The White Rock Tritons’ abridged BC Premier Baseball League season is over, ending in a semifinal loss to the eventual champion, and perennial league powerhouse, Langley Blaze.
But despite the loss to Langley, by an 8-1 score, the shortened season – which only began in June once the provincial COVID-19 restrictions eased – was still deemed a success by general manager Kyle Dhanani, who noted that the team’s early-round victories over the Nanaimo Pirates, UBC Thunder and the North Shore Twins were the first playoff wins for White Rock in a decade. In previous years, the Tritons’ have not consistently qualified for the post-season, and when they have, they’ve lost in the first round.
The team officially finishes the 2021 summer season in third, considering their 3-1 playoff record was better than the PBL’s other semifinalist, the Parksville Royals, who were 2-2.
“Although not the finish we were hoping for, finishing third is an accomplishment in its own right for this group,” Dhanani said.
The Tritons finished the regular-season with a 15-14 win-loss record, which Dhanani said was the first time the team has finished above .500 since 2010.
White Rock’s offence was also a strong part of its success this summer – the team hit 16 home runs combined, which shattered the team record, and in 15 less games than a normal season.
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But while the team’s offence stayed red hot for much of the year, they were stymied against Langley, and managed just two hits of Blaze pitcher Jacob Sedun, who struck out seven in seven innings of work.
The Blaze were not to be stopped in the final either, torching the Victoria Eagles 13-1 at Langley’s McLeod Athletic Park.
Though the season is officially over, the Tritons will play one more game – an exhibition tilt against the visiting Okanagan A’s this Sunday, noon at South Surrey Athletic Park. On Aug. 10, also at South Surrey Athletic Park, the Tritons will hold a ‘Grad Night’ to honour its players who will be moving on from the BCPBL.
Those graduating players include Kole Turner (Three Rivers College); Jordan Bach (Saint Xavier University); Tyson Dias (Three Rivers College); Nolan Austin (NE Oklahoma A&M); Jordy Walker (University of Calgary); Matthew Fletcher (Concordia University); Logan Knight (University of the Fraser Valley); Braden Perozny (University of Victoria); Trent Lenihan (UBC) and Tanner Rowe (UFV).
