

Carillon Sultans 2 1-1 .500 1.0

Elmwood Giants 2 1=1 .500 1.0

Interlake Blue Jays 2 1-1 .500 1.0

Pembina Valley Orioles 2 1-1 .500 1.0

St. Boniface Legionaires 2 1-1 .500 1.0

Winnipeg South 2 1=1 .500 1.0

St. James A’s 2 0-2 .000 2.0