MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE (WEST DIVISION)
A second club from across the southern border, the Minot Merchants, was accepted into the western division of the MSBL as an eighth entry in 1971. This prompted a geographic alignment of teams into two sections for scheduling and playoff purposes.
NORTH SECTION
Brandon Cloverleafs
Dauphin Redbirds
Hamiota Red Sox
Virden Oilers
SOUTH SECTION
Minot Merchants
Riverside Canucks
Rolla NoDaks
Souris Redbirds
(May 25) Ageless Ted Bridgett twirled a neat three-hitter in leading the host Virden Oilers past the Brandon Cloverleafs 4 to 0. Bridgett accumulated 12 strikeouts in his shutout victory while giving up four bases-on-balls. Sophomore Rick McFadyen started on the hill for the Cloverleafs and was saddled with the defeat. Import Larry Shepherd slammed a solo homer to go along with a double and single for the Oilers. Teammate Mike Labossiere added a pair of singles.
McFadyen (L), Funk (5) and Kabel
Bridgett (W) and Hemstad
(May 25) Southpaw Gary Keating checked the normally potent Hamiota Red Sox on four hits as the homestanding Dauphin Redbirds breezed to a 12 to 0 shellacking of the Scarlet Stockings in a game that was shortened to eight innings because of darkness. The Redbirds exploded for nine big runs in the third inning as the Red Sox’ hurlers couldn’t find the strike zone. Ten free passes, as well as two base hits and an error, landed starter and loser Ron Ramsey, along with reliever Al McNiven, an early shower. Keating struck out nine and walked five in registering the shutout. Bob Neufeld and Dennis Didyk led the winners at the plate with two hits each. One of Neufeld’s blows was a double. Bob Caldwell collected two safeties for Hamiota.
Ramsey (L), McNiven (3), Woods (3), L. Caldwell (6) and Wright
Keating (W) and Morrison
(May 25) Back from a stint in the minor echelons of the Detroit Tigers’ organization, Mark Fisher scattered five hits in leading the Riverside Canucks past the hometown Souris Cardinals 4 to 3 in a darkness-shortened, eight-inning opener. The Riverside right-hander struck out a sizzling 15 batters and walked four. Still, he needed and received plenty of help from his teammates as the Cardinals had built up a 3 – 0 lead after four complete innings. Randy Earl had a pair of run-scoring hits for the winners who scored deuces in each of the fifth and sixth spasms for the comeback triumph. Rookie Rick Read started on the hillock for Souris but was pulled after the Canucks had taken the lead. Bill Carpenter, who replaced him, didn’t allow a hit or walk by the Riversiders the rest of the way. Carpenter also starred at he plate, connecting for three singles, while clubmate Brian Moffatt drilled a double and single.
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
Read (L), Carpenter (6) and Dell
(May 25) The newest edition to the circuit, the Minot Merchants, got the season started on the right foot by stopping the hosting Rolla NoDaks 4 to 1. Former Hamiota pitcher Donn Feldner went all the way on the bump for his new mates to garner the win. He checked Rolla on three hits, striking out 11 and walking five. NoDak starter Wayne Westphal, who gave way to Gord Roberge in the seventh stanza, suffered the loss. Ex-NoDak Gene Roebuck came back to haunt his former mates by stroking a pair of run-scoring singles. Playing-manager Larry Muratore drove in a run with one of his three singles while Bill Cook doubled and singled and Ed Baker punched out a couple of one-base raps. Rolla’s Hank Biesiot got to Feldner for a brace of one-baggers.
Feldner (W) and Werlinger
Westphal (L), Roberge (7) and McDougall, T. Anderson (8)
(May 27) Strapping import left-hander Larry Shepherd scattered seven hits, gave up five walks and fanned nine in pitching the Virden Oilers to their second straight win, a 6 to 5 conquest of the Brandon Cloverleafs at Kinsmen Stadium. Seven errors in the game made it a rag-tag sort of affair. Bob Thompson and Brian Hodgson shared pitching chores for the hosts with Hodgson being stung with the loss. The Brandon tandem were nicked for a dozen base raps. The first three innings of the tussle were wild as both teams matched each others’ output in each frame, none of which were scoreless. Virden got the go-ahead run in the seventh when Bob Zarn singled and scored on a passed ball and an error. An add-on counter in the eighth resulted after Shepherd doubled and was driven home on catcher Norm Hemstad’s single. The Cloverleafs narrowed the gap to one in their half of the canto on an infield hit by Murray Thoms that allowed Dave Bender to cross the plate but Thoms was stranded on second base as the rally fizzled. Ted Bridgett nailed two singles and a double in pacing the victors’ 12-hit attack. Hemstad had a double and single while Zarn ripped a brace of one-base knocks. Roy McLachlan banged out a triple and single for the Leafs while Thoms delivered two singles.
Shepherd (W) and Hemstad
Thompson, Hodgson (L) (5) and Kabel, Agar (8)
(May 27) Smarting from their season-opening drubbing at the hands of the Dauphin Redbirds, the Hamiota Red Sox avenged the embarrassing loss by blasting these same Redbirds 11 to 1. Sophomore tosser Al McNiven picked up the mound victory with a three-hitter although he had sterling relief assistance from veteran heaver Glennis Scott after running into control problems in the eighth episode. Nursing only a 4 to 1 lead at that point, the Red Sox put the game on ice in their half of the eighth by exploding for a seven-spot. Bob Neufeld went the distance for Dauphin in absorbing the setback. Hamiota rookie Kevin Duncan unloaded a triple and single in spearheading the 13-hit attack of the winners. Veteran Al Robertson added a double and single while Bob Caldwell, Ellis Woods and Mel Smith each connected for two singles.
Neufeld (L) and Morrison
McNiven (W), Scott (7) and B. Caldwell
(May 27) The Minot Merchants won their second verdict in as many starts in the young MSBL campaign by taking a convincing 16 to 7 decision over the outclassed Rolla NoDaks. Behind the power-hitting of former NoDak Gene Roebuck, the Merchants rolled to an 8 – 0 lead after four innings of play. Roebuck unloaded a three-run homer in the third and drove in another run later with an infield groundout. As part of the Retailers’ 16-hit onslaught, Bill Cook stroked four singles while Tom Kraft, another transplant from Rolla, connected for three safeties. Don Weber and Larry Muratore added a brace of bingles each. Highly-touted Jim Limke received his baptism to the league and, although he was credited with the win, needed relief help from Rich Hauge in the seventh inning. He whiffed a respectable 11 batters but was tagged for all ten Rolla safeties. Rolla starter Gord Roberge was nicked with the loss. Bill Berube and Allan O’Shea paced the short-staffed NoDaks at the plate with a double and single each.
Roberge (L), Burkholder (8) and Welch
Limke (W), Hauge (7) and Werlinger
(May 28) The Riverside Canucks, who finished dead last in the standings in 1970, captured their second straight south-section assignment of the current campaign, nosing out the Souris Cardinals, last season’s pennant-winners, 3 to 2. Trailing 2 to 1 as they came to bat in the bottom-of-the-eighth inning, the Riversiders cashed in on a dropped third strike, a broken-bat single by rookie Craig Bell and a game-winning double off the bat of Lyle Anderson to pullout the victory. Anderson had accumulated a pair of singles prior to his crucial two-bagger. Winning chucker Grant Everard scattered eight hits, struck out six and walked five. Import Bernie Graner, charged with the loss, allowed only five hits, walked as many and punched out an impressive total of 14. Last season’s batting champion Bill Carpenter paced the losers at the plate with two singles and a double.
Graner (L) and Dell
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(May 30) After roaring out of the gate with a pair of victories, the bubble burst for the Virden Oilers as they dropped both ends of a north-section double-bill to the hosting Dauphin Redbirds by scores of 5 to 4 and 3 to 0.
Gary Keating, with his second win in as many starts this season, went the distance on the hill for the Redbirds in the opener, scattering ten hits while striking out four and walking three. Mike Labossiere, in relief of starter Ted Bridgett, was charged with the loss. Rollie Secord paced Dauphin’s 12-hit offense with a pair of singles that drove in three runs. Leo Valcourt also had a banner outing with the baton, pounding the pill for four safeties while Dennis Schick ripped a brace of one-baggers. Virden’s Larry Daniels nailed a double and single and drove in a run. Teammate Gerry Fox singled twice.
Bridgett, Labossiere (L) (7) and Hemstad
Keating (W) and Morrison
In the second encounter, Redbird right-hander Bob Kutzan stifled the Oilers on just three hits in copping the shutout mound triumph. Virden’s southpaw import Larry Shepherd was nicked for eight Dauphin safeties in taking the loss. Dennis Schick drilled a run-scoring double and a single for the winners while clubmates Leo Valcourt and Bob Buchy contributed a brace of one-baggers each.
Shepherd (L) and Hemstad
Kutzan (W) and Morrison
(May 30) Despite allowing the homestanding Riverside Canucks 18 base hits, the Minot Merchants managed to remain the only undefeated team in the MSBL west by persevering for a 16 to 12 conquest. The new American entry in the south-section sent four pitchers to the mound, one of them twice in a single inning. But while the Merchants were having their troubles, the Canucks weren’t exactly breezing along themselves as their trio of unsuccessful chuckers were raked for 15 base knocks while the supporting cast was committing a half-dozen costly errors. When the dust finally settled after the 33-hit slugfest, Rich Hauge emerged as the winning heaver while Wayne Kaplar of the Riversiders was stung with the defeat. Rick Carrier led the Retailers at the plate with three hits including a three-run homer. Teammate Ed Baker added a double and a pair of singles while Bill Cook, Gene Roebuck and Don Werlinger delivered two singles each. Gene Cory was hot with the lumber for the Canucks, clouting a two-run tater to go along with a couple of one-baggers. Veteran catcher Cliff Seafoot had four safeties including a double while brother Garth Seafoot slapped out three singles. Grant Everard socked a pair of doubles and Ross Kinsley came through with a two-bagger and single.
Feldner, Koering (4), Feldner (4), Roebuck (4), Hauge (W) (5) and Werlinger
Fisher, Kaplar (L) (6), Lilley (7) and C. Seafoot
(May 30) The Souris Cardinals, last year’s pennant-winners in the MSBL west, are still searching for their first win of the 1971 season. The Rolla NoDaks used three pitchers and booted the ball seven times but still managed to scratch their way to a 4 to 3 home-turf victory over the Cards. It was the third straight loss for Souris and the initial win for Rolla after two straight losses. The NoDaks scored twice in the bottom-of-the-eighth inning to overhaul the visitors. A clutch two-run single by Dennis Burkholder was the pivotal blow in this stanza. Gord Roberge, the last of the trio of Rolla flingers who checked Souris on five hits, picked up the hurling decision. Rookie Redbird tosser Rick Read, who toiled the entire contest on the bump, was tagged for nine safeties in taking the loss. Burkholder had a triple in addition to his game-changing single. Don Hodgson led the losers at the plate with a double and single.
Read (L) and Dell
Westphal, Lester Thomas (7), Roberge (W) (8) and T. Anderson
(May 31) Despite committing seven errors and being out-hit by a 9 to 6 margin, the Hamiota Red Sox held on for a 4 to 2 victory over the winless Brandon Cloverleafs. A three-run third inning put the hosts in front for good although they dodged a number of bullets, one of which was a none-out, bases-loaded situation in the seventh stanza, to stay there. Sophomore chucker Ron Ramsey, with seventh-inning help from Glennis Scott, earned the pitching win while rookie Ron Funk, the Cloverleaf starter, was tagged with the defeat.
Funk (L), Hodgson (7) and Oakes, Kabel (8)
Ramsey (W), Scott (7) and B. Caldwell
(June 1) The Minot Merchants marched to their fourth successive MSBL victory by disposing of the Riverside Canucks 7 to 1. The Merchants were sparked by winning heaver Jim Limke who stymied the visitors on three hits before soreness in his arm forced him to relinquish mound duties in the eighth episode. The former Chicago White Sox’ farmhand also belted a grand-slam circuit clout in the sixth spasm. Rich Carrier also helped the Minot cause with a triple and single. A solo four-bagger by Mark Fisher accounted for the lone Canuck counter. Grant Everard, tagged for eight safeties by the Retailers, suffered the loss.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Limke (W), Hauge (8) and Werlinger
(June 1) After three consecutive losses, the Souris Cardinals finally broke into the win column, and did so in an impressive manner, by clobbering the short-staffed Rolla NoDaks 12 to 0. Import Bernie Graner evened his pitching record at 1 – 1 by holding the invading Dakotans to just five hits. In posting the shutout triumph, Graner struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter. Rookie Lon Enerson, nicked with the loss, started for the visitors and surrendered 11 of the 13 Cardinal safeties. Don Hodgson contributed three singles to the Souris total while Bill North and Doug Armour had two singles each.
Enerson (L), Kurtti (8) and T. Anderson
Graner (W) and Dell
(June 3) Veteran right-hander Glennis Scott effectively scattered ten Brandon hits as the Hamiota Red Sox won their third game of the campaign by blasting the homestanding Cloverleafs 12 to 4 at Kinsmen Stadium. The Crimson Hose struck early, scoring five runs in the second inning and, in the process, knocking starting and losing heaver Bob Thompson from the mound. The big blast in this frame was a bases-loaded triple by Wilf Taylor, his first of a pair of three-baggers during the contest. Three Cloverleaf chuckers followed Thompson to the elevated portion of the diamond with only Rick McFadyen, who set the Sox down in order in the ninth inning, having any measure of success. Al Robertson, Scott and Lynn Caldwell had two singles each for the winners who accumulated 13 safeties. For the Wheat City nine, Roy McLachlan and Dennis Wiebe had a double and single each while Bob Kabel delivered a couple of singles.
Scott (W) and B. Caldwell, Wright (9)
Thompson (L), Andrews (2), Powers (5), McFadyen (9) and Kabel, Oakes (6)
(June 4) Lefthander Brian Hodgson struck out seven and limited Dauphin to four hits in pitching the Brandon Cloverleafs to their first win of the season, a 5 to 0 whitewashing of the hometown Redbirds. The Cloverleafs tagged the import duo of loser Ken McCormick and reliever Rick Smith for seven safeties, scoring twice in each of the fifth and seventh stanzas while adding a singleton to their total in the ninth. Bill Chapple and Murray Thoms stroked two singles each for the victorious Leafs.
Hodgson (W) and Kabel
McCormick (L), Smith (7) and Morrison
(June 6) After being kayoed from the slab following a three-inning stint in which he was tagged for four runs on six hits, Riverside’s Mark Fisher switched positions with centre-fielder Grant Everard. The change in assignments worked well for the Canucks as Everard stopped the visiting Rolla NoDaks on one run via four hits the rest of the way while Fisher unloaded a solo home run in the fourth frame and added a two-run double later on as the hosts roared from behind a 4 – 0 deficit to knock off the Dakotans 8 to 5. It was the third victory in five starts for the Riversiders and Everard’s second mound triumph in three attempts. Starting heaver Gord Roberge of the NoDaks, relieved in the sixth stanza by Tom Kurtti, was saddled with the pitching loss. Veteran catcher Cliff Seafoot led the 13-hit offensive surge by the winners, cuffing the apple for four safeties, one of which was a double. Craig Bell contributed a two-bagger and a pair of singles while Gene Cory added a brace of one-baggers. For the Rolla pastimers, Gary Anderson socked a double and single while Lon Enerson and Jim Schilling chipped in with a couple of one-base hits each.
Roberge (L), Kurtti (6) and Schilling
Fisher, Everard (W) (4) and C. Seafoot
(June 6) The unbeaten Minot Merchants ran across two runs in the bottom-of-the-eighth canto to shade the visiting Souris Cardinals 5 to 4. The win for the Retailers was their fifth straight since joining the MSBL. Donn Feldner scattered nine hits, walked a half-dozen and fanned four in going the route for his second victory of the season. Souris rookie chucker, Rick Read, lost his third in a row. All three setbacks have been by one run. He limited the potent Minot line-up to eight safeties and three free passes while whiffing seven. Tom Kraft had a bases-empty dinger for the winners while skipper Larry Muratore and Rich Carrier drilled a pair of singles each. Catcher John Dell led the Souris swatsmiths with a double and two singles. Teammate Doug Armour drove in two runs on the strength of a double and single.
Read (L), Graner (8) and Dell
Feldner (W) and Werlinger
(June 7) Ron Funk twirled a three-hitter as the Brandon Cloverleafs reeled off their second consecutive shutout victory in blanking the Dauphin Redbirds 6 to 0. Although not overpowering, the rookie portsider was always in control, giving up only one free ticket and striking out five. Import Rich Smith made his inaugural pitching start for the Redbirds and had a perfect game until one was retired in the third inning. After Brandon’s Roy McLachlan reached base on an infield error, Rick McFadyen hit an off-field three-bagger, scoring McLachlan. Dave Bender was next and he belted a 2-1 pitch deep into the left-field corner for an inside-the-park homer. That was all the scoring that Funk needed and he commenced to retire 17 of the next 18 Dauphin batters. Bender had a one-bagger in addition to his tater while McLachlan had a double and one-bagger and Maurice Oakes two singles.
Smith (L) and Morrison
Funk (W) and Oakes
(June 7) The Hamiota Red Sox scored all their runs in the seventh inning and hung on to grab a 5 to 3 conquest over the hosting Virden Oilers. The victory for the Scarlet Stockings was their fourth in five decisions and gave them a 1-1/2 game cushion atop the northern-section of the MSBL west. Ron Ramsey yielded six hits while walking four and breezing six in twirling the route for the win. Virden import pitcher Jerry Araujo was coasting along with a shutout until the fateful seventh when the visitors got to him for five of the nine safeties which, coupled with an intentional walk, produced the five-spot and the loss. Ellis Woods and Mel Smith notched two safeties each for the Hamiotans with Woods acquiring two RBI’s. Virden accounted for their three tallies on the strength of a pair of homers. Norm Hemstad unloaded a solo blast in the fourth frame while Larry Shepherd hit a two-run shot in the eighth.
Ramsey (W) and Wright
Araujo (L), Shepherd (8) and Hemstad
(June 8) With import Bernie Graner turning in a solid two-way performance, the Souris Cardinals made a late charge to dispose of the Rolla NoDaks 6 to 2. Graner went the distance on the knoll, scattering nine hits to pick up his second win against one loss. Along the way, he walked a pair and rang up 13 punchouts. With the willow, he helped his team by stinging the horsehide for a triple and single. The visiting NoDaks used three slabsters with starter Tom Kurtti being stung with the defeat. Graner’s batterymate, catcher John Dell, contributed a double and two singles to the Cardinals’ 10-hit offensive cause. Hank Biesiot cracked a double and single for the vanquished Rolla nine.
Kurtti (L), Roberge (7), Lester Thomas (8) and Schilling
Graner (W) and Dell
(June 8) With their ace slab artist Jim Limke on the hill, the Minot Merchants marched to their sixth straight victory, a 5 to 1 conquest of the hometown Riverside Canucks. Limke checked the Riversiders on five hits, struck out ten and didn’t walk a batter, although he did hit one. Losing twirler Lorne Lilley lasted six full innings and was tagged for ten of the 12 Minot base knocks. Merchant playing-manager Larry Muratore led the way with two timely hits, a double and single, which accounted for three RBI’s. Gene Roebuck added three singles while Rich Carrier and Bill Cook chipped in with two apiece. Gene Cory had two of the five Canuck safeties, both singles.
Limke (W) and Werlinger
Lilley (L), G. Seafoot (7), Hunter (8) and C. Seafoot
STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Hamiota 4 1 .800 ----
Dauphin 3 3 .500 1.5
Virden 2 3 .400 2.0
Brandon 2 4 .333 2.5
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Minot 6 0 1.000 ----
Riverside 3 3 .500 3.0
Souris 2 4 .333 4.0
Rolla 1 5 .167 5.0
(June 10) The homestanding Virden Oilers put together five consecutive hits in the first inning and scored five times, leaving the stunned Brandon Cloverleafs unable to recover, in waltzing to a 9 to 2 conquest of the Wheat City nine. Winning flinger Ted Bridgett upped his record to 2 – 0 by going the distance and holding the Leafs to four hits. He walked only two and zipped a third strike past nine Brandonites. Bridgett also nailed a pair of singles, both driving in runs. Losing heaver Bob Thompson allowed nine hits in the 5-1/3 innings he toiled. Assisting Bridgett in supplying offensive gusto were imports Larry Shepherd and Jerry Araujo. Shepherd had four RBI’s with two timely one-base raps while Araujo stroked three safeties. Homebrew Jack Day chipped in with a brace of one-baggers. For the Cloverleafs, Dennis Wiebe drove in a run with a double and Murray Thoms accounted for their other tally with a run-scoring single.
Thompson (L), Andrews (6) and Oakes
Bridgett (W) and Hemstad
(June 10) The power slugging of Tom Kraft, the timely hitting of Rich Carrier and the precision pitching of Frank Bruels all played dominant roles as the Minot Merchants edged the Riverside Canucks 4 to 3 to preserve their winning record in the MSBL west. In their latest escapade, the Retailers needed a run in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning to cop their seventh win in as many outings. Carrier’s looping single to the right garden drove in John Anderson with the deciding tally. Kraft, with his second and third home runs of the season, kept the hosting Merchants in the thick of things until Carrier’s ninth-inning heroics. Bruels scattered seven hits, walked four and struck out 14 in his inaugural pitching assignment for Minot. Losing chucker Grant Everard was tagged for eight safeties while striking out seven an walking five. No batter from the Riversiders managed to pick up more than one hit.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Bruels (W) and Werlinger
(June 13) Rookie keystone sacker Murray Thoms slapped out three singles and drove in two runs, including the tying and winning tallies, as the Brandon Cloverleafs came up with a ten-inning, 5 to 4 verdict over the Virden Oilers. The win was the Leafs’ first against the Oilers this season after enduring three consecutive setbacks. The game went into overtime when Virden’s Ted Bridgett blasted a two-run double in the ninth inning to wipe out a 4 to 2 Brandon Lead. Bob Thompson, the third of three chuckers used by the Wheat City baseballers, got credit for win while import Larry Shepherd of the Oilers, who ascended the hillock in the eighth in relief of starter Jerry Araujo, took the loss. Maurice Oakes and Bill Chapple each had a double and single in support of Thoms’ three-hit output. Bob Downey of the Virdenites had a double and single which produced two-RBI’s. Shepherd and Araujo added two singles each.
Araujo, Shepherd (L) (8) and Hemstad
Hodgson, Andrews (8), Thompson (W) (9) and Oakes
(June 13) Mel Smith hit the first pitch delivered by reliever Bob Kutzan in the bottom-of-the-fifteenth inning for a home run, giving the Hamiota Red Sox a marathon 5 to 4 victory over the Dauphin Redbirds in an MSBL west tussle. The win for the Hamiotans was their fifth in six games and extended their north-sectional lead to 2-1/2 games. Glennis Scott, who took over pitching chores from 17-year old starter Al McNiven in the fourth frame, hurled the last 12 chapters and got the win. Kutzan, the third and final Dauphin heaver, suffered the defeat. Both teams wound up with a seven-hit production. Errors played a big part in the win by the Red Sox. Over the 15 innings, the Redbirds booted the ball on 11 occasions compared to two by the Scarlet Stockings. Dauphin’s Bob Buchy was the lone batter from either aggregation to amass multiple-hit figures, clicking for a pair of singles.
McCormick, Smith (7), Kutzan (L) (14) and Morrison
McNiven, Scott (W) (4) and Wright, Caldwell (6)
(June 13) Mark Fisher quieted the homestanding Souris Cardinals on three singles in pitching the Riverside Canucks to a 4 to 1 to a south-sectional MSBL win. In going all the way on the knoll, Fisher issued four free passes and swished a dozen. Rick Read, who is still searching for his first win of the season, suffered his fourth loss and exited after seven spasms. Lew Morrison took over in the eighth and held the Canucks hitless and scoreless in his brief appearance. Fisher and Lyle Anderson led the seven-hit offense presented by the Riversiders, each banging out a double and single. Gene Cory followed with a brace of one-baggers.
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
Read (L), Morrison (8) and Dell
(June 13) The inevitable occurred as the high-flying Minot Merchants finally tasted defeat in the MSBL but it took the other American entry in the south-section of the circuit to do the trick as the lowly Rolla NoDaks set back the mighty Retailers 6 to 2 at Rolla. Tom Kurtti, with relief help from Lester Thomas and Dwane Getzlaff, picked up his first mound win of the season. Jim Limke went the distance for Minot in suffering his first defeat after three winning efforts. Veteran Gord Roberge paced the Rolla diamond troopers at the plate with a double and a pair of singles, driving in three tallies. Clubmate Jerry Trenbeth chipped in with a pair of one-base raps. Catcher Don Werlinger of the Merchants managed a double and single, driving in two counters. Gene Roebuck followed with two singles.
Limke (L) and Werlinger
Kurtti (W), Lester Thomas (7), Getzlaff (7) and Schilling
(June 15) Lefthander Gary Keating improved his pitching record to 3 – 0 as he held the Brandon Cloverleafs to just two hits in a narrow 1 to 0 win by the Dauphin Redbirds. The game could easily have gone either way as the visiting Redbirds were only able to collect five safeties off the slants of losing twirler Ron Funk and sixth-inning reliever Rick McFadyen. The lone run of the game came in the fourth frame when Leo Valcourt crashed a triple off Funk and scored on a passed ball. The Leafs had the potential tying run in scoring position in the ninth but. with two out, baserunner Bob Wilson gambled and lost in his attempt to swipe third, ending the game. Dauphin’s Bob Neufeld, the only player in the game to register more than one safety, had two singles.
Keating (W) and B. Buchy
Funk (L), McFadyen (6) and Oakes, Kabel (7)
(June 15) Ron Ramsey scattered ten hits and drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single to lead the Hamiota Red Sox to an 8 to 4 victory over the invading Virden Oilers. Ramsey walked three and fanned five in picking up his third win against one loss for the north-section leaders. Ted Bridgett, the sandwich hurler amongst the triad of slabsters used by the Virdenites, absorbed the loss. Bridgett deserved a better fate as he pitched six innings of middle relief and surrendered only one hit, Ramsey’s winning blow. Mel Smith launched an eighth-inning dinger for the Red Sox while Lynn Caldwell had a pair of singles, good for two-RBI’s. For the Oilers, import Jerry Araujo had three hits, two singles and a triple. Norm Hemstad knocked in two runs with two singles while Mike Labossiere drilled a three-bagger and a single.
Shepherd, Bridgett (L) (2), Labossiere (7) and Hemstad
Ramsey (W) and Wright
(June 15) In a rip-roaring mound duel at Riverside, Bernie Graner of Souris came out on top over the Canucks’ Grant Everard as the Cardinals plated an eighth-inning marker to nip their hosts 1 to 0. Graner gave up only three hits, all singles, in securing the win while Everard allowed five safeties including a double to Doug Armour. Souris playing-manager Don Hunter inserted himself into the line-up as a pinch-hitter with two out in the fateful eighth, delivering an infield hit. Armour followed and was safe on an error, moving Hunter into scoring position. Brian Moffatt then singled, scoring Hunter with the only tally of the hard-fought tussle. Graner whiffed six and walked one while Everard fanned nine and didn’t walk anyone.
Graner (W) and Dell
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
(June 15) Donn Feldner hurled a four-hitter in leading the south-section pace-setters from Minot to a 5 to 3 victory over the visiting Rolla NoDaks. The Merchants’ right-hander struck out ten and walked four to run his record to 3 – 0. Lon Enerson started on the slab for the NoDaks and lasted until the fifth inning, taking the loss. The Retailers exploded for four runs in the third inning off Enerson with the big blow being a two-run double by playing-manager Larry Muratore. Tom Kraft led the nine-hit Minot batting attack with a double and single. No Rolla batter had more than one single.
Feldner (W) and Werlinger
Enerson (L), Roberge (5) and Schilling
(June 17) Avenging a 1 – 0 loss just 48 hours previous, the invading Brandon Cloverleafs clipped the Dauphin Redbirds 6 to 2. Bob Thompson went the distance for the first time this season, limiting the Birds to five hits. Dauphin’s Bob Neufeld also went the route in suffering his second straight loss. The Leafs had a slight edge in base hits, slapping out a half-dozen to five for the hosts. Thompson was the only swatsmith from either team who managed more than one safety, singling twice.
Thompson (W) and Kabel, Harvey (8)
Neufeld (L) and Morrison
(June 17) The Minot Merchants suffered their second loss of the MSBL west season, going down to a 7 to 4 defeat at the hands of the Souris Cardinals. Rick Read, the third Souris hurler, got the win, his first of the season against four losses. Minot starter Rick Hauge was nicked with the loss. Greg Cameron belted a two-run homer for the winners while Don Hodgson added two singles. Donn Feldner and Gene Roebuck both singled twice for the Merchants.
Hauge (L), Brady (7) and Werlinger
Morrison, Carpenter (2), Read (W) (5) and Dell
(June 17) John Wright’s run-scoring double in the top-of-the-tenth inning allowed the front-running Hamiota Red Sox to come away with a 6 to 5 victory over the Virden Oilers, increasing their first-place margin to 3-1/2 games in the north section of the MSBL west. Glennis Scott whiffed 11 in going the route for the win, his third of the campaign against no losses. Import Jerry Araujo of the Oilers also tossed the entire game, fanning ten in absorbing the loss. Besides his double, Wright had a single while Mel Smith added a pair of singles.
Scott (W) and Wright
Araujo (L) and Hemstad
(June 18) The fleet-footed Dauphin Redbirds ran wild in capturing an 8 to 3 verdict over the visiting Hamiota Red Sox. In addition to collecting nine hits against complete-game loser Allie McNiven, the Redbirds stole ten bases. The Red Sox also hurt their chances by committing six errors. Rich Smith evened his pitching record at 1 – 1 by effectively spacing eight Hamiota safeties, walking a pair and punching out nine. Leo Valcourt and John Morrison had two hit each for the victors.
McNiven (L) and Wright, B. Caldwell (8)
Smith (W) and B. Buchy
(June 18) The Souris Cardinals did a number on the Minot Merchants for the second time in successive evenings, clipping the south-section leaders 7 to 4. The Cards pounded losing heaver Jim Limke for 16 base blows. Rick Read, with seventh-inning help from Bill Carpenter, tucked away his second mound conquest over the Dakotans. John Anderson and Don Werlinger launched four-baggers for the losers.
Limke (L) and Werlinger
Read (W), Carpenter (7) and Dell
(June 20) Solid pitching combined with costly ninth-inning errors by their adversaries piloted the Virden Oilers to a sweep of their MSBL west double-bill with the Dauphin Redbirds. The homestanding Oilers won the opening tilt 1 to 0 and the second encounter 2 to 1 as import Larry Shepherd garnered both mound wins via relief roles.
In the matinée match, Shepherd took over from Virden starter Ted Bridgett in the fifth inning of a 0 – 0 skirmish and held the Redbirds both scoreless and hitless the rest of the way. Gary Keating went all the way on the bump for the Redbirds, scattering six hits while walking nine and fanning three, suffering his first loss of the campaign. The lone tally of the game, an unearned marker, came in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning. Mike Labossiere started things off with a walk, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a sacrifice fly and, with two out, romped home with the walkoff winner when a fly ball off the bat of Bridgett, who remained in the game at first base after leaving the mound, was unceremoniously dropped in the left pasture. Norm Hemstad and Jim Madder hit two singles apiece for the winners.
Keating (L) and B. Buchy
Bridgett, Shepherd (W) (5) and Hemstad
The late half of the double-dip was almost a replay of the lid-lifter as the Virdenites pushed across the winning run in the-bottom-of-the-ninth, thanks to a Dauphin error. Seemingly following the script, Labossiere led off with a base-on-balls, only this time he stole second. After one had been retired, Bridgett, right on cue, lofted a fly ball, only this one was caught for the second out as Labossiere scampered into third after the catch. Bob Downey then stepped to the plate and hit a sharp infield ground ball that was misplayed, allowing Labossiere to scamper home in an encore performance. Shepherd replaced a tiring Jerry Araujo on the knoll to start the top-of-the-final frame and blanked the Redbirds in his only stanza on the bump. Araujo had been nicked for just two hits before heading to the showers. Ken McCormick started on the hill for Dauphin, giving way to eventual hard-luck loser Bob Neufeld after six full innings. McCormick surrendered three hits before departing while Neufeld, in the three innings he toiled, didn’t allow a hit. Shepherd cuffed two doubles in this concluding contest to add a little more glory to his twin-triumph achievement on the bump.
McCormick, Neufeld (L) (7) and B. Buchy
Araujo, Shepherd (W) (9) and Hemstad
(June 21) Outfielder Bob Wilson crushed a Ron Ramsey offering for a two-out, three-run homer in the eighth episode to lift the Brandon Cloverleafs to a 4 to 3 conquest of the hosting Hamiota Red Sox. Wilson added a single and a double to pace the eight-hit attack by the Wheat City nine. Roy McLachlan drilled a double and single, driving in the Leafs’ other run. Portsider Brian Hodgson yielded nine hits and went all the way on the hill for the Cloverleafs to register his second victory of the campaign. Ellis Woods led the Red Sox at the plate with two singles , a double and an RBI. Ramsey followed with a brace of one-baggers.
Hodgson (W) and Oakes, Kabel (8)
Ramsey (L) and Wright
(June 21) For the third time in the past five days, the Souris Cardinals laid a setback on the suddenly-vulnerable Minot Merchants, stopping the Amerks 3 to 1 right on their home pasture. Bernie Graner, with his fourth win in five decisions, limited the Merchants to a mere four hits, all singles. Lynn McEvoy had two important hits for the Cards, both driving in runs in the seventh and eighth cantos. Minot pitcher Donn Feldner, spinning a five-hitter, tasted defeat for the first time this season after capturing three straight wins.
Graner (W) and Dell
Feldner (L) and Werlinger
(June 21) The arm and bat of versatile Mark Fisher were instrumental in helping the Riverside Canucks to a narrow 4 to 3 win over the invading Rolla NoDaks. Fisher picked up his third consecutive mound win in going the distance for the Riversiders. He effectively scattered ten Rolla hits and did not issue a walk, ringing up 11 punchouts along the way. The former Detroit Tiger minor-leaguer also drove in a brace of tallies by stroking a couple of one-base hits. Catcher Cliff Seafoot had a run-scoring two-bagger. Lon Enerson of the NoDaks was stung with the defeat in a complete-game effort. Jim Schilling and Enerson cuffed a double and single each for the Dakotans while Gary Anderson delivered a pair of singles. Lester Thomas had only one safety, a second-inning single, but it accounted for two RBI’s.
Enerson (L) and Leslie Thomas
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
(June 22) The invading Riverside Canucks exploded for six runs in the opening inning and sailed to an easy 14 to 3 victory over the Rolla NoDaks in a south-section encounter. The Canucks pounded a total of 18 hits off losing chucker Gord Roberge and reliever Dwane Getzlaff who ascended the bump in the third. Grant Everard hurled eight innings to get the win as Ross Kinsley came on to mop up in the ninth. Mark Fisher had two doubles and three singles for the Riversiders while Cliff Seafoot delivered two doubles and a single. Garth Seafoot laced three singles and Wes Rathwell picked up five RBI’s with a brace of one-baggers.
Everard (W), Kinsley (9) and C. Seafoot
Roberge (L), Getzlaff (3) and Getzlaff, Leslie Thomas (3)
STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Hamiota 7 3 .700 ----
Virden 5 6 .455 2.5
Brandon 5 6 .455 2.5
Dauphin 5 7 .417 3.0
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Minot 8 4 .667 ----
Riverside 7 5 .500 1.0
Souris 6 5 .545 1.5
Rolla 2 9 .182 5.5
(June 24) 17-year old curveball specialist Frank Bruels stopped the hosting Brandon diamondeers on six hits as the south-section leading Minot Merchants doubled the Cloverleafs 4 to 2 at Kinsmen Stadium. In just his second pitching assignment of the campaign, Bruels struck out eight and walked three in going the distance. Leafs’ complete-game heaver Bob Thompson pitched a stellar game in defeat, yielding seven Minot safeties and walking just three while ringing up ten punchouts. He held a 2 – 1 lead heading into the eighth but committed the cardinal sin of walking opposing pitcher Bruels to lead off the frame. After Bruels was sacrificed to second, Rich Carrier ripped a three-bagger to knot the count. Tom Kraft followed with a solid single and the Retailers moved ahead to stay. They added an insurance counter in the top-of-the-ninth to seal the deal.
Bruels (W) and Muratore
Thompson (L) and Oakes
(June 24) The Hamiota Red Sox needed a ninth-inning counter to edge the hometown Souris Cardinals in a hard-fought north-south section fracas. Starting Hamiota pitcher Ellis Woods, who was relieved by eventual winner Glennis Scott in the sixth inning, remained in the game and delivered the game-winning hit, driving in Lynn Caldwell. Both teams nicked the horsehide for eight safe swats. The Red Sox had a solo homer from Mel Smith in the seventh spasm that tied the score at 4 – 4. It was his third round-tripper of the campaign. Gord Lyall and Garth Sararas contributed a pair of singles each to the winning Sox cause. Rick Read, who must lead the league in one-run losses, went the distance on the mound for Souris, chalking up ten whiffs while issuing two walks. Doug Armour blasted a double and two singles for the Cards while catcher John Dell swatted a two-bagger and one-base hit.
Woods, Scott (W) (6) and Wright
Read (L) and Dell
(June 24) Homestanding Virden knocked off the lowly Rolla NoDaks 8 to 5 in an MSBL west tilt that almost had a donnybrook when Rolla catcher Dwane Getzlaff was levelled by incoming Virden runner Ted Bridgett during an attempted suicide squeeze play that went awry. Larry Shepherd, who needed relief help from fellow import Jerry Araujo, picked up his fourth mound win in six decisions. The NoDaks got to the duo for 12 base raps. The Rolla tandem of starter and loser Tom Kurtti, along with Gord Roberge, were combed for ten safeties by the Oilers. Norm Hemstad picked up three singles and a double to lead the hit parade for the Virdenites. Araujo, Bridgett and Shepherd added two hits apiece. Getzlaff stroked three singles for the Dakotans while Don Wick and Bill Berube contributed a brace of bingles each with one of Berube’s raps being a double.
Kurtti (L), Roberge (5) and Getzlaff
Shepherd (W), Araujo (6) and Hemstad
(June 24) Although they scored only one earned run, the visiting Riverside Canucks, in their only visit to Dauphin this season, made it a profitable one, going home with a 4 to 2 triumph. Mark Fisher got the pitching decision over Rich Smith. No game details were published.
Fisher (W) and xxx
Smith (L) and xxx
(June 26) The Dauphin Redbirds ventured into Dakota country for the first time this season and were blasted 23 to 5 by the Minot Merchants. The Retailers unloaded 20 hits and went through four Dauphin pitchers en route to the easy win, their 10th of the season. The Redbirds remain mired in the cellar of the north-section of the MSBL west. Included in the impressive number of base knocks accumulated by the winners were home runs by Rich Carrier and Don Werlinger. Carrier added a double and single to his four-ply clout while Gene Roebuck also clubbed a two-bagger and single. Playing just the first 4-1/2 innings of the game, Minot skipper Larry Muratore accounted for three RBI’s on the strength of a pair of singles. While Minot won the game with ease, they did use the services of three chuckers. Starters Donn Feldner of the hosts and Dauphin’s Bob Neufeld were the pitchers of record. Bob Buchy topped the Redbird hitters with a double and single, driving in two of his team’s five runs.
Neufeld (L), Morrison (6), Fitzpatrick (6), Smith (8) and B. Buchy
Feldner (W), Brady (6), Limke (7) and Muratore, Werlinger (6)
(June 27) A two-run homer by second-sacker Murray Thoms in the tenth inning lifted the visiting Brandon Cloverleafs to a hard-fought 3 to 1 victory over the Riverside Canucks. Playing in a light rain, the Riversiders enjoyed a slight 8 to 6 edge in base hits. Both winning heaver Ron Funk of the Wheat City nine and Canuck tosser Grant Everard went the distance. Funk fanned five and allowed one walk while Everard whiffed nine and gave up four bases-on-balls. Thoms added a one-bagger to his game-deciding tater. Gene Cory starred for the vanquished nine at the plate. He stroked three singles, including one in the eighth inning that drove in Riverside’s lone run and forced the issue into overtime.
Funk (W) and Kabel
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
(June 27) The second-half of Dauphin’s weekend road trip into North Dakota wasn’t any better than what they experienced the day previous as the Redbirds bowed 8 to 5 to the lowly Rolla NoDaks. Lon Enerson won his first game of the year while Gary Keating was tagged with the loss, his second in five decisions. No other game details were published.
Keating (L) and xxx
Enerson (W) and xxx
(June 29) After a horrendous start to the season, Souris Cardinal chucker Rick Read improved his record to 3 – 5, pitching the Cards to a 5 to 2 victory over the Rolla NoDaks. Read gave up eight hits, struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter. Rolla starter Wayne Westphal was clipped with the loss, his second of the campaign. Doug Armour paced the Cards at the platter with three singles while Bernie Graner cracked out a double and a single. Lon Enerson was the big noise with the bat for Rolla, blasting a triple and a double. Fifth-inning reliever Gord Roberge added two singles.
Read (W) and Dell
Westphal (L), Roberge (5) and Leslie Thomas
(July 1) Birtle annual Canada baseball tournament
(July 4) The north-section leading Hamiota Red Sox doubled the invading Riverside Canucks 4 to 2, handing pitcher Mark Fisher his first loss of the season. Winning slab artist Ron Ramsey gave up seven hits in earning the complete-game win while Fisher was tagged for eight safeties. The Sox supplied Ramsey with four runs in the first two innings and he never lost the cushion. Lynn Caldwell knocked in three runs for the victors with a pair of singles while Bryan Smith doubled and singled to drive in a single marker. For the Canucks, Grant Everard cracked a double and two singles while Gene Cory and Ross Kinsley added a couple of one-base raps each.
Fisher (L) and C. Seafoot
Ramsey (W) and B. Caldwell
(July 4) The Minot Merchants upped their south-section lead to three games with a 12 to 5 trouncing of the host Dauphin Redbirds. Minot’s biggest inning was the fifth when they plated five counters, all unearned. Rich Hauge took the win although he did experience control problems in the seven stanzas that he toiled. He walked ten and struck out seven. John Fisher mopped up in the final two cantos. Bob Neufeld suffered the loss. In travelling the distance, Neufeld struck out nine and walked seven. Rich Carrier of the Merchants used his bludgeon to hack out four safeties including a two-run dinger and a run-scoring double. Tom Kraft of the visitors, in his first appearance at the plate, clouted a solo tater. Neufeld had two of the Redbirds’ four safeties, one of which was a ground-rule double.
Hauge (W), Fisher (8) and xxx
Neufeld (L) and xxx
(July 4) The Brandon Cloverleafs, behind the potent bats of Murray Thoms and Maurice Oakes, edged the hometown Souris Cardinals 4 to 3. Thoms belted a two-run dinger in the opening canto to get the Leafs off to a flying start, a lead they soon relinquished. However, with his team trailing by a 3 to 2 count, Oakes led off the ninth inning with a solo tater against Bernie Graner to knot the count and, later in the inning, Bob Thompson launched a long sacrifice fly that allowed Roy McLachlan to score from third base with the ultimate winning tally. Graner, lifted in the ninth after the Cloverleafs went ahead, yielded just five hits in going down to his second setback against five triumphs. Brian Hodgson went the route for Brandon, giving up eight hits, in copping his third victory. Lynn McEvoy paced Souris batters with a double and single while Doug Armour contributed a pair of one-baggers.
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
Graner (L), Read (9) and Dell
(July 4) The Virden Oilers stayed only two games back of the north-section leading Hamiota Red Sox with a 7 to 6 verdict over Rolla at the North Dakota town. Larry Shepherd went all the way on the hill for Virden to capture his fifth win of the season, tying him in that category for the league lead. Gord Roberge went the route for the NoDaks, suffering his fourth loss of the season against one victory.
Shepherd (W) and xxx
Roberge (L) and xxx
(July 5) The Virden Oilers moved to within a game of the front-running Hamiota Red Sox by edging the hosting Sox 2 to 1 in a north-section encounter. Virden import Jerry Araujo hurled a four-hitter to gain the win over Glennis Scott who also gave up just four safeties in the closely-contested tilt. It was Araujo’s first win of the season and Scott’s initial defeat. Jack Day’s two-run single in the third inning turned out to be all the scoring punch that Araujo would need. Ted Bridgett banged out a pair of singles for the winners while Scott had a double and single in a losing cause.
Araujo (W) and Hemstad
Scott (L) and Wright
(July 6) Inclement weather conditions shortened an inter-section clash at Rolla to seven innings in which the visiting Brandon Cloverleafs clobbered the homestanding NoDaks 13 to 1. Winning pitcher Ron Funk limited the Dakotans to just two hits in picking up his third win of the season. The Leafs tore into the offerings of losing chucker Lon Enerson and two Rolla relievers for 11 base knocks. Veteran swatsmiths Bill Chapple, Tom Town and Bob Wilson each registered a double and single for the winners. Chapple’s blows accounted for four RBI’s.
Funk (W) and Oakes
Enerson (L), Lester Thomas (3), Roberge (5) and Leslie Thomas
(July 6) A three-run outburst in the tenth-inning, aided by a costly two-out error, allowed the Souris Cardinals to stop the hometown Virden Oilers 8 to 5 in an MSBL west assignment. The win for the Cards moved them past the idle Riverside Canucks and into second place in the south-section standings. The teams were locked in a 5 – 5 tie after nine innings and, in the top-of the-tenth with two retired and runners at first and second, an infield ground ball hit by the Cardinals’ Don Hodgson was muffed as the lead run crossed the dish. Pinch-hitter Garry Davidson then supplied a pair of add-on tallies with a two-run double. Bernie Graner picked up his sixth victory as a result of the overtime win. Graner scattered six hits, walked three and punched out a dozen after entering the game in the second spasm when Souris starter Rick Read earned himself an early shower for arguing a call too vehemently. Losing flinger Ted Bridgett went the distance, allowing ten base raps, walking five and sending third strikes past a sizzling 16 Cardinals.
Read, Graner (W) (2) and Dell
Bridgett (L) and Hemstad
(July 7) In a game that took just 95 minutes to play, the Riverside Canucks scored a single run in the second inning and hung on to edge the Hamiota Red Sox 1 to 0. Grant Everard scattered five hits effectively in earning the shutout victory. Ron Ramsey, nicked for six safeties, was stung with the narrow loss. Mark Fisher of the Riversiders and Hamiota’s Ramsey, with two single each, led their respective clubs offensively.
Ramsey (L) and Wright
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 8) Scoring both their runs in the sixth inning, the invading Rolla NoDaks surprised a somewhat lackadaisical Brandon nine by blanking the Cloverleafs 2 to 0. The pitching of winner Gord Roberge and Bob Thompson, who suffered the loss, was the dominant factor in the game. Both hurlers yielded just three hits as Roberge whiffed seven and Thompson fanned four in the eight episodes that he toiled on the knoll. The Cloverleafs could not manage to get more than a single hit in any one inning while the NoDaks connected for two of their triad of safeties in the sixth spasm when they plated their deuce. Bill Berube led off with a single, was sacrificed to second and went to third on a one-bagger by Roberge. A fielder’s choice followed in which Roberge was forced out at second and Gerry Trenbeth was safe at first while Berube scored Rolla’s first counter. Trenbeth then stole second and came around to garner the insurance run on a throwing error to third base.
Roberge (W) and Getzlaff
Thompson (L), McFadyen (9) and Oakes
(July 9) The travelling Minot Merchants and the Virden Oilers battled to a 1 – 1 draw in an MSBL west tilt that was terminated after nine innings because of darkness. Jerry Araujo went the distance for Virden, whiffing eight and allowing six hits. Donn Feldner, in hurling nine full innings for the Amerks, struck out nine and surrendered seven Oiler safeties. Ted Bridgett and Bob Zarn came through with two singles apiece for the hosts while no batter from the Retailers had multiple hit totals. The suspended game will be completed when the Virdenites visit Minot later in the month.
Feldner and xxx
Araujo and xxx
(July 9) Glennis Scott struck out nine and gave up just four hits as the Hamiota Red Sox increased their cushion atop the north-section portion of the MSBL west standings with a 7 to 3 conquest of the visiting Rolla NoDaks. The win for Scott was his fifth against one defeat. Losing heaver Lon Enerson of the Dakotans yielded nine hits and fanned six as his record dropped to 1 – 5. Four of Hamiota’s runs came as a result of key hits by Al Robertson and Lynn Caldwell who ended the game with two-RBI’s each. Robertson rapped three singles while Caldwell had a double and one-bagger. Mel Smith also slapped out a pair of one-base hits. Catcher Jim Schilling of the NoDaks got to Scott for two singles while Gord Roberge lit him up for a solo homer.
Enerson (L) and Schilling
Scott (W) and Wright
STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Hamiota 10 6 .625 ----
Virden 8 7 .533 1.5
Brandon 8 8 .500 2.0
Dauphin 5 11 .313 5.0
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Minot 11 4 .733 ----
Riverside 9 7 .563 2.5
Souris 9 7 .563 2.5
Rolla 4 14 .222 8.5
(July 12) Rick Read sparkled on the mound, fashioning an impressive one-hitter, as the visiting Souris Cardinals blanked the Brandon Cloverleafs 5 to 0. Read allowed four walks, sent 11 Cloverleafs down on strikes and retired the last 18 batters he faced in order. Brian Hodgson went all the way for Brandon, yielding eight hits and five free passes while punching out six. A wind-blown home run by Souris leadoff batter Brian Moffatt in the top-of-the- opening panel got him off on a rocky start and seven errors by his mates later on made things even worse. Moffatt had a one-bagger to go along with his homer.
Read (W) and Dell
Hodgson (L) and Oakes
(July 12) In a battle between the north and south-section leaders in the MSBL west, the Hamiota Red Sox came out on top, nosing past the invading Minot Merchants 3 to 2. Gord Lyall’s single in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning drove in Terry Good with the deciding tally. Ron Ramsey of the Crimson Hose went all the way on the hill to garner his fifth victory and also banged out two doubles along the way. His last two-bagger, delivered in the final canto of a 2 – 2 game, sent Good to third base and set up the winning run. Ramsey struck out eight, gave up seven hits and walked five. Former Red Sox’ heaver Donn Feldner started on the knoll for the Merchants but exited in the seventh stanza when losing tosser Rich Hague took over. The Hamiotans raked the Minot duo for a dozen base raps. Catcher John Wright banged out three singles for the Scarlet Stockings while Bryan Smith had two. Bill Cook and playing-manager Larry Muratore had two singles each for the Retailers.
Feldner, Hauge (L) (7) and Werlinger, Kraft (9)
Ramsey (W) and Wright
(July 13) Mark Hunter sparked the Riverside Canucks to a 10 to 3 thrashing of the visiting Dauphin Redbirds, a win which moved the Riversiders into second place in the south-section of the MSBL west. Mark Fisher paced the 11-hit attack of the winners with three hits, including a three-run double. He was also credited with the pitching win, his fifth of the campaign, scattering four safeties while on the mound before giving way to Lorne Lilley in the eighth panel. Losing twirler Bob Neufeld started on the hill for the Redbirds but gave way to Bob Kutzan in the fourth frame. Besides Fisher, Lyle Anderson had a productive night at the plate for the Canucks with three singles while Gene Cory cuffed a double and single. No batter from the Dauphin squad managed more than one hit.
Neufeld (L), Kutzan (4) and Morrison
Fisher (W), Lilley (8) and C. Seafoot
(July 13) Four runs in the second stanza was all the Virden Oilers needed as they upset the hometown Souris Cardinals 4 to 0. Two walks, two errors and two hits, including a two-run single by Ted Bridgett, accounted for the Oilers’ second-inning uprising. The two pitchers of record, Virden’s Larry Shepherd and Bernie Graner of the host team, put on a high-powered display, splitting 30 strikeouts and six walks evenly. Shepherd, the winner, increased his record to 6-2 by scattering five hits while Graner, now 6-3, was touched for just four base raps, all singles. Besides his timely hit in the second, Bridgett added another single. No other batter from either team accumulated more than one safety.
Shepherd (W) and Hemstad
Graner (L) and Dell
(July 13) The Hamiota Red Sox, north-sectional front-runners, watched their lead over the Virden Oilers shrink to one-game as they came out on the short end of an 11 to 7 score against the hosting Rolla NoDaks in an MSBL west encounter. Gord Roberge gave up nine hits and three walks while striking out six in picking up his third win of the season. Ellis Woods started on the slab for Hamiota and lasted 6-1/3 innings before being lifted in favor of Terry Good. Woods allowed eight hits and six walks while Good yielded six safeties and gave up one free pass. Pacing the Rolla offensive surge was Bill Berube who drilled three singles. Lon Enerson helped with two doubles while Dennis Burkholder tripled and added a single. Roberge and Jim Schilling singled twice. The stunned Hamiotans got a double and single from both Lynn Caldwell and Ron Ramsey.
Woods (L), Good (6) and B. Caldwell
Roberge (W) and Getzlaff
(July 14) Unraveling defensively for nine errors and with little output from their bats, the Virden Oilers were crushed 8 to 0 by the invading Riverside Canucks in an interlocking north-south tussle. Grant Everard stymied the Oilers on three hits, all singles, in picking up his fifth pitching win against four losses. Virden starting flinger Jerry Araujo, relieved by Ted Bridgett in the sixth stanza, suffered the loss. Wes Rathwell rapped two singles for the winners and was the lone batter on either aggregation with a plural hit total.
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
Araujo (L), Bridgett (6) and Hemstad
(July 14) The south-section front-running Minot Merchants maintained their 1-1/2 game lead over Riverside by clipping the travelling Brandon Cloverleafs 6 to 1. Complete-game chucker Bill Koering annexed his initial victory of the season, striking out 13 while giving up five hits along with two walks. Loser Ron Funk was nicked for 11 of the 13 Minot base knocks. Don Werlinger unloaded his second four-bagger of the campaign for the Merchants while Bill Cook bashed a double and single. Jack Carmine and Rich Carrier added two singles apiece. Maurice Oakes led the Wheat City nine at the dish, garnering two of their five safeties, both singles.
Funk (L), Powers (8) and Oakes
Koering (W) and Werlinger
(July 15) Minot’s Gene Roebuck whacked a clutch single in the bottom-of-the-fourth inning to drive in what proved to be the winning run as the South section all-stars defeated the North section counterparts 3 to 1 in the MSBL west’s inaugural north-south all-star fixture played before more than 1,000 fans at Brandon’s Kinsmen Stadium. Donn Feldner, also of the Merchants, picked up the pitching win while Hamiota’s Glennis Scott was tagged with the defeat. The South team had a 6 to 4 edge in base hits.
Scott (L), Shepherd (4), Thompson (7) and Hemstad
Feldner (W), Fisher (3), Graner (7) and C. Seafoot
(July 16) Neither the Souris Cardinals or the hosting Dauphin Redbirds could gain any ground on their division rivals as they played to a nine-inning 5 – 5 tie in an interlocking north-south clash, called because of darkness. The Redbirds doubled the visitors in hits, 10 to 5, and led throughout most of the contest. Forced to come from behind for the draw, the Cards pushed across one run in the seventh and three more in the eighth. Herb Andres smashed two doubles and a single for Dauphin while teammates Bob Buchy, Leo Valcourt and Dennis Schick picked up two singles each.
Read, Hunter (7) and Hodgson
Andres, Keating (8) and Fitzpatrick
(July 18) A seven-run seventh inning wiped out a 5 to 0 deficit and provided the homestanding Riverside Canucks with a 7 to 5 conquest of the Virden Oilers. Mark Fisher was the big gun for the Canucks, going the distance on the mound for his sixth win against one loss and knocking in the the last three runs with a home run. Fisher struck out ten while giving up eight hits and six walks. Larry Shepherd started for Virden and took the loss, surrendering ten of Riverside’s 12 hits. Ross Kinsley had a big day at the dish for the Canucks, bashing two doubles and a pair of singles. Grant Everard and Cliff Seafoot both drilled a brace of one-base raps. The Oilers’ Norm Hemstad and Jim Madder were good for two doubles each.
Shepherd (L), Bridgett (7) and Hemstad
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 18) The visiting Rolla NoDaks clobbered the Dauphin Redbirds 11 to 2 in a battle of sectional cellar-dwellers. Rolla’s Gord Roberge evened his pitching record at 4-4 with the complete-game win. He was touched for seven Redbird safeties while a triad of Dauphin chuckers, including starter and loser Gary Keating, were nicked for 11 base raps. Roberge paced the NoDaks at the plate with a two-run homer, a triple and a single. Dwane Getzlaff singled three times and Bill Berube twice. Leo Valcourt and Keating both had two singles for the vanquished nine.
Roberge (W) and Getzlaff
Keating (L), Kutzan (4), Neufeld (8) and B. Buchy
(July 18) The Hamiota Red Sox clinched the 1971 north-section pennant in the MSBL west with a 6 to 2 victory over the third-place Brandon Cloverleafs. Veteran right-hander Glennis Scott pitched a five-hitter for the Sox in sealing the deal. He gave up four walks and fanned eight in going the distance. Scott was no slouch at the plate either, going three-for-four with a two-run double and a pair of singles. Losing chucker Bob Thompson pitched 7-2/3 innings for Brandon before being lifted for Brian Hodgson with the score 5 to 2 in Hamiota’s favor. Mel Smith and Lynn Caldwell added two singles each to the Red Stockings’ offense while Brian Hodgson stroked a couple of one-baggers for the Leafs.
Scott (W) and B. Caldwell, Woods (8)
Thompson (L), Hodgson (8) and Oakes
(July 19) Bernie Graner became the winningest pitcher in the MSBL west when he received credit for two wins as the Souris Cardinals defeated the Dauphin Redbirds 6 to 1. The game was a two-for-one affair with the first team leading after a completed inning getting credit for a victory in the suspended tie game of July 16. Souris scored once in the bottom-of-the-opening inning to gain the first of two wins and went on to win the other in nine innings, giving Graner, who hurled a three-hitter, the twin triumphs. In improving his record to 8-3, Graner issued five walks and punched out a dozen. The Redbirds started Bob Kutzan, the loser in the suspended tilt, but pulled him in the sixth in favor of Bob Neufeld who was stung with the second setback. The Cardinals’ Doug Armour belted a two-run homer while Graner added three singles and Bill Carpenter and Brian Moffatt two each. John Morrison singled twice for Dauphin.
Graner (W) and Dell
Kutzan (L), Neufeld (6) and B. Buchy
(July 19) In a clash of sectional leaders, the Minot Merchants prevailed 5 to 3 over the Hamiota Red Sox. The game, played in Minot, featured five double plays, three by the hosts, and 21 base hits, 13 by the vanquished Red Sox. Former Hamiotan Donn Feldner went all the way on the bump for the Retailers to earn his fifth win against one loss. Al McNiven pitched the full nine panels for the visitors as his record dropped to 1-3. The Merchants didn’t manage to acquire an extra-base hit and all eight of their hits, singles, were laced by different players. Despite the favorable disparity in base hits for their side, the Crimson Hose were unable to connect in a timely way. Wilf Taylor and McNiven both garnered three one-base hits while Lynn Caldwell and John Wright both delivered a double and single. Mel Smith chipped in with a brace of one-baggers.
McNiven (L) and Wright
Feldner (W) and Werlinger
(July 20) A reversed call on a pickoff play at first base in the top-of-the-ninth inning allowed the Brandon Cloverleafs to eke out a 3 to 2 decision over the visiting Riverside Canucks. With one out, runners at first and second base and the Leafs in front 3 - 0, Brandon catcher Maurice Oakes made an attempt at picking off Canuck baserunner Gene Cory at the initial sack. The play was close and the original call, made by the base umpire, was safe but after a consultation with the plate arbiter, the original decision was reversed and Cory was forced to retire to the dugout as the second out. The Riversiders went on to score a brace of counters yet fell one run short in their attempted comeback. Brian Hodgson went the distance on the hillock for the Wheat City nine, scattering six hits and fanning six in finishing the regular season with a 4-2 mark. Riverside’s Grant Everard also pitched the full nine frames, matching Hodgson’s six-hitter and half-dozen punchout total but being overgenerous with five free passes. The Cloverleafs scored their triad of tallies on a bases-loaded triple by Dave Bender in the second spasm. Cliff Seafoot and Mark Fisher each drove in a counter for the Riversiders in their unsuccessful ninth-canto recovery. Oakes had half of the the Leafs’ six base raps, three singles. Fisher added an earlier triple to his late-RBI one-bagger for the Canucks.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
(July 22) As the MSBL regular schedule concluded, the Virden Oilers picked up a two-for-the-price of-one win at Minot over the Merchants which vaulted them into sole possession of second place in the north section, one game back of the pennant-winning Hamiota Red Sox. The Oilers knocked off their hosts 12 to 5 in a heavy-hitting affair and were also credited for a win in a July 9 assignment at Virden that ended in a tie. As the Oilers had a 3 – 0 lead after the first inning of this tilt, the suspended game went into their win column. They increased their margin to 5 – 0 after three frames and the Dakotans were never able to catch them for the victory in this event. Import Larry Shepherd collected four singles and a triple for the Virdenites in the twin-triumph bout. Ted Bridgett took care of the bulk of the pitching although he needed some help from another import, Jerry Araujo. Minot starter Rich Hauge was nailed with the double-defeat. The Oilers outswatted the Amerks by a 16 to 10 margin. Besides Shepherd and his booming bat, Ian Whyte, Jim Madder, Larry Daniel and Bob Zarn all chipped in with two singles for the winners. Gene Roebuck and Rich Carrier tripled and singled for the Retailers while Don Weber added a double and single.
Bridgett (W), Araujo (6) and Labossiere
Hauge (L), Roebuck (8) and Werlinger
FINAL STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Hamiota 12 8 .600 ----
Virden 11 9 .550 1.0
Brandon 9 11 .450 3.0
Dauphin 5 15 .250 7.0
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Minot 13 7 .650 ----
Souris 12 8 .600 1.0
Riverside 12 8 .600 1.0
Rolla 6 14 .300 7.0
SOUTH-SECTION SECOND PLACE TIE-BREAKER
(July 23) Don Hodgson’s three-run homer in the sixth inning was the big blow for visiting Souris as the Cardinals defeated the Riverside Canucks 5 to 2 in a special playoff game to decide second place in the south section of the MSBL west. The Cards scored for runs in that crucial sixth spasm to break up a 1 – 1 tie in a pitching battle that had existed between between Souris Rick Read and Riverside’s Mark Fisher. The Canucks owned a slight 8 to 7 edge in base knocks. Lynn McEvoy stroked three singles for the Cardinals, resulting in a pair of RBI’s. Gene Cory over the Riversiders also stung the sphere for a triad of one-baggers.
Read (W) and Dell
Fisher (L) and C. Seafoot
PLAYOFFS
SECTIONAL SEMI-FINALS (best-of-five series)
NORTH
Dauphin Redbirds vs Hamiota Red Sox
Brandon Cloverleafs vs Virden Oilers
SOUTH
Rolla NoDaks vs Minot Merchants
Souris Redbirds vs Riverside Canucks
(July 25) The Brandon Cloverleafs began their north-sectional playoff run with a 10 to 4 victory over the hosting Virden Oilers. Brian Hodgson gave up eight hits and two free passes while fanning five in the complete-game pitching triumph. Losing heaver Larry Shepherd had ten punchouts but allowed 13 Brandon hits and four walks in suffering the defeat. Roy McLachlan unloaded a three-run homer and added a single to pace the Leafs at the dish. Teammate Murray Thoms also delivered a round-tripper, a solo blast while Bill Chapple singled three times and Rick McFadyen twice. Jim Madder and Daryle McCannell both slapped out a brace of one-base raps for the Oilers.
Hodgson (W) and Kabel
Shepherd (L) and Labossiere
(July 25) The Souris Cardinals pounded three Riverside pitchers for 11 hits en route to an 11 to 6 victory and a one-game lead in their best-of-five south-sectional semi-final series. Bernie Graner went the route for the Cards, surrendering six hits and four walks while whiffing 11 Canucks. Grant Everard, the first of three chuckers used by the Riversiders, was tagged with the defeat. Shortpatcher Don Hodgson had a solo homer and a single to pace Souris offensively. Doug Armour, Greg Cameron and John Dell had a pair of singles apiece. The Cardinals committed six errors but the Canucks failed to capitalize on them.
Everard (L), Hunter (4), Reid (5) and C. Seafoot
Graner (W) and Dell
(July 25) Sneaking across a counter in the bottom-of-the-ninth canto, the Hamiota Red Sox edged the Dauphin Redbirds 5 to 4 in the first game of their north-sectional semi-finals. Ron Ramsey went the distance on the hill for the Scarlet Stockings, giving up six hits and four walks while punching out ten. Bob Neufeld was nailed with the pitching loss, surrendering ten base raps and three free passes while swishing ten. Hamiota, minus the services of stalwarts Glennis Scott, Al Robertson and Bryan Smith, who are all in Columbia with Canada’s Pan-Am Games baseball team, came up with a strong performance at the plate. Ellis Woods doubled twice and Mel Smith as well as Bob Caldwell each added a double and single. Garth Sararas delivered a brace of one-baggers. Rollie Secord was best with the baton for Souris, nailing a double and single.
Neufeld (L) and Fitzpatrick
Ramsey (W) and B. Caldwell
(July 27) The Minot Merchants belted four homers, three of them in a four-run second inning, and posted a 9 to 6 decision over the hometown Rolla NoDaks in the opener of their best-of-five south-section semi-final series. Bill Koering went all the way on the hill for the winners, striking out 14 and walking five. Gord Roberge, tagged with the loss, also tossed the entire nine panels, fanning nine and walking a pair. Tom Kraft, Jack Carmine and Koering had the second-stanza round-trippers while catcher Don Werlinger belted a solo shot in the seventh spasm. Werlinger added a pair of singles to the Minot offensive cause while Carmine, in addition to his dinger, cracked a double and single. Lester Thomas paced the NoDaks, cellar-dwellers in the south-section, with a triple and single while Gary Anderson delivered a double and one-bagger.
Koering (W) and Werlinger
Roberge (L) and Getzlaff
(July 27) Behind the pitching and hitting of Mark Fisher, the Riverside Canucks doubled the Souris Cardinals 6 to 3 to square their south-section semi-final at a game each. Fisher went the distance on the knoll, scattering five hits, walking four and whiffing ten. He also unloaded a three-run homer in the fourth inning, scoring what proved to be the winning marker with the blast. Rick Read went all the way on the bump for the Cardinals, surrendering nine hits, fanning seven and issuing only one free pass. Aside from Fisher’s decisive clout, teammate Wes Rathwell collected a pair of doubles and a single. Veteran catcher Cliff Seafoot also nailed three safeties, all one-baggers. Greg Cameron topped the Souris hitting with a brace of singles.
Read (L) and Dell
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 28) The Virden Oilers thrashed four Brandon chuckers for 17 hits at Kinsmen Stadium, pounding out a 10 to 1 victory over the Cloverleafs and deadlocking their best-of-five north-sectional playoff at a game apiece. Jerry Araujo copped the complete-game mound triumph, scattering five hits and whiffing nine. Brandon starter Ron Funk, who was responsible for six Virden counters on ten base raps, was charged with the loss. Ted Bridgett had an exceptional game at the plate for the winners, rapping out five singles in five official times at bat. Mike Labossiere, doing a stellar job behind the plate following a season-ending injury to regular catcher Norm Hemstad, added a triple, double and a run-scoring single. Bob Wilson doubled and singled for the Leafs.
Araujo (W) and Labossiere
Funk (L), McFadyen (5), Powers (7), McLachlan (8) and Kabel, Oakes (8)
(July 28) Outfielder Bill Cook hammered a solo four-bagger and a two-run double to boost the Minot Merchants to a 5 to 1 conquest of the Rolla NoDaks, giving the Merchants a stranglehold on their best-of-five south-section semi-final series. Donn Feldner, in relief of starter Frank Bruels who was forced to exit early with a stiff shoulder, earned the hurling decision. The duo checked Rolla on six hits. Tom Kurtti went the distance for the NoDaks and surrendered nine hits in taking the loss. Besides Cook’s decisive blasts, Minot had a triple and one-bagger from Rich Carrier and a couple of singles from Jack Carmine. For the vanquished Rolla squad, Gary Anderson had a triple and single while Dennis Burkholder contributed two singles.
Bruels, Feldner (W) (3) and Werlinger
Kurtti (L) and Schilling
(July 29) The Riverside Canucks scored four runs in the seventh inning to post a 6 to 3 come-from-behind triumph over the Souris Cardinals and gain a two-games-to-one lead in their best-of-five south-sectional semi-final series. Craig Bell delivered the big blow for the victors in the seventh, hammering a two-run circuit jack. Grant Everard scattered four hits, all singles, and walked five in going the distance for the win. Losing twirler Bernie Graner was derricked in the seventh spasm in favor of Bill Carpenter. The Cardinal hurling tandem combined to surrender six safeties and issue seven walks. Gene Cory doubled and singled for the Riversiders and Cliff Seafoot added two singles.
Graner (L), Carpenter (7) and Dell
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 30) Hamiota and Dauphin battled through 11 innings, failing to produce a winner in a 0 – 0 tie. Allie McNiven struck out eight in going the distance on the bump for the hosting Red Sox. He gave up only four hits and surrendered one walk. Dauphin’s Gary Keating also went all the way, whiffing 12, walking six while yielding nine base hits. The Crimson Hose threatened to score numerous times but failed to come up with a key hit. Four times the host club loaded the bases and, on two of those occasions, Redbird outfielders cut down the potential winning run at the plate.
Keating and Fitzpatrick
McNiven and B. Caldwell
(July 30) Junk-throwing veteran southpaw Brian Hodgson tamed Virden on five hits while his mates were busy banging out a dozen base knocks as the Brandon Cloverleafs bounced the hosting Oilers 9 to 1 to grab a two-game-to-one-lead in their playoff struggle. Hodgson surrendered a solo home run to starting and losing pitcher Ted Bridgett of the Virdenites in the opening canto then blanked the Oilers the rest of the way. In winning his second game of the series, he registered six strikeouts and walked five. Bridgett worked six full innings on the hill before import Larry Shepherd took over with his team in arrears by a 5 – 1 count. The Leafs tagged him for deuces in each of the eighth and ninth chapters to finish the scoring. Keystone sacker Murray Thoms paced the winners at the plate with a pair of doubles and a single. Catcher Maurice Oakes garnered a couple of singles, an output equalled by Virden’s Jim Madder.
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
Bridgett (L), Shepherd (7) and Labossiere
(July 31) The Minot Merchants broke open a close 1 – 0 encounter by scoring 11 runs in the eighth inning to blank the visiting Rolla NoDaks 12 to 0 and, in the process eliminate their fellow Dakotans from the south-section playoffs. Frank Bruels picked up the hillock verdict, giving up three hits while ringing up a dozen punchouts. Rolla starting heaver Dwane Getzlaff was nailed with the pitching setback. Tom Kraft drove in two runs for the winners in the fruitful eighth with his second home run of the series.
Getzlaff (L), Roberge (8), Enerson (8) and Schilling
Bruels (W) and Werlinger
(August 1) Craig Bell’s three-run homer in the second inning was all the offense Riverside needed when they dumped the Souris Cardinals 5 to 2 to annex their best-of-five sectional semi-finals in four games. Mark Fisher went the distance on the bump for the Canucks, scattering five hits while striking out nine. Souris starter Rick Read, relieved in the seventh panel by Bernie Graner, suffered the loss. Playing-manager Gord Hunter singled three times for the Riversiders while Cliff Seafoot added a double and one-bagger. Fisher contributed a brace of one-base hits to help his cause. Don Hodgson unloaded a bases-empty four-ply clout for the Cardinals and teammate Brian Moffatt connected for a couple of singles.
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
Read (L), Graner (7) and Dell
(August 2) The Dauphin Redbirds evened their north-section semi-final series at a game apiece with a hard-fought 2 to 1 triumph over the Hamiota Red Sox. Hamiota jumped into a one-run lead in the fourth frame when Lynn Caldwell tripled home Mel Smith. Dauphin’s Bob Buchy crushed a Ron Ramsey offering for a leadoff round-tripper in the eighth episode to knot the count. Then, in the ninth, Buchy came to bat with the bases loaded and slammed a game-winning hit which plated Jim Cruise. Bob Neufeld struck out nine and walked three in registering hi first mound triumph of the season. Ramsey, the complete-game loser yielded eight safeties, struck out three and gave up eight free passes. Three of those bases-on-balls went to Buchy who led the Redbirds with his two important late hits. Gary Keating followed with a double and single.
Ramsey (L) and xxx
Neufeld (W) and xxx
(August 2) The Brandon Cloverleafs advanced to the north-section finals by taking an impressive 7 to 2 decision from the Virden Oilers at Kinsmen Stadium. The Wheat City nine prevailed three-games-to-one in the best-of-five series. Ron Funk turned in a superb mound performance for the Leafs. In arrears by a deuce after the opening canto, he settled down and did not surrender a hit to the Oilers after the fourth frame, finishing with a six-hitter. Virden’s Jerry Araujo, lifted from the knoll in the seventh spasm, was nicked with the loss. Bob Wilson hammered two triples for the Leafs, the last of which drove in a brace of counters to seal the deal for the Brandonites. Bill Chapple also rammed a three-bagger to go along with a single while Funk delivered two singles. Larry Shepherd paced the Oilers offensively with a double and an RBI-single.
Araujo (L), Bridgett (7) and Labossiere
Funk (W) and Oakes
(August 4) Six Dauphin errors in one inning negated a fine three-hit pitching performance by Redbird chucker Bob Kutzan and led to a gift 7 to 3 triumph for the Hamiota Red Sox. The Redbirds were sailing along with a commanding 3 – 0 lead heading into the eight episode only to implode defensively and hand the game on a silver platter to the visitors. Winning chucker Al McNiven went the distance for the Hamiotans and also tossed a fine three-hitter. Neither team managed an extra-base hit in the contest.
McNiven (W) and B. Caldwell
Kutzan (L), Andres (8) and Fitzpatrick, B. Buchy (6)
(August 5) The Hamiota Red Sox raked a pair of Dauphin hurlers for 17 base hits in cruising to an 11 to 5 conquest of the visiting Redbirds and a three-games-to-one series’ win. The Dauphinites continued their sloppy defensive play of late, committing five errors to make things even easier for the conquering Sox. Ron Ramsey scattered five hits to cop the heaving win while Redbird starter Gary Keating, kayoed in the third inning, was stung with the loss. Mel Smith, Lynn Caldwell and Gord Lyall cracked out three hits each to lead the Scarlet Stockings. Smith’s total of raps included a triple while Lyall’s sum of swats contained a brace of two-baggers. Garth Sararas and Ellis Woods each added a double and single while Ramsey came through with a couple of one-base raps. Bob Neufeld, who toiled on the bump for the vanquished nine after Keating was sent to the showers, singled twice.
Keating (L), Neufeld (3) and Fitzpatrick
Ramsey (W) and B. Caldwell
SECTIONAL FINALS (best-of-five series)
(North) Brandon Cloverleafs vs Hamiota Red Sox
(South) Riverside Canucks vs Minot Merchants
(August 6) Frank Bruels tossed a three-hitter and kept Riverside off the scoreboard for eight innings as the Minot Merchants downed the visiting Canucks 6 to 1 as their south-section best-of-five final series got underway. Bruels gave up three walks and struck out seven en route to the win. Losing chucker Mark Fisher also went the distance, allowing ten hits, walking six and whiffing six. Bruels lost his bid for a shutout in the ninth when Riverside’s Gene Cory tripled and scored on an infield out. The Merchants scored twice in the fifth on a two-run single off the bat of Don Werlinger. They salted away the victory in the sixth when Larry Muratore drove in another brace of counters with a Texas-League double and Gene Roebuck followed with an RBI-single. Tom Kraft drove in the Dakotans’ sixth tally with a run-scoring single in the eighth chapter. Bill Cook and Muratore both laced a double and single for the south-section pennant winners.
Fisher (L) and C. Seafoot
Bruels (W) and Werlinger
(August 8) Getting to nemesis Brian Hodgson for just six hits, four of them in the third inning, the stubborn Hamiota Red Sox stopped the Brandon Cloverleafs 4 to 2 to grab a one-game cushion in their best-of-five north-section finals. After battling through three scoreless innings, the Sox went ahead 3 – 0 in the bottom-of-the-fourth frame when young Wilf Taylor cleared the sacks with a double. They extended the margin to 4 – 0 in the sixth when Lynn Caldwell creamed a solo home run. Gord Lyall, the second of three Hamiota chuckers, picked up the win after coming to the aid of starter Al McNiven who was forced to bow out in the third canto because of a pulled muscle. The Leafs had ten hits but were unable to parlay them into runs except for the eighth chapter when they got to Lyall for a deuce. Mel Smith had two of the victors’ six safeties, both singles. Roy McLachlan picked up a double and two singles for the beaten Brandonites while Bill Chapple and Rick McFadyen chipped in with two singles each.
Hodgson (L) and Oakes
McNiven, Lyall (W) (3), Ramsey (9) and B. Caldwell
(August 9) Eleven one-base hits and a shaky third inning by the invading Minot pastimers piloted the Riverside Canucks to a convincing 8 to 2 victory over the Merchants, squaring their south-section final series at a game each. In the pivotal third chapter, the Canucks plated four counters on two costly Minot miscues, three walks by complete-game losing pitcher Donn Feldner and a two-run single by Wes Rathwell. In all, the south-section pennant-winning Merchants committed six errors. Grant Everard went the distance for the Riversiders, scattering eight hits, fanning seven and walking a pair, in garnering the mound win. Feldner was raked for 11 safeties in pitching the distance. Everard, Rathwell, Mark Fisher, Cliff Seafoot and playing-manager Gord Hunter managed a couple of safe knocks apiece for the winners.
Feldner (L) and Carrier
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(August 10) Catcher Maurice Oakes singled in the winning run in the bottom-of-the-eighth inning giving the Brandon Cloverleafs a thrilling come-from-behind 3 to 2 triumph over the Hamiota Red Sox, deadlocking their north-section final of the MSBL west at a game apiece. The Cloverleafs, behind 2 – 0 after 7-1/2 innings, plated a trey in their half of the canto, climaxed by Oakes’ bingle, to snatch victory away from the eager Hamiotans. Ron Funk went the distance for the Leafs in picking up the win. He gave up eight hits, two walks and struck out four. Ron Ramsey pitched the full game for the visitors and was charged with the loss. He yielded five hits, three of them in the disastrous eighth, walked a pair and whiffed four. The Red Sox went ahead 2 – 0 in the fourth frame when the hosts handed them both runs, courtesy of errors. Pinch-hitter Rick McFadyen got to Ramsey for a two-run double in the eighth to tie the score and set the stage for Oakes’ clutch hit.
Funk (W) and Oakes
Ramsey (L) and B. Caldwell
(August 11) The visiting Riverside Canucks held off a late charge by the Minot Merchants to stun their pennant-winning hosts 8 to 7 and jump ahead two-games-to-one in their south-section final series. Mark Fisher went the distance in posting the hillock triumph for the Riversiders. He punched out an even Merchant batters dozen while walking seven. Minot’s Bill Koering also worked the full nine innings, striking out three and passing five. Catcher Cliff Seafoot paced the balanced ten-hit Canuck attack with a pair of singles. However, a two-run double by teammate Wes Rathwell in the top-of-the-ninth chapter drove in what proved to be the winning tally. The pennant-winning Merchants rallied for a three-spot in the bottom-of-the-ninth canto but fell just short in their comeback attempt. Jack Carmine had a two-run triple and a two-bagger for the Dakotans while skipper Larry Muratore blasted a three-bagger and single.
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
Koering (L) and Muratore
(August 13) The Brandon Cloverleafs lashed out 14 base blows en route to an 11 to 2 conquest of the understaffed Hamiota Red Sox to take a two-games-to-one lead in their northern-section series. Brian Hodgson went all the way on the hill for Brandon, scattering six hits while starter Ellis Woods of the pitching-strapped Red Sox was charged with the loss. Hodgson whiffed ten, issued two free passes, gave up six safeties and appeared to get stronger as the game progressed. Roy McLachlan, with a three-run shot, and Bill Chapple, with a two-run blast, went yard with taters for the Leafs while Bob Caldwell notched a solo dinger for the Sox. Chapple added a triple and single to his four-bagger while McLachlan belted a brace of two-baggers to go along with his circuit-jack. Other hitters of note for the Leafs were Dennis Wiebe with a double and single as well as Bob Wilson with a couple of one-baggers, the last of which drove in a pair of tallies.
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
Woods (L), Lyall (6) and B. Caldwell
(August 15) The Minot Merchants came through in the clutch, edging the hometown Riverside Canucks 6 to 5, avoiding elimination by squaring their south-section final series at two games apiece with the Riversiders. Frank Bruels earned the heaving verdict over Grant Everard as both right handers went the distance on a hot, windy afternoon and both fanned six. The opposing chuckers were combed for 24 hits in all, 13 by the losers. The turning point in the closely-contested tilt appeared to come in the seventh stanza. The Canucks, in front by a 4 to 3 count, had Mark Fisher perched on second via a double with Cliff Seafoot coming to bat. The veteran catcher came through with a single but Fisher stumbled, making the turn at third base, and was ultimately caught in a rundown. The Merchants tied things up in the seventh and went ahead in the eighth on a two-run single by Bill Koering. Rich Carrier paced Minot at the plate with a triple and a pair of singles. Jack Carmine delivered a double and single and Bill Werlinger rapped a brace of one-baggers. Seafoot and Fisher accounted for nine of the 13 Canuck safeties, Seafoot was five-for-five with a double and four singles while Fisher went four-for-five with a pair of doubles and a couple of one-base raps.
Bruels (W) and Werlinger
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
(August 16) Thanks to the return of ace slab artist Glennis Scott from the Pan-Am Games, the reinvigorated Hamiota Red Sox ran roughshod over the Brandon Cloverleafs by a 7 to 2 count and forced a fifth and deciding game in their north-section final series. Although touched for eight hits, Scott was extremely effective, especially in the latter stages of the game. Brandon loaded the bases in the sixth and eighth panels but couldn’t manage to tag Scott for a big hit. He finished with ten strikeouts, walking five and hitting two batters. Losing flinger Ron Funk started on the hill for Brandon and lasted eight full innings, surrendering ten of Hamiota’s 13 base knocks, before getting the hook. The Red Sox lit him up for a three-spot in the second spasm, which turned out to be all they needed.
Scott (W) and B. Caldwell
Funk (L), Thompson (9), Andrews (9) and Oakes
(August 17) After breezing to the south-section pennant in their inaugural season as part of the MSBL west, the Minot Merchants continued to make waves when they pounded the visiting Riverside Canucks 9 to 3 to annex their sectional series in five tough games. In the clincher played on their home turf, Bill Koering went all the way on the hill for the Dakotans, stopping the Canucks on four hits while swishing five and walking as many. Losing heaver Mark Fisher was shelled from the knoll in a starting role for the first time all season, heading for an early shower in the third chapter when the hosts rocked him for six safeties and a five-spot. Les Lilley took over mound chores at that point and went the rest of the way, surrendering deuces in each of the seventh and eighth cantos. Catcher Don Werlinger carried the big baton for the Merchants, clubbing a pair of doubles and a single while skipper Larry Muratore and Jack Carmine followed with a two-bagger and single each. Gene Cory singled twice for the vanquished Riversiders.
Fisher (L), Lilley (3) and C. Seafoot
Koering (W) and Werlinger
(August 17) The Brandon Cloverleafs, who finished third in sectional play, pulled off the first big upset of the playoffs when they blanked the Hamiota Red Sox 6 to 0 in the fifth and deciding game of their series, ousting the north-section pennant-winners from further playoff action. Portsider Brian Hodgson was at his best in this sudden-death tussle, limiting the Red Sox to only four hits in posting the shutout victory. He had the Hamiotans eating out of his hand, feeding them with pitches that were continually hit on the ground to his ever-waiting infield crew. Ron Ramsey went the distance for the Crimson Hose, allowing 11 Brandon hits while walking a pair. The Leafs started with a bang in this crucial match, parlaying a walk and three straight hits into a 3 to 0 third-inning lead. They struck for their other trey in the eighth on the strength of four singles. Catcher Maurice Oakes led the Cloverleaf batters with a double and two singles. Hodgson did his part by clipping the orb for two singles while Rick McFadyen hit an important two-run double in Brandon’s third-canto uprising.
Hodgson (W) and Oakes
Ramsey (L) and B. Caldwell
NORTH-SOUTH FINALS Brandon Cloverleafs vs Minot Merchants (best-of-five series)
(August 21) The Brandon Cloverleafs jumped all over Minot starter and loser Donn Feldner for all their runs as they gained a 10 to 8 victory over the hosting Merchants in the opening game of the best-of-five finals. Bounced from the knoll after 4-1/3 innings, Feldner issued nine bases-on-balls while yielding six safeties. Bill Koering took over from Feldner and did not allow a run, surrendering four hits and whiffing five, in going the rest of the way. Cloverleafs’ Bob Thompson, in his first start since returning from the Pan-Am Games in Colombia, went the route for the Wheat City nine, scattering 11 base raps, walking five and fanning nine. Bob Wilson laced a two-run triple and a single for the winners while Bill Chapple and Maurice Oakes each delivered a double and one-bagger with Chapple picking up two RBI’s. Dave Bender followed with a couple of one-base hits. Leading the way offensively for Minot were Rich Carrier and Larry Muratore, each of whom singled on three occasions. Clubmate Ed Baker doubled and singled.
Thompson (W) and Oakes
Feldner (L), Koering (5) and Werlinger
(August 24) Ace right-hander Frank Bruels lifted the Minot Merchants back on even terms with the Brandon Cloverleafs in the north-south finals by spinning a sparkling five-hitter at Kinsmen Stadium in which the Dakotans blanked their hosts 2 to 0. In fashioning the shutout victory, Bruels rang up 11 punchouts and allowed only one Leaf runner to get as far as third base. Losing twirler Brian Hodgson didn’t pitch all that badly in going the route. He gave up seven hits and whiffed an equal number. Minot scored both their runs, one of which was unearned, in the fifth frame. Playing-manager Larry Muratore led off with a single and came around to touch the plate on Don Werlinger’s booming triple. The Merchant catcher then romped home with the insurance counter when Brandon’s keystone sacker Murray Thoms couldn’t find the handle on a hard-hit ground ball hit by Bill Koering.
Bruels (W) and Werlinger
Hodgson (L) and Oakes
(August 26) The Brandon Cloverleafs grabbed a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-five MSBL west finals by chalking up a 5 to 1 home victory over the south-section champion Minot Merchants. Lanky right-hander Bob Thompson stymied the Dakotans for the second time in the finals, not only with his pitching, but also with his bat at he knocked in what turned out to be the winning run with a third-inning single that plated Dave Bender to put the Leafs in front 2 – 0. It was on the mound, however, where Thompson shone, pitching his way out of jam after jam. Three times the Merchants loaded the bases and three times Thompson twirled his way out. Minot ended up leaving 15 baserunners stranded, due mainly to Thompson’s clutch knoll efforts. Rival heaver Bill Koering went the route as well in absorbing the defeat, surrendering nine hits, walking five and breezing nine. A three-run sixth-inning, sparked by a two-run single off the bat of Roy McLachlan, made victory almost certain for the homesters. Neither team managed an extra-base hit in the contest with Brandon’s Maurice Oakes and McLachlan the only players to hit safely twice.
Koering (L) and Werlinger
Thompson (W) and Oakes
(August 28-29) Manitoba senior baseball single-knockout championship tournament
(August 31) A 13 to 2 thumping of the hosting Minot Merchants closed out the MSBL west final series and gave the north-section Brandon Cloverleafs the 1971 championship in four games. The Cloverleafs battered three Minot chuckers for 17 base knocks in winning convincingly. Portsider Brian Hodgson started on the mound for Brandon and, throwing breaking stuff almost exclusively, handcuffed the hometown Dakotans until the eighth episode when he tired and Bob Thompson took over to close things out. Hodgson scattered nine hits but surrendered only three of those until the eighth when the Merchants scored their only two counters. Merchant starting flinger Donn Feldner, who was kayoed in the second spasm after the Leafs pounded him for five runs on seven hits, was nicked with the setback. A two-out, inside-the-park solo home run by Dave Bender got the visitors rolling in the second-inning spree. The Minot baseballers, looking nothing like the south-section pennant winners, committed six errors to the Leafs one. Bill Chapple led the offensive onslaught for the Wheat City nine, stroking the sphere for five safe swats, including a two-bagger, in six attempts. Maurice Oakes continued his solid playoff performance with three singles while Rick McFadyen delivered a double and one-base rap. Ed Baker managed a triple and single for the vanquished Dakotans while Gene Roebuck had two singles, the last of which drove in both Merchant tallies.
Hodgson (W), Thompson (8) and Oakes
Feldner (L), Koering (2), Bruels (7) and Werlinger
(September 4-6) 1971 Canadian senior baseball championship tournament
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE EAST-WEST FINAL SERIES
Ste. Agathe Bisons vs Brandon Cloverleafs (best-of-three series)
(September 9) Right-hander Bob Thompson was overpowering as he stopped the invading Ste. Agathe Bisons on three hits in pitching the Brandon Cloverleafs to a 2 to 0 conquest of the MSBL east-division champions in the opener of the best-of-three MSBL east-west finals at Kinsmen Stadium. Thompson reeled off 11 strikeouts and walked just four, two of these coming in the final frame when he experienced a temporary loss of command. Not a single Bison baserunner had reached second base until the back-to-back free passes in the ninth but he settled right down and punched out the next two Ste. Agathe batters to end the game. Losing chucker, southpaw Bob Hunter, yielded only four hits but had major control issues, walking nine and hitting another batter. Losing his cool in the bottom-of-the-eighth episode, Hunter was banished from the game and veteran Paul Chartrand took over pitching chores. Dave Bender drove in both tallies for the victorious Leafs, with run-scoring singles in both the fourth and sixth spasms. Thompson laced the other pair of Brandon safeties, a double and a one-bagger.
B. Hunter (L), Chartrand (8) and A. Hunter
Thompson (W) and Oakes
(September 12) The Ste. Agathe Bisons pushed across a run in the bottom-of-the-tenth inning to edge the west-division champion Brandon Cloverleafs 12 to 11 and tie the MSBL east-west finals at a game apiece. In the overtime session at Ste. Agathe, Jack Norman of the Bisons led off with a single and scored the deciding tally when Dave Saulnier’s liner to right field was misplayed. With the wind blowing, fly balls went sailing out of the relatively-small Ste. Agathe ballyard in rapid order. Seven four-ply clouts in total were launched, four by the hosting east-division champions. Bob Audette ripped a brace of taters while clubmates Sonny Stephens and Bob Hunter each dialed long distance on one occasion. Going yard with dingers for the Wheat City nine were Bob Thompson, Maurice Oakes and Rick McFadyen. Thompson’s round-tripper was a grand-salami clout. Each squad used three chuckers with playoff pickup Rick Cruise copping the win for the Bisons while the Cloverleafs’ Thompson was nailed with the defeat.
Funk, Hodgson (2), Thompson (L) (8) and McFadyen, Oakes (3)
Chartrand, B. Hunter (6), Cruise (W) (9) and A. Hunter
(September 14) The Brandon Cloverleafs added the 1971 MSBL overall championship to their seasonal winnings by taking a convincing 7 to 1 verdict from the Ste. Agathe Bisons in the rubber-match of their east-west final series. Bob Thompson’s right arm carried the Cloverleafs to victory and the title. The lanky speedballer zipped third strikes past 14 Bison batters on a chilly evening at Kinsmen Stadium. He gave up seven hits but his control was so superb that he didn’t walk a batter. He got off to a shaky start, allowing Ste. Agathe an opening-inning tally but came on strong in the second spasm as the Bison’s troubles began. With the suspension of ace southpaw Bob Hunter for his first-game antics, the east-division champs started veteran Paul Chartrand on the knoll but he gave up five Brandon runs in less than three innings and three other hurlers, including playing-manager Terry Moore, paraded to the elevated portion of the diamond. The quartet were lit up for ten Leafs safeties while issuing nine bases-on-balls. Rick McFadyen paced the victors at the plate with three singles while teammates Dennis Wiebe and Roy McLachlan swatted a brace of one-baggers each. Flychaser Brock McConachy of the Bisons had a double, the game’s lone extra-base blow, and a single while Phil Gorman singled twice in a losing cause.
Chartrand (L), Moore (3), Cruise (8), Audette (8) and A. Hunter
Thompson (W) and Oakes
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE (EAST DIVISION)
Significantly reduced in membership from eight to five teams in 1971, this eastern half of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League had a track record of questionable organization and loose management in recent seasons, especially when it came to meeting playoff commitments.
Exiting in 1971 were Balmoral, C.U.A.C., St. Boniface and Ste. Anne while a new entry from Carman joined the loop. As well, the perennially competitive team from Transcona was transplanted in a small francophone community and became the Ste. Agathe Bisons.
As has been the case with the Winnipeg and area eastern division of the MSBL in recent seasons, irregularity persisted in the reporting of game results. The month of June was adequately publicized but, come early July, published game reports in the print media abruptly stopped, leaving the impression that something was seriously wrong, perhaps even that the circuit had ceased operations. No results of any further regular-season or playoff games appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press although it was mentioned in a snippet that semi-final playoffs were scheduled to begin on August 10 and that only the Steinbach Millers had failed to qualify for post-season play. Then, in late August another brief paragraph identified the Ste. Agathe Bisons as playoff winners who would be representing the eastern division of the MSBL in the forthcoming Manitoba senior baseball single-knockout tournament and that their first opponent was the Binscarth Orioles.
Carman Goldeyes
Sanford/R. M. of MacDonald Mets
South End Sioux
Ste. Agathe Bisons
Steinbach Millers
(June 6) Phil Gorman launched a pair of circuit-clouts, his second and third of the young campaign, as the Ste. Agathe Bisons beat the Sanford Mats 13 to 8 in an MSBL east slugfest. The Bisons erupted for eight runs in the seventh inning en route to their third win in as many games. Earlier in the season, they chalked up 7 to 1 and 11 to 2 victories over the South End Sioux and Carman Goldeyes respectively.
Gorman had four RBI’s as he added a double and single to his home run production. Terry Moore and Bob Audette also belted four-baggers for Ste. Agathe. Portsider Bob Hunter copped the hurling decision after coming to the relief of starting heaver Moore. Jim Crawford was the starter and losing heaver for the Mets. Stuart Manness singled three times for Sanford while teammate Ron Lagace connected for a four-ply clout.
(June 8) The R. M. of MacDonald Mets, playing out of Sanford, doubled the Steinbach Millers 10 to 5 as winning pitcher Elgin Grominsky allowed only three hits in going the distance. Jack Forsyth drilled a double and two singles for the winners.
(June 9) Showing excellent control, Don Maskiw pitched the Sanford Mets to a 6 to 4 victory over the Carman Goldeyes. Maskiw whiffed ten Goldeyes and walked only one in tossing a seven-hitter. Carman starter Doug Harrison was saddled with the loss. Stu Manness tagged the pill for three safeties, including a dinger, in pacing the Mets’ offensive charge. Clubmate Ben Comeau added a pair of base raps. Ron Funk went yard for the vanquished nine, belting a tater.
(June 9) It took a bit of travelling but the Ste. Agathe Bisons managed to win both ends of a three-team MSBL east doubleheader. The Saints visited the South End Sioux in their opening tussle and came away with a 7 to 1 win behind the four-hit, 13-strikeout pitching of Paul Chartrand. Offensively, Dave Saulnier, Phil Gorman and Darcy Norman raked losing chucker Les Lisowski for two hits apiece.
In their second tilt played on their home turf in the francophone community of Ste. Agathe, the Bisons received a great pitching performance from Terry Moore who blanked the Steinbach Millers 1 to 0 on a neat three-hitter. Moore fanned 15 batters in the seven-inning affair which was called because of darkness. Gorman drove in the only run of the game in the first inning.
(June 13) Strong relief pitching by Les Lisowski helped the South End Sioux subdue the Sanford Mets 6 to 5 in an MSBL clash at Grant Park. Lisowski was summoned to the knoll in the eighth episode and preserved the win for starting heaver Bill Walmsley. Ron Ottawa had a perfect day at the plate for the Sioux, delivering a double and three singles.
(June 21) Don Maskiw handcuffed the Ste. Agathe Bisons on four hits to pace the R. M. MacDonald Mets of Sanford to an 8 to 2 win in a MSBL tilt. Maskiw fanned five in going the abbreviated six-inning contest to hand the Bisons their first loss in seven starts. The Mets sport a 5 – 2 record. Paul Chartrand was the losing heaver. Relief pitcher Bob Hunter was ejected from the game in the sixth spasm leaving Ste. Agathe with only eight players. Ben Comeau laced a triple and single for the winners while Jim Crawford doubled and singled. Clubmates Garth Manness and Bob Arnal both drove in two runs.
(June 24) Behind the 16-strikeout performance of Les Lisowski, the South End Sioux stopped Steinbach 3 to 0.
(June 25) The Sanford Mets, sparked by pitcher Don Maskiw, vaulted into top spot in the MSBL standings with a 9 to 6 victory over the homestanding Ste. Agathe Bisons. Maskiw, who now has a 4 – 1 record, aided his own cause with a two-run homer. Bob Hunter was nicked with the defeat. Bill Predinchuk had a single and double for the winners while Phil Gorman laced a triad of one-baggers for the Saints.
(June 27) Carl Watson, pitching in relief, led the invading Carman Goldeyes to a 7 to 5 win over the R. M. of MacDonald Mets of Sanford in MSBL east action. Tom MacKay, who started on the mound for Carman, knocked in the winning run with a ninth-inning four-bagger.
Standings W L Pct. GBL
Sanford Mets 7 3 .700 ----
Ste. Agathe Bisons 6 4 .600 1.0
South End Sioux 6 4 .600 1.0
Carman Goldeyes 3 7 .300 4.0
Steinbach Millers 3 7 .300 4.0
(July 5) Don Maskiw struck out seven on the way to his fifth win of the season for the R. M. of MacDonald Mets of Sanford as they downed the Steinbach Millers 11 to 1. In addition to the pitching victory, Maskiw had three base raps, an output equalled by teammates Gerald Hogue and Jack Forsythe. Marcel Champagne, battered from the bump in the third inning, was the losing tosser.
(July 7) The suddenly-hot Carman Goldeyes won their fifth game in a row by edging the South End Sioux 5 to 4 in Carman. Rick Cruise was the winning heaver while Jim Geisbrecht delivered a three-run single for the victors.
NO RESULTS OF ADDITIONAL LEAGUE GAMES WERE LOCATED
PLAYOFFS
SEMI-FINALS Carman vs Ste. Agathe & South End vs Sanford (best-of-five series)
NO RESULTS OF EITHER SEMI-FINAL OR FINAL PLAYOFF GAMES WERE PUBLISHED ALTHOUGH THE STE. AGATHE BISONS WERE IDENTIFIED AS 1971 PLAYOFF CHAMPIONS
SOUTH-CENTRAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
Carberry RoyalsCypress River
Glenboro Canucks
Holland Athletics
NEEPAWA & DISTRICT BASEBALL LEAGUE
ArdenNeepawa Cubs
LEAGUE FINALS
(August 8) The hometown Cubs will represent the Neepawa & District Baseball League in provincial senior playdowns by winning the league championship against Arden in three games. Neepawa lost the opener 7 – 5 but came back with 5 – 3 and 7 – 5 wins. The Cubs will now face the Pilot Mound Pilots in the first round of the M.B.A. playdowns.
M.B.A. PLAYOFFS
(August 13 & 15) The Neepawa Cubs hurdled their first obstacle in the M.B.A. playdowns on the weekend when they sidelined the Pilot Mound Pilots in two straight games, trouncing the visiting Pilots 9 to 2 on Friday and closed out the best-of-three series with an exciting 15 to 14 win in ten innings at Pilot Mound Sunday. Righthander Bill Fraser was the winning heaver in the first game while Ron McGorman survived to win the series’ clincher. Playing-manager Eddie Crabbe went yard with dingers in both games while Bill Legary dialed long distance for a brace of taters in the second encounter.
BORDER BASEBALL LEAGUE
Pilot Mound PilotsBoissevain Border Kings
MANITOBA JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Anota KingsAssiniboia-Westwood Buffaloes
Carman Goldeyes
Legion #141
Portage la Prairie Forresters
South End Sioux
St. Boniface-Norwood
St. James Cardinals F
Transcona Mallards