It’s officially spring, and as of tomorrow, it’s officially baseball season.
The Vancouver Island University Mariners take the field Saturday, March 23, at Serauxmen Stadium to face the Fraser Valley Cascades in the first games of the Canadian College Baseball Conference regular season.
The Mariners go into the season with spring in their step after finishing the pre-season on an 8-1-1 run.
It’s been the team’s offence that’s been leading the way, with M’s batters hitting the ball hard of late, said Nick Salahub, VIU manager.
“This year we’re pretty strong one through nine,” he said. “No matter who’s in the lineup – we’ve got a bunch of guys that can get in – we’ve got some good depth on the offensive side … there’s really no way we’re ever out of the game with an offence like that, which is really good.”
Veteran third baseman Liam Ballance hit five home runs during spring training and Phil Whelan, Tanner Hess and Dylan Kirby have been some of the other guys making good contact.
Getting the opening-day start on the mound this year will be right-hander Thomas Lessmeister, who is moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation in 2019. Nanaimo’s Finn Martin has been throwing well this spring and VIU hopes Austin Gurr, a go-to guy in the past, will be back healthy and contributing the way he can.
“We don’t really have that No. 1 ace that’s head and shoulders above everybody else on the roster, which we’ve had in years past, but it’s good, it gives guys lots of opportunities to earn spots and [we’ll] go with the hot arm,” Salahub said.
Defensively, the Mariners are adjusting to some change through the middle of the field.
“Last year we graduated or moved on our starting catcher, shortstop and centre fielder, which can be a big blow to a lot of defences, but … I think chemistry-wise, we’ve got a bunch of good guys,” said the manager.
Hess has moved from second base to shortstop and freshmen Spencer Walton and Sam McPherson have worked hard since fall ball to become good college-level catchers, Salahub said.
He said last year the Mariners seemed to fatigue by mid-season and he thinks extra dedication in the weight room is not only benefiting the team now, but will pay off later in the spring.
Salahub added that with a home-heavy schedule to start the season, it’s an opportunity for his team to try to put together some good results early on.
“We’d like to peak late, but you’d also like to be near the peak the whole way,” he said.
GAME ON … The Mariners and Cascades play Saturday at noon and 3 p.m. at Serauxmen Stadium.
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