MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE (WEST DIVISION)
Moving over from the North-West Baseball League, the Binscarth Orioles joined the 1972 circuit but weren’t afforded much of a chance by the pundits as being very competitive. They surprised the entire loop by winning the north-section pennant with the best record in the two-section loop and then won the west-division playoffs, advancing to face Ste. Agathe in the MSBL east-west finals which they swept. With the addition of Binscarth and the departure of Rolla in the 1972 western alliance of teams, the Brandon Cloverleafs were moved into the south-section, replacing Rolla, while the Orioles became part of the north-section.
NORTH SECTION
Binscarth Orioles
Dauphin Redbirds
Hamiota Red Sox
Virden Oilers
SOUTH SECTION
Brandon Cloverleafs
Minot Merchants
Riverside Canucks
Souris Cardinals
(May 25) The hosting Brandon Cloverleafs managed only two hits in dropping their 1972 MSBL opener 9 to 2 to the Souris Cardinals at Kinsmen Park. Winning heaver Rick Read of the Cards pitched the first seven stanzas, blanking the Leafs on the scoreboard while allowing just one hit, a third-innings single. Read had a dozen punchouts during his tenure on the hill. Eighth-inning reliever, rookie “Rocky” Hunter, was nicked for both Cloverleaf counters after walking three and giving up one safety. Brandon used three twirlers with starter Brian Hodgson suffering the defeat. Both squads experimented with a number of new players attempting to make the final roster. Leading the way with the baton in the 13-hit Souris barrage was Brian Moffatt who creamed the orb for a double and two singles. Ed Neufeld followed closely with a triad of one-baggers while Garry Davidson ripped a pair.
Read (W), R. Hunter (8) and Leslie
Hodgson (L), Mitchell (5), Funk (7) and McFadyen, Brown (7)
(May 25) The Hamiota Red Sox opened the 1972 MSBL west campaign by collecting a mere three hits against the visiting Virden Oilers but each of the trio of base knocks was timely and pivotal. The Crimson Hose, who won the darkness-shortened, eight-inning encounter 8 to 5, received a three-run double by Bob Caldwell in the first inning. Then, trailing 5 – 4 in the seventh, pinch-hitter Al Robertson drove in the tying run with a single. Glennis Scott put the finishing touches on the contest by unloading a two-run homer in the same frame. Virden, meanwhile, were only able to bang out four safeties including a brace of one-baggers by Mike Labossiere. Ten bases-on-balls issued by Hamiota starter Al McNiven and winning chucker Ron Ramsey were a major factor in the Virden scoring. Losing flinger Ron Froese went the distance on the knoll for the Oilers, handing out six free passes in addition to the three critical base blows acquired by the Sox.
Froese (L) and Hemstad
McNiven, Ramsey (W) (2) and B. Caldwell
(May 25) Rookie left-hander Bruce Bremer rang up 19 punchouts and subdued the invading Riverside Canucks on just four hits as the Minot Merchants opened the season with a 10 to 0 thrashing of the Riversiders. Bremer’s only issue was finding the strike zone consistently as he wound up doling out eight free tickets to the initial sack. The Retailers, meanwhile assaulted three Canuck tossers, including starting a losing heaver Mark Fisher, for 11 base blows, three of them by heavy-hitting Tom Kraft. Playing-manager Larry Muratore contributed a triple and double while Tom Feldner and John Thompson delivered a double and one-base hit each.
Fisher (L), E. Beare (4), Roberge (7) and C. Seafoot
Bremer (W) and Stanley
(May 26) The Binscarth Orioles’ debut in the MSBL was spoiled by their untimely defensive lapses and by Dauphin’s Dave Rottman. The Redbird right-hander scattered eight hits, whiffed five and walked one as the visitors knocked off the rookie members of the loop 3 to 1. Garth Neville took the loss but he pitched well, yielding only six hits, walking two and fanning nine. All the Dauphin runs were unearned. Ken Buchy paced the Redbirds’ attack with three hits while brother Bob Buchy added a brace of safeties. Glen Hodgson and Roy Reagh collected three hits each for Binscarth.
Rottman (W) and O’Sullivan
Neville (L) and Stephens
(May 28) The invading Virden Oilers, thanks to the generosity of their hosts, scored nine runs on only three hits in the top-of-the-sixth inning to overcame a 5 to 1 deficit and pull off a 10 to 7 come-from behind victory over the Brandon Cloverleafs. The Cloverleafs had a 9 to 6 edge in base raps but their five-error meltdown in that fateful sixth doomed Brandon starter Jack Mitchell to an early departure and the impending loss. Import Monty Wood, who took over for Oiler starter in the fifth frame, picked up the pitching win.
Bridgett, Wood (W) (5) and Hemstad
Mitchell (L), Hodgson (6), Thompson (8) and McFadyen, Brown (7)
(May 28) Souris Cardinals’ ace hurler Bernie Graner handcuffed the Riverside Canucks as the Souris Cardinals battered their way to a home-field 10 to 1 MSBL west triumph. The Canucks managed only five hits off Graner who walked two while striking out eight. With a huge lead, Graner turned the horsehide over to rookie “Rocky” Hunter, who mopped up in the ninth. Four heavers took turns on the bump for the Riversiders with starter Gord Roberge taking the loss. The quartet were raked for 13 safeties while issuing six bases-on-balls. Bill Carpenter hammered a home run and added a single for the Cards while Brian Moffatt had three singles. Bob Leslie and John Dell added two singles for the winners while Cliff Seafoot did the same for the vanquished nine.
Roberge (L), E. Beare (4), Kaplar (7), Lilley (8) and C. Seafoot
Graner (W), R. Hunter (9) and Leslie
(May 28) The Binscarth Orioles delighted their home fans by downing the Hamiota Red Sox 9 to 7 for their first MSBL victory. The O’s, newly admitted to the league, trailed 7 to 3 before scoring three times in each of the fifth and seventh innings. Bryan McAuley earned the mound decision after relieving Steve Sobkow in the sixth. The pair gave up six hits, walked 12 and struck out nine. Hamiota started Allie McNiven on the knoll but he was pulled in favor of veteran Glennis Scott in the third. The Red Sox’ tandem allowed ten hits, six walks and had six punchouts. Scott was charged with the loss. Ron Low pace the winners at the plate with three safeties while Bruce Stephens added a pair. Scott and Ellis Woods both managed a brace of bingles for the Hamiotans.
McNiven, Scott (L) (3) and B. Caldwell
Sobkow, McAuley (W) (6) and Stephens
(May 30) Dauphin’s Dave Rottman fired a five-hitter as the Redbirds clipped the hometown Hamiota Red Sox 8 to 5. Darkness prevented play beyond the eighth inning. Rottman ran his record to 2 – 0 by striking out eight and walking only three. Losing heaver Ron Ramsey went six innings and gave up eight of the ten Redbird safeties. John Morrison was the big man at the dish for the winners, pounding out three singles and a double. Rottman and Bob Buchy collected two singles apiece. For Hamiota, Mel Smith cracked a pair of doubles.
Rottman (W) and O’Sullivan
Ramsey (L), McNiven (7) and B. Caldwell
(May 30) Playing at home, the Riverside Canucks scored twice in the last-of-the-ninth inning to nip the Minot Merchants 2 to 1. The Dakotans, outhit by a 9 to 6 margin, plated their only tally in the top-of-the-opening-panel and held the lead throughout, that is until they began to unravel defensively as the Riversiders took their final turn at bat. Gene Cory started things off with a double off losing pitcher Frank Bruels. Mark Fisher grounded out, sending Cory to third. Cliff Seafoot drew an intentional walk but when Craig Bell’s fly ball into left field was bobbled, Cory scored to tie the score and Seafoot moved to second base. An attempted pickoff of Seafoot at the keystone sack resulted in a second miscue, allowing the veteran catcher to head for the hot corner. The resulting throw to third was well off target as Seafoot kept motoring around to reach home with the walkoff winner. Grant Everard went the route on the knoll for the Canucks, surrendering six hits including a first-inning solo dinger to Ed Baker that kept the Amerks in front for most of the contest. Cory had two singles to go along with his late two-bagger while teammate Morley Hartel singled twice.
Bruels (L) and Stanley
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(May 30) The surprising Binscarth Orioles picked up their second win in three starts by thumping the visiting Virden Oilers 10 to 3. Oriole starting chucker Ross Lynd picked up his first win of the season. He gave up four of the six Virden hits in the seven stanzas he toiled on the mound. Losing twirler Jerry Araujo lasted five frames before being replaced by Ron Froese. Both Oiler flingers were nicked foe seven Redbird safeties. Ron Low led the victors’ 14-hit offense, banging out three singles and a double. Barry Jamieson contributed three singles. Herb Andres clouted a homer and single while Garth Neville delivered a couple of one-baggers. Skipper Larry Muratore picked up a double and single for the Retailers.
Araujo (L), Froese (6) and Hemstad
Lynd (W), Kutzan (8) and Parton
(May 31) The Brandon Cloverleafs recorded their first win of the current season, thumping the Souris Cardinals 8 to 2. It was the standout four-hit pitching effort, reinforced with a dozen strikeouts, by right-hander Bob Thompson that carried the visiting Leafs to victory. Rick Read started for Souris and went eight innings before “Rocky” Hunter took over to pitch the final frame. Read, the loser, was nicked for nine of the ten Brandon safeties. Besides his dominant performance on the mound, Thompson did a fine job at the plate, banging out two doubles and driving in a pair of runs. Teammates Rick McFadyen and and Roy McLachlan collected two singles each.
Thompson (W) and McFadyen
Read (L), R. Hunter (9) and Leslie
(June 1) The homestanding Minot Merchants scored seven runs in the seventh inning to record an 8 to 1 triumph over the Souris Cardinals. Bruce Bremer whipped third strikes past 18 Cardinals, walked six and gave up just four hits in copping the complete-game win. Bremer also helped his own cause with a three-run, inside-the-park homer during the game-changing seventh. Bernie Graner was charged with the loss, allowing seven of Minot’s ten hits before getting the hook in the seventh. Other hitters of note for the Merchants were John Thompson with a triple and single, Don Werlinger with a double and one-bagger and Larry Muratore with a brace of one-base hits. Dauphin catcher Bob Leslie had two of the four safeties surrendered by Bremer.
Graner (L), Read (7) and Leslie
Bremer (W) and Werlinger
(June 1) The Riverside Canucks got a strong performance out of rookie hurler Ed Beare in dumping the Brandon Cloverleafs 9 to 4 at Kinsmen Stadium. Beare gave up four runs on six hits before being lifted for veteran Lorne Lilley in the eighth inning and, in the process, earning his first MSBL victory. Southpaw Ron Funk started on the hill for the Cloverleafs but ran into big trouble in the fourth frame as the Riversiders got to him for a five-spot. Two rookie chuckers, portsider Jack Mitchell and right-hander Dale Harvey followed with limited success. Garth Seafoot, playing in his 23rd season, paced the Canucks at the plate with three singles and a pair of RBI’s. Bill Chapple came through with a pair of singles for Brandon.
E. Beare (W), Lilley (8) and C. Seafoot
Funk (L), Mitchell (4), Harvey (6) and Brown
(June 2) The Binscarth Orioles moved into sole possession of first place in the north-section of the MSBL west by shading the Dauphin Redbirds 4 to 3. The loss was Dauphin’s first of the season and dropped them a half-game back of the O’s. Third-inning reliever Gary Kutzan earned the hurling decision for Binscarth at the expense of Redbird starter Garry Keating. The Orioles has a slight 7 to 6 edge in hits over the hosting Dauphinites. Barry “Sam” Jamieson had the most impactful hit of the game for the winners, whacking a two-run triple in the fourth frame.
Andres, Kutzan (W) (3) and Stephens
Keating (L), Nickel (4) and O’Sullivan
(June 2) A pair of unearned tallies in the opening canto helped to carry the visiting Virden Oilers to a 3 to 2 conquest of the Hamiota Red Sox. Import Monty Wood of the Oilers nosed out the Red Sox’ Allie McNiven in the complete-game pitching clash. Both slabsters yielded six hits as Wood fanned five and McNiven breezed ten. Mike Labossiere doubled and singled for the victors while Jerry Araujo delivered a couple of one-baggers. Mel Smith managed two singles for the Scarlet Stockings.
Wood (W) and Hemstad
McNiven (L) and B. Caldwell
(June 4) The upstart Binscarth Orioles continued to surprise the experts as they whipped the visiting Riverside Canucks 9 to 3. After falling behind 3 to 0 in the top-of-the-first panel when Riverside veterans Cliff Seafoot and Gene Cory connected for home runs, the hometown Orioles struck back for six counters in their half of the episode and never looked back as Garth Neville scattered ten hits, struck out eight and walked two in earning his first mound win of the campaign. Grant Everard started on the slab for the Canucks but eight runs and two innings later, he was replaced by Lorne Lilley. The Birds raked nine safe swats off the pair with a brace of those safeties coming off the bat of Barry Jamieson. For the Riversiders, Seafoot and Cory added singles to go along with their opening-canto found-trippers while Mark Fisher pounded out a double and single.
Everard (L), Lilley (3) and C. Seafoot
Neville (W) and Reagh, Stephens (7)
(June 4) Two runs in the third inning was all that the Souris Cardinals needed as they edged the sliding Hamiota Red Sox 2 to 1. RBI-singles by winning pitcher Bernie Graner and veteran Don Hodgson staked the Cards to the early 2 – 0 lead which was halved, in the fourth, when Lynn Caldwell singled home the lone Red Sox counter. From that point on, only goose eggs adorned the scoreboard. Graner struck out ten and walked one while limiting the Hamiotans to six safeties. Hard-luck loser Glennis Scott gave up just five hits and walked a pair while fanning seven. Mel Smith of the losing Crimson Hose was the lone swatsmith to register more than one base rap in the contest, slapping out a couple of one-base hits.
Scott (L) and B. Caldwell
Graner (W) and Leslie, Dell (5)
(June 4) Dauphin pitchers allowed only one run in 18 innings as the hometown Redbirds swept an MSBL west doubleheader from the Virden Oilers to move into a first-place deadlock with Binscarth in the north-section standings. Unbeaten Dave Rottman gained his third victory of the season in the opener, hurling a five-hitter as Dauphin rolled to a one-sided 9 to 0 victory. Rottman struck out 12 and didn’t walk a batter as his mates struck for four tallies in the first frame and never looked back. Loser Ted Bridgett yielded nine safeties and walked a pair while fanning three in going the distance. Bob Buchy and John Morrison drove in a brace of markers each for the winners with a couple of one-baggers apiece.
Bridgett (L) and Hemstad
Rottman (W) and O’Sullivan
In the second game, Vern Nickel gave up nine hits as the Redbirds posted a 5 to 1 win. The homesters jumped out to a 2 – 0 lead in the second stanza and never allowed the Oilers to catch up. Nickel struck out six and walked one in notching his first victory of the campaign. Losing flinger Jerry Araujo was nicked for nine safeties, issuing two free passes while swishing four. Morrison and Ken Buchy paced the Birds offensively with two singles apiece. Catcher Norm Hemstad swatted two doubles and a single to lead the Virdenites while Bridgett and Monty Wood delivered two singles each.
Araujo (L) and Hemstad
Nickel (W) and B. Buchy
(June 6) Bob Thompson pitched and batted the Brandon Cloverleafs to a 6 to 2 conquest of the hometown Riverside Canucks. In going the route on the mound, Thompson struck out six , walked five and limited the Riversiders to seven hits but it was his performance at the plate that was most impressive. He cracked a solo home run in the fourth inning and then came to bat in the fifth and unloaded a second dinger, a three run shot. Canucks’ starter Ed Beare was charged with the loss. Roy McLachlan added a third circuit-jack for the winners with a solo blast in the second spasm and added a double. Dennis Wiebe and Marv Hollender rapped a pair of singles apiece. Mark Fisher and Grant Everard each managed a double and single for Riverside while Craig Bell came through with a brace of one-baggers.
Thompson (W) and McFadyen
E. Beare (L), Everard (6) and C. Seafoot
(June 6) The Binscarth Orioles continued to surprise by taking a 5 to 3 decision over the slump-ridden Hamiota Red Sox. Binscarth starter Bryan McCauley and eighth-inning reliever Ross Lynd limited the light-hitting Hamiotans to just two safeties, both off McCauley who got the win. Ron Ramsey went the distance for the Red Sox, surrendered ten safeties, and was charged with the loss. Glen Hodgson paced the Orioles’ 10-hit attack with a double and single while McCauley and Barry Jamieson each cuffed a brace of one-base raps.
McCauley (W), Lynd (8) and Stephens
Ramsey (L) and B. Caldwell
(June 7) Bruce Bremer continued to weave a spell over MSBL west batters as he rang up 14 punchouts and gave up only one hit in leading the Minot Merchants to a 1 to 0 victory over the hosting Souris Cardinals. In capturing his third win against no losses, Bremer ran his strikeout total to 51. Rick Read pitched well for the Cards in defeat, allowing just five hits while fanning eight. The Dakotans’ run came in the third inning when Russ Henegar was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a sacrifice and was singled home by playing-manager Larry Muratore.
Bremer (W) and Muratore
Read (L) and Leslie
STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Binscarth 5 1 .833 ----
Dauphin 4 1 .800 0.5
Virden 2 4 .333 3.0
Hamiota 1 5 .167 4.0
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Minot 3 1 .750 ----
Souris 3 3 .500 1.0
Brandon 2 3 .400 1.5
Riverside 2 4 .333 2.0
(June 9) Continuing to roll along at an unexpected pace, the Binscarth Orioles, in their inaugural season in the west division of the MSBL, moved into Virden and exited with a 2 to 1 victory over the Oilers. The Orioles’ 6-1 won-loss record is the best in the league and firmly entrenches them in top spot of the circuit’s north-section. Binscarth’s big gun was pitcher Garth Neville. Besides going the distance on the hill for the win, he pounded a two-run tater in the second spasm, giving himself all the runs he needed. He gave up just three hits, struck out six and walked two. Monty Wood toiled the entire game on the knoll for the Oilers and pitched well in defeat, allowing only four safeties and three free passes while ringing up ten punchouts. No batter from either side was able to register plural hit totals.
Neville (W) and Stephens
Wood (L) and Hemstad
(June 9) The Hamiota Red Sox broke out of their prolonged slump by shading the hometown Redbirds 4 to 3 at Dauphin. Glennis Scott limited the hosts to five hits in picking up his first pitching win of the season. Dave Rottman, on the other hand, was nicked with his initial loss of the campaign. The Red Sox, following a frustrating hitting drought, broke out of their tailspin by hammering Rottman for ten base knocks. Mel Smith led the attack with three safeties while Barry Brooking added a pair. Errors by both teams were instrumental in much of the scoring.
Scott (W) and B. Caldwell
Rottman (L) and B. Buchy
(June 9) The invading Souris Cardinals locked horns with hosting Riverside in a south-section scrap and the Canucks came out on top by a 10 to 6 count. The Riversiders banged out 16 base blows to just eight for the Cards. Starting heaver Gord Roberge, one of three tossers used by the Canucks, pitched into the seventh and copped the knoll decision while Bernie Graner of the Souris squad, lifted in the sixth stanza for Bob Neufeld, was stung with the setback. Roberge aided his cause with a solo dinger in the sixth in addition to an earlier one-bagger. Teammate Mark Fisher came through with a brace of doubles and a single which accounted for three RBI’s. Not to be denied, Garth and Cliff Seafoot each had three singles while Morley Hartel chipped in with a couple of one-base hits. Greg Cameron led the Cardinals with a pair of doubles and a single while Brian Moffatt went yard with a two-run tater in the seventh spasm.
Graner (L), B. Neufeld (6) and Leslie
Roberge (W), Everard (7), Lilley (8) and C. Seafoot
(June 11) The travelling Minot Merchants, facing a grueling split-venue doubleheader, began the afternoon by dropping a 5 to 2 verdict to the high-flying Binscarth Orioles. After losing their opening game of the season, the Birds have now reeled off seven consecutive victories to set the pace in the north-section standings. Bob Kutzan went the distance on the bump for the Orioles, giving up five hits and six walks while breezing a half-dozen. Minot starting heaver Donn Feldner was tagged with the loss. Herb Andres belted his second homer of the season, to go along with a single, for the O’s. Teammates Barry Jamieson and Bruce Stephens stung the horsehide for three singles apiece. Tom Feldner was tops with the lumber for the Merchants, stroking two singles.
D. Feldner (L), Barsness (6), Bremer (9) and Seeley
Kutzan (W) and Stephens
(June 11) A change of scenery to Brandon’s Kinsmen Stadium for an evening encounter didn’t improve the fortunes of the Minot Merchants as they ran out of gas in falling 9 to 8 to the homestanding Cloverleafs. This was anything but a pitcher’s game as the two combatants cracked out a total of 27 base raps with the Amerks accounting for 14 of them. Each team went through three chuckers as Ron Funk, who entered the game in the sixth stanza for the Leafs, got the win over the Dakotans’ Jim Corey, normally a catcher, who lasted less than an inning on the hillock in a sixth-inning relief appearance. Bill Chapple stroked four hits for the winners and drove in four runs. Dennis Wiebe, Dave Bender and Bob Wilson followed with two safeties each with one of Wiebe’s raps being a two-bagger. John Plowman was Minot’s big gun at the plate with a triple and double, each base knock driving in a pair of tallies. Ed Baker and Ron Seeley cuffed a double and single each while Bill Koering, Gene Roebuck and Tim Kaiser added two singles each.
Kaiser, Corey (L) (6), Bruels (6) and Seeley
Hodgson, Simpson (3), Funk (W) (6) and Brown, McFadyen (5)
(June 11) The homestanding Riverside Canucks dumped the Dauphin Redbirds 6 to 2 in an inter-sectional skirmish. Sore-armed Vern Nickel of the Redbirds had to exit in the fourth during a 2 – 2 tie game and the Canucks jumped on his replacement, southpaw Ross Stone over from Unity of the Northern Saskatchewan League, for deuces in each of the fourth and sixth to tag him with the loss after his first taste of MSBL action. Ed Beare got the pitching win although he needed relief help from Grant Everard in the sixth. Garth Seafoot, continuing to pick up clutch hits, rapped a pair of singles, good for three RBI’s. Beare aided his cause with a two-run double. Kelly Turner sparked the Dauphin swatters with three singles while Bob Buchy added a double and single.
Nickel, Stone (L) (4) and B. Buchy, Walker (4)
E. Beare (W), Everard (6) and C. Seafoot
(June 11) The hometown Souris Cardinals clipped the Virden Oilers in a north-south inter-sectional fracas. Rick Read limited Virden to four hits as he earned his second win of the season against two losses. Jerry Araujo of the Oilers was combed for ten Souris safeties in absorbing his third defeat of the campaign.
Araujo (L) and M. Labossiere
Read (W) and Leslie
(June 13) The Cinderella team of the 1972 MSBL season had its glass slipper broken at Kinsmen Stadium where the hosting Brandon Cloverleafs nudged past the over-achieving Binscarth Orioles 6 to 4. Bob Thompson pitched well for the Leafs in earning his third win against no losses. The big right-hander gave up eight hits, struck out six and walked three. Three Oriole chuckers graced the hillock with starter Garth Neville going down to defeat. The trio allowed 12 hits and three walks. The Birds jumped in front 4 – 0 in the fourth frame, as Neville sparked the uprising with a two-run double, but that was the extent of their scoring as Thompson slammed the door from that point on while his Cloverleaf mates chipped away with single tallies in the fifth and eight as well as deuces in the sixth and seventh. Key hits included a pair of run-scoring safeties by Thompson, a two-bagger and single, an RBI-double by Bert Ready and a booming triple by Bill Chapple that plated a counter. Chapple finished the contest with three safeties.
Neville (L), McCauley (7), Lynd (7) and Stephens
Thompson (W) and McFadyen
(June 13) Virden continued its slide when the Oilers were doubled 4 to 2 by the visiting Riverside Canucks. The Riversiders scored twice in each of the seventh and ninth innings to inflict import Monty Wood with his second consecutive pitching loss. Grant Everard went the distance for the invaders in earning the win. The Canucks were worthy winners, outhitting the Virdenites by a significant 11 to 4 margin. Gene Cory rapped three singles, Lyle Anderson had a double and single while Craig Bell delivered a brace of one-baggers. Jerry Araujo had two of the four Oiler safeties.
Everard (W) and Anderson
Wood (L) and M. Labossiere
(June 13) In a battle of feathered flocks, the visiting Souris Cardinals outswatted the hosting Dauphin Cardinals by a 12 to 2 margin and came away with a 4 to 2 victory. Bernie Graner struck out 11 in going the route for the Cards. Gary Keating, who relieved Redbird starter Vern Nickel in the fourth frame, was tagged with the loss. Brian Moffatt and Rick Read stroked three hits apiece for the winners while catcher Bob Leslie delivered a pair. Jerry Shumanski had two singles for Dauphin.
Graner (W) and Leslie
Nickel, Keating (L) (4) and B. Buchy
(June 13) With fireballing Bruce Bremer on the hill, the Minot Merchants blanked the visiting Hamiota Red Sox 7 to 0. Bremer punched out 14, increasing his league-leading total of whiffs to 65, as he ran his pitching record to 4 - 0 with a sparkling four-hitter. Al McNiven gave up eight hits in suffering the complete-game loss. Bill Koering drove in two runs for the Merchants with a triple. John Plowman added three singles while John Thompson had a double and one-bagger. Mel Smith singled twice for the Red Sox.
McNiven (L) and B. Caldwell
Bremer (W) and Muratore
(June 15) Riverside Canucks’ Mark Fisher made his first start of the MSBL west season since coming down with arm trouble and it wasn’t a very successful one. The Hamiota Red Sox lit up Fisher for nine hits en route to a 7 to 1 triumph. Ron Ramsey evened his pitching record at 2 – 2 as he went the distance for the Sox, surrendering six hits, walking eight and fanning five. Fisher also managed to go the route while giving up seven bases-on-balls and breezing six. Mel Smith paced the Hamiota hitters with a double and two singles. Ellis Woods and Glennis Scott followed with two singles each. Craig Bell cuffed a brace of singles for the Riversiders.
Fisher (L) and Anderson
Ramsey (W) and B. Caldwell
(June 16) The Brandon Cloverleafs erased a 4 – 0 third-inning deficit and went on to shade the visiting Dauphin Redbirds 5 to 4 in ten innings at Kinsmen Stadium. The Redbirds jumped on Leafs’ starter Jack Mitchell for two runs in each of the second and third innings and appeared headed for victory before the Wheat City nine battled back with a singleton in the third and a three-spot in the seventh stanza to ultimately force overtime. In the tenth frame, Marv Hollender’s run-scoring single drove in Bill Chapple with the walkoff winner. Bob Thompson, the third Brandon twirler, pitched 2-1/3 innings of one-hit ball to post his fourth victory against no defeats. Dave Rottman went all the way on the slab for the Dauphinites, yielding nine hits, in taking the loss.
Rottman (L) and B. Buchy
Mitchell, Simpson (7), Thompson (W) (7) and Brown
(June 16) The travelling Minot Merchants had only three hits off veteran Ted Bridgett but eked out a 2 to 0 win over the Oilers in a pitchers’ battle at Virden. Starter Donn Feldner got the win for the Dakotans but needed relief help, after toiling seven spasms, from strikeout artist Bruce Bremer who added another five whiffs to his impressive season’s total in the two innings that he was on the bump. Feldner allowed three of the four Oiler safeties. Ed Baker scored the winning run for the Merchants in the fifth frame when, after singling and stealing second base, he moved to third on a sacrifice and he crossed the dish on an error. The second Retailers’ tally came in the ninth canto on two hits and a pair of Virden errors. Over the course of the clash, the fumble-fingered Oilers let Bridgett down by booting the ball five times.
D. Feldner (W), Bremer (8) and Corey
Bridgett (L) and Hemstad
(June 16) The north-section leading Binscarth Orioles slammed, banged and frolicked their way to an exciting 10 to 9 verdict over the invading Souris Cardinals. The rampaging Birds overcame a one-run deficit in their final turn at bat when Don Gies blasted a two-out, two-run double. Each team banged out 13 hits in the contest in which the Souris nine let a 9 to 4 lead slip away over the course of the last three innings. Relievers Bob Kutzan of the O’s, with the win, and the Cards’ Bernie Graner, who suffered the setback, were the pitchers of record. Barry Jamieson and Bruce Stephens had three hits apiece for the victors. Brian Moffatt of the visitors had the game’s lone four-bagger to go along with a single while teammates Greg Cameron, Wayne Keeler and Bob Leslie each punched out a brace of one-base raps.
Read, Graner (L) (8) and Leslie
Asselstine, Jamieson (3), Kutzan (W) (6) and Parton
(June 18) Even a light rain shower prior to game time couldn’t cool down the hottest batter in the west division of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League. In fact, Brandon’s switch-hitting shortstop Bill Chapple got a little hotter as he paced the visiting Cloverleafs to a convincing 8 to 0 romp over the Virden Oilers. Chapple unloaded two home runs and added a single in a three-for-five evening in which he collected six RBI’s. Leaf pitcher Ron Funk went the distance in winning his second game of the season, scattering five hits, walking four and punching out 11. Virden import Jerry Araujo, meanwhile, suffered his fourth straight setback in hurling the first five full innings. The Oilers were once again inept afield, committing seven errors. Other than Chapple, Roy McLachan was prominent in the seven-hit offense presented by the Wheat City nine, contributing a double and single. For Virden, Darryl McCannell stroked a two-bagger and single.
Funk (W) and Brown
Araujo (L), Froese (6) and M. Labossiere
(June 18) Coming alive with three counters in the eight canto, the Binscarth Orioles clipped the hometown Souris Cardinals 4 to 1. The teams were deadlocked at 1 – 1 before the O’s broke loose for their late trey but, in reality, they had a decided edge over the Cards throughout, spanking the sphere for 14 base knocks to just two safeties for their hosts. Binscarth’s Garth Neville, in winning his third game of the season, struck out 15 Souris batters while walking seven. Import Bernie Graner was charged with the loss. He managed eight strikeouts and walked just one. Don Gies topped the winners at the plate with two doubles and a single. Clubmate Glen Hodgson added two singles and a two-bagger while catcher Bruce Stephens contributed a brace of doubles.
Neville (W) and Stephens
Graner (L) and Leslie
(June 20) The Souris Cardinals ventured into North Dakota and were greeted anything but cordially by the Minot Merchants and chucker Bruce Bremer who bounced them 5 to 1. The rookie flame thrower struck out 16, bringing his total for the campaign to a sizzling 86. He walked four and allowed three hits in earning his fifth victory against no losses. Rick Read pitched well in going the distance for the Cards, giving up five safeties and walking a pair while breezing nine. Minot’s playing-manager Larry Muratore collected three RBI’s on the strength of a pair of singles. Veteran slugger Tom Kraft, meanwhile, got things going with a solo dinger in the opening spasm.
Read (L) and Leslie
Bremer (W) and Corey
(June 20) With southpaw import Monty Wood tossing a four-hitter, the Virden Oilers broke loose from their prolonged funk to blank the Hamiota Red Sox 5 to 0. Tagged for a dozen hits, Ron Ramsey was stung with the complete-game defeat. He walked three while swishing seven. Playing-manager Norm Hemstad nailed a two-run double and a one-base rap in helping Wood to the shutout win. Teammate Bob Downey delivered a pair of two-baggers.
Ramsey (L) and B. Caldwell
Wood (W) and Hemstad
(June 20) Bob Thompson, Brandon’s hard-throwing right-hander, sent 14 Riverside batters down swinging as the invading Cloverleafs doubled the Canucks 6 to 3. Thompson walked only one while giving up six hits in picking up his fifth straight mound victory. The conquest was also the fifth in a row for the Leafs and kept them a half-game in front of Minot in the south-section pennant race. Riverside import Gord Roberge was charged with the loss. He allowed seven base raps, issued five free passes and fanned eight. At the plate, Brandon’s Bill Chapple continued his hot streak, hitting a pair of singles and driving in as many runs. Marv Hollender chipped in with a two-run triple. For the Riversiders, Ross Kinsley unleashed a solo home run in the second inning while playing-skipper Cliff Seafoot slapped out a brace of one-baggers.
Thompson (W) and McFadyen
Roberge (L) and C. Seafoot
(June 20) The amazing Binscarth Orioles left the homestanding Dauphin Redbirds almost speechless after administering an 18 to 6 beating upon their hosts. The lopsided win left the runaway-leading Birds with a 10 – 2 record and a five-game lead atop the north-section of the MSBL west. Batters from both teams took liberties with opposing chuckers as the the tilt produced 30 base knocks, 19 of them garnered by the victors. Starter Bryan McCauley recorded his first win of the season for the O’s although he exited after seven stanzas with a big lead, leaving Gerry Asselstine to mop up. Loser Dave Rottman was shelled from the mound after six runs and two innings. Gary Keating went the rest of the way. Herb Andres and Ron Low, two former Redbirds, highlighted the heavy-hitting Oriole attack. Andres connected for two singles and a double while Low stroked four singles. Both drove in four runs. Keating and Rollie Secord, with three singles each, were tops for Dauphin.
McCauley (W), Asselstine (8) and Parton
Rottman (L), Keating (3) and B. Buchy
STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Binscarth 10 2 .833 ----
Dauphin 4 6 .400 5.0
Hamiota 3 7 .300 6.0
Virden 3 9 .250 7.0
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Brandon 7 3 .700 ----
Minot 6 3 .667 0.5
Riverside 5 6 .455 2.5
Souris 5 7 .417 3.0
(June 22) With veteran right-hander Glennis Scott pitching nine seemingly effortless innings, the visiting Hamiota Red Sox defeated the high-flying Brandon Cloverleafs 4 to 2. Scott checked the Leafs on six hits while walking three and striking out seven. The Red Sox had eight base hits against losing flinger Ron Funk, all one-baggers. Leading the Hamiota single attack was Ron Ramsey with three while Wilf Taylor added a pair. For the Wheat City aggregation, Bob Wilson laced a triple to go along with a single while Roy McLachlan came up with a brace of one-baggers..
Scott (W) and B. Caldwell
Funk (L) and McFadyen
(June 23) Vern Nickel hurled a five-hit shutout and Jerry Shumanski banged out four hits and scored two runs as the Dauphin Redbirds ended a slump with an 8 to 0 MSBL west victory over the Riverside Canucks. Dauphin gave Nickel, 2 – 0, all the run support he needed with a five-tally outburst in the third inning. Nichol struck out 12 in fashioning the heaving triumph. Shumanski belted a double and three singles for the winners while Kelly Turner, John Morrison, Nickel and Gary Keating added two one-baggers apiece.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Nickel (W) and B. Buchy
(June 23) Minot’s Donn Feldner, making only his second pitching start of the season, stymied the Virden Oilers on just two singles as the Merchants moved into sole possession of first place in the south-section with a 4 to 0 victory on their home turf. The Retailers sport a full-game lead over the runner-up Brandon Cloverleafs. Feldner, in running his record to 2 – 1, gave up a first-inning infield hit to Ted Bridgett and a second-inning single to Allan Bawdon before hurling hitless ball the rest of the way. Starter Darryl McCannell pitched the first five frames for the Oilers and was tagged with the loss. Ed Baker and Feldner banged out two singles each for the victors.
McCannell (L), Araujo (6) and Hemstad
D. Feldner (W) and Seeley
(June 23) A one-out single in the bottom-of-the-tenth inning by veteran third baseman Lynn Caldwell gave the Hamiota Red Sox a 4 to 3 victory over the Brandon Cloverleafs. The win for the Sox was their second in consecutive evenings over the Wheat City baseballers. The Leafs had to battle back from a two-run deficit in the top-of-the-ninth to send the game into overtime. A solo homer by Bob Thompson and an RBI-single off the bat of Joe Parks evened the count at 3 – 3. Ron Ramsey, in relief of starter Al McNiven, worked 1-1/3 innings in picking up the win while Brian Hodgson, who went the distance for the Cloverleafs, was nailed with the loss.
Hodgson (L) and Brown, Ready (8)
McNiven, Ramsey (W) (9) and B. Caldwell
(June 24) The hometown Dauphin Redbirds got past the travelling Minot Merchants 3 to 2 in an inter-sectional MSBL west clash where hot tempers flared. The Merchants went ahead 2 – 1 in the seventh stanza on a triple and an Dauphin error. The Redbirds tied the score in the eighth and won it in classic fashion in the bottom-of-the-ninth. Dave Rottman struck out 14 Minot batters and yielded five hits in copping the complete-game triumph. Loser Bill Koering was nicked for seven safeties.
Koering (L) and Seeley
Rottman (W) and B. Buchy
(June 25) The Binscarth Orioles unloaded an 11-hit attack, including four home runs, in coming from behind to maul the visiting Brandon Cloverleafs 10 to 8. Before more than 1,000 cheering hometown fans, the Orioles wiped out a five-run deficit by scoring six runs in the seventh stanza and then added an additional insurance marker in the eighth to seal the deal. Bob Kutzan earned the pitching win after relieving Garth Neville in the fifth inning. Bob Thompson went the distance for the Leafs and suffered his first defeat of the campaign. Dale Gies started the homer parade off with a two-run shot in the second spasm. Herb Andres slammed one in the fourth. Don Gies cracked a two-run blast in the seventh and, in the same inning, Glen Hodgson came through with a three-run dinger. Ron Low added a pair of singles for the winners. Thompson launched a three-run tater in the fifth for the Leafs, his fourth round-tripper of the season. Teammate Bob Wilson delivered a triple and single.
Thompson (L) and McFadyen
Neville, Kutzan (W) (5) and Stephens
(June 25) The Virden Oilers picked up a well-deserved victory, hammering the homestanding Riverside Canucks 13 to 5. Five-spots in each of the seventh and eighth cantos plus a trey in the ninth wrapped the game up in favor of the visitors. Monty Wood, with seventh-inning assistance from Jerry Araujo, was the winning heaver. Ed Beare, derricked from the slab in the seventh, was slapped with the loss. Mike Labossiere was the top swatsmith for the victors, unloading a three-run homer and a pair of doubles. Darryl McCannell rapped a double and three singles while Wood cracked four one-base hits. Araujo and Bob Downey followed with three one-baggers apiece. Garth Seafoot drove in two runs for the Canucks with a brace of two-baggers and brother Cliff Seafoot picked up two singles.
Wood (W), Araujo (7) and Hemstad
E. Beare (L), Lilley (7), Roberge (8) and C. Seafoot
(June 25) The Souris Cardinals overcame a 2 – 0 deficit and fought back to edge the Dauphin Redbirds 3 to 2 at Souris. Single counters in each of the fifth, seventh and eighth innings provided the ammunition for the win Bernie Graner went the distance on the hill for the winners while loser Gary Keating also went the route. Both teams registered five safeties. Bill Carpenter had a double and single for Souris and scored the winning run on Don Hodgson’s single. Dave Rottman tagged a brace of one-baggers for the Redbirds.
Keating (L) and B. Buchy
Graner (W) and Leslie
(June 25) In the second leg of their weekend trek into Manitoba against north-section opposition, the Minot Merchants defeated the hosting Red Sox 8 to 3 at Hamiota. Terry Barsness picked up his first pitching victory of the season while Red Sox’ starter Ron Ramsey, kayoed in the fourth, was stung with the setback. The Dakotans had a decided 10 to 5 edge in safe swats. Tom Feldner led the way with the baton for the Retailers with a triple and double. Ed Baker and Ron Seeley each had two singles. Bob Caldwell paced the vanquished Hamiotans with a brace of one-base raps.
Barsness (W) and Seeley
Ramsey (L), Scott (4) and B. Caldwell
(June 27) The Minot Merchants, apparently experiencing major internal dissension, dropped a 7 to 3 decision to the Dauphin Redbirds. Vern Nickel earned the pitching decision after toiling on the slab into the ninth inning. Starting heaver Donn Feldner of the Retailers was tagged with the defeat, Dave Rottman paced with winning Redbirds at the plate with three singles. John Morrison picked up a triple and single while Nickel added a double and one-bagger. The Dakotans have had six of their stalwarts abandon the club in recent days. The list of departures includes Tim Carrier, Bill Cook, Bruce Bremer, Frank Bruels, Gene Roebuck and Tim Kaiser. Bremer, in particular, will be missed as he had taken the circuit by storm in this, his rookie campaign, running up a 5 – 0 won-loss record while accumulating an amazing 86 strikeouts. The word is that he has headed to Saskatchewan to join the Yorkton Cardinals of the Southern League. Minot’s trey of tallies came on a three-run circuit-jack by Ed Baker. Bill Koering chipped in with three singles for the Amerks.
Nickel (W), Rottman (9) and B. Buchy
D. Feldner (L), Koering (5) and Seeley
(June 27) The visiting Souris Cardinals blanked the Hamiota Red Sox 3 to 0. Rick Read of the victors and Hamiota’s Ellis Woods both were nicked for six hits in pitching the entire game. Read walked just one and fanned eight while Woods issued five free passes and whiffed six. Bob Fitchner of the Cardinals and the Red Sox’ Mel Smith both managed a pair of singles.
Read (W) and Leslie
Woods (L) and B. Caldwell
(June 27) The invading Binscarth Orioles and Riverside Canucks battled to a 1 – 1 deadlock in an inter-sectional match terminated after nine innings because of darkness. Riverside’s run came in the eighth episode when Grant Everard singled home Craig Bell. The Orioles came back to tie the score in the ninth when Ron Falloon drilled an RBI-single to plate Herb Andres.
McCauley, Neville (9) and Stephens
Fisher and C. Seafoot
(July 1) Birtle Canada Day annual baseball tournament
(July 4) The slumping Minot Merchants were held to six hits by Riverside’s Grant Everard as the Canucks scored a 6 to 0 MSBL west victory in Minot. Everard struck out seven and walked three in his nine-inning stint. Terry Barsness of the Merchants was nicked for seven of the eight Riverside hits in taking the loss. Mark Fisher slammed a triple and single to lead Canuck batters while Gord Hunter followed with two singles. John Plowman and Bill Koering both singled twice for the Dakotans.
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
Barsness (L), Koering (9) and Seeley
(July 4) Right-hander Ron Ramsey tamed the Dauphin Redbirds on four singles and Bryan Smith drove in the winning run in the eleventh inning as the Hamiota Red Sox posted a 4 to 3 victory over the invading Birds. Dauphin jumped into a 3 – 0 lead in the top-of-the-fifth frame but the Crimson Hose tied it up in their half of the canto. Goose eggs adorned the scoreboard from that point on until Smith’s decisive single in the second overtime session drove in Ellis Woods with the winner, handing reliever Dave Rottman the loss. In earning his fourth victory against an equal number of losses, Ramsey struggled with his control, walking nine Redbirds while fanning five. He was also the leading hitter for the Scarlet Stockings, banging out two singles and a double. Flychaser Mel Smith also had a good evening at the dish for the victors, stroking three singles. John Morrison singled twice for Dauphin.
Stone, Rottman (L) (6) and B. Buchy
Ramsey (W) and Woods
(July 4) The Binscarth Orioles looked anything but north-section front-runners as they committed nine errors afield while their pitchers were being combed for 16 base knocks. Yet, it wasn’t until the final inning when the ninth of their miscues, along with the last three opposition hits and a walk, finally did them in as the hosting Virden Oilers scored twice to grab an 8 to 7 walkoff victory. The Birds, thanks to a three-run homer by Herb Andres in the top-of-the-ninth, had taken the lead for the first time in the ball game. In the final half of the canto, however, a bases-loaded walk forced in the equalizer and pinch-hitter Ian Whyte’s ground ball was booted, allowing the deciding tally to cross the pan. Ted Bridgett, who hurled just 2/3 of an inning in the ninth, got credit for the win while reliever Bob Kutzan of the O’s, who ascended the bump in the third, was stung with his first setback of the campaign. Leading the way offensively for the winning Virdenites was Darryl McCannell who slapped out four singles. Norm Hemstad hit a pair of doubles and a one-bagger while clubmates Jerry Araujo and Bob Downey stroked three and two one-base hits respectively. Besides launching his fourth tater of the season, Andres added a single to the Binscarth hit total. Glen Hodgson and Barry Jamieson delivered two singles each.
McCauley, Kutzan (L) (3) and Stephens
Araujo, Bridgett (W) (9) and Hemstad
(July 4) Roy McLachlan was the man of the hour at Kinsmen Stadium as the Brandon Cloverleafs edged the Souris Cardinals 3 to 2 in 11 innings. It was McLachlan’s single in the bottom-of-the-second round of overtime that drove in the winning run and broke up a great pitching duel between Souris’ Rick Read and Bob Thompson of the Wheat City contingent. In running his record to 6 – 1, Thompson fashioned a seven-hitter, walking six and punching out ten. Read swished nine while giving up eight base raps and walking a pair. Dave Bender had a good night at the plate for the victors, banging out two doubles and a single as well as stealing two bases. McLachlan had an opening-inning three-bagger to go along with his game-winning hit. Hard-hitting Bob Leslie and Greg Cameron stroked two singles apiece for the Cards.
Read (L) and Leslie
Thompson (W) and McFadyen
(July 6) Battling back from a 6 – 0 second-inning deficit, the Riverside Canucks powered their way to an 11 to 7 conquest of the hometown Souris Cardinals. The resurgence of the Riversiders was sparked by Mark Fisher who unloaded a pair of home runs, one a grand slam effort. His brace of taters drove in seven tallies. He later added a single. Canucks’ Ross Kinsley, who ascended the knoll part way through the second spasm when the Cards battered starter Ed Beare, went the rest of the way to collect the win. Fourth-inning reliever Bernie Graner of hosts was tagged with the defeat. Other than Fisher, pounding the pill for authority for the Riversiders were Grant Everard, Cliff Seafoot, Gene Cory, Bob Williamson and Kinsley who had two singles each. Greg Cameron rapped a double and three singles to lead Souris at the plate while starting heaver Bob Fitchner and Grant Kirkup both clipped the horsehide for a double and one-bagger. Brian Moffatt added a brace of one-base raps.
E. Beare, Kinsley (W) (2) and C. Seafoot
Fitchner, Graner (L) (4), Read (7) and Leslie
(July 6) Toeing the rubber in his first two pitching starts of the campaign, Bill Koering came through with in fine style as he hurled the Minot Merchants to 1 to 0 and 8 to 5 complete-game victories over the Brandon Cloverleafs at Kinsmen Stadium. Used primarily as a middle-reliever this season, Koering was pressed into double-duty as a starter with the recent exodus of some of the Minot hurling staff and he made the most of the opportunity.
Locked up in a pitching duel with the Leafs’ Brian Hodgson in the opener, a seven-inning affair, Koering gave up five hits, walked six and struck out five in earning his initial victory. Brandon had plenty of chances but stranded 11 baserunners. The lone run of the contest came in the sixth stanza when John Plowman singled home Ron Seeley who had earlier reached base on a walk. Plowman’s hit was one of five given up by Hodgson who pitched a creditable game in absorbing the loss. He issued two free passes and fanned six. The Cloverleafs’ Dave Bender, with a pair of singles, was the lone player from either side to secure plural hit totals.
Hodgson (L) and Brown
Koering (W) and Seeley
Minot stormed out of the gate in the second encounter, scoring four times in the first frame and extending the lead to 6 – 0 after batting in the top-of-the fourth. The Leafs came alive in the middle innings in narrowing the gap to 6 to 5 but then blew their chances for a comeback-win by committing four errors in the ninth inning which, along with one Merchant hit, allowed the Dakotans two more tallies and cemented the win for them. The Retailers got to losing twirler and seventh-inning reliever Rick McFadyen for eight safeties including a solo homer by Tom Kraft. Koering finished his 16-inning stint throwing just as hard as when he took the mound in the lid-lifter. He held the Wheat City nine to six safe swats once again in the finale, the most damaging blows against him being a two-run double by Laurie Andrews a three-bagger off the bat of Bob Thompson which drove in a pair.
Koering (W) and Seeley
Funk (L), McFadyen (7) and Brown
STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Binscarth 11 3 .786 ----
Dauphin 7 8 .467 4.5
Hamiota 7 8 .467 4.5
Virden 5 10 .333 6.5
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Minot 10 6 .625 ----
Brandon 8 8 .500 2.0
Riverside 7 8 .455 2.5
Souris 7 9 .417 3.0
(July 7) A ninth-inning single by Mike Labossiere drove in Darryl McCannell from second base and gave the Virden Oilers a narrow 7 to 6 victory over the visiting Hamiota Red Sox. Monty Wood went the distance on the mound for the hosting Oilers to earn the win. He gave up eight hits and five walks while striking out 13. Glennis Scott was charged with the complete-game loss after allowing 12 hits while fanning nine. Labossiere paced Virden at the plate with three singles and had three RBI’s. Ted Bridgett had a double and single while Jack Day and Jerry Araujo each added two singles. Bob Caldwell and Ellis Woods had a double and single each for Hamiota while Al Robertson delivered a pair of singles.
Scott (L) and Woods
Wood (W) and Hemstad, M. Labossiere (2)
(July 7) The Binscarth Orioles and Dauphin Redbirds played to 1 2 – 2 ten-inning tie on the home turf of the O’s. The game was called because of darkness. Dave Rottman, who yielded nine hits, pitched the entire 10 frames for the Redbirds. Ross Lynd started on the knoll for Binscarth but was pulled in favor of Garth Neville in the eighth inning. The pair of Oriole tossers gave up six safeties including a pair of singles to Ken Buchy. Glen Hodgson rapped two singles and a double for the Binscarth baseballers.
Rottman and B. Buchy
Lynd, Neville (8) and Stephens
(July 9) The Riverside Canucks thumped the Hamiota Red Sox 15 to 4 in an inter-sectional MSBL contest called after seven innings due to rain. The hosting Canucks out-hit the Scarlet Stockings 16 to 13 as the losers left 13 baserunners stranded. Starter Mark Fisher earned the pitching win for the Riversiders after hurling five frames. He received assistance from Gord Hunter who ascended the bump in the sixth. Ron Ramsey, shelled from the hillock after three innings, was charged with the loss. Jeff Sheardown pitched the last four frames for the Sox. Wes Rathwell, Cliff Seafoot, Lorne Lilley and Craig Bell all boomed home runs for Riverside and Fisher cracked three doubles, driving in four runs. Hunter delivered a triple and single and Grant Everard had a double and one-bagger. Lynn Caldwell paced Hamiota’s attack with a triple and two singles while Sheardown followed with a double and a brace of one-base safeties. Barry Brooking and Dale McKinnon added a double and one-bagger each.
Ramsey (L), Sheardown (4) and McKinnon
Fisher (W), Hunter (6) and C. Seafoot
(July 9) Binscarth’s Bob Kutzan hurled six innings of no-hit baseball as the Orioles downed the Dauphin Redbirds 4 to 0 in an MSBL west contest. The game was a replay of the July 7 encounter in which the two teams played to a ten-inning 2 – 2 tie. Kutzan gave up eight hits, two walks and struck out five while improving his pitching record to 5 – 1. Southpaw Ross Stone went the distance on the mound for the losers and was charged with his second loss against no wins since joining the Redbirds from the NSBL’s Unity Cardinals. He allowed ten hits, no walks and fanned six. Ron Low was the big hitter for the winners with a double and two singles. Barry Jamieson and Ray Reagh added two singles each. Jerry Shumanski and Harvey Bell drilled a brace of one-baggers each for the Dauphinites.
Stone (L) and Bell
Kutzan (W) and Reagh
(July 10) The Virden Oilers outhit the Souris Cardinals by a healthy 16 to 5 margin but had to struggle for a narrow 7 to 5 inter-sectional home victory. Ted Bridgett hurled eight innings for Virden in earning the win over Rick Read. Bridgett, who struck out ten and walked three, need relief help from Jerry Araujo in the ninth. Read lasted six stanzas before he was lifted for Bob Fitchner. The Cards threatened in the final canto, loading the bases and scoring once, but a double play and a ground out ended the threat. Bridgett slammed a solo round-tripper and added a single for the Oilers. Jack Day had a double and two one-baggers while Araujo rapped three singles. Bob Downey doubled and singled while Ian Whyte and Gerry Fox each delivered a pair of singles. Greg Cameron managed a double and two singles for Souris.
Read (L), Fitchner (7) and Leslie
Bridgett (W), Araujo (9) and M. Labossiere
(July 11) Brandon Cloverleafs’ starting pitcher and co-manager Bob Thompson lost his cool and the hosting Dauphin Redbirds ended up winning their MSBL west inter-sectional fracas 4 to 2. After losing a debate with the plate umpire during the fifth frame with the score deadlocked at 2 – 2, Thompson was ejected and sent to the showers while Ron Funk was hurriedly called in to replace him. The homesters plated singletons in each of his first two cantos of work against Funk and hung on to saddle him with the loss. Winning twirler Vern Nickel struck out 11 and walked only two in picking up his fourth win against no losses. Jerry Shumanski hit a double and two singles in pacing the Redbird hitters. For Brandon, Marv Hollender slapped the horsehide for a double and single..
Thompson, Funk (L) (5) and McFadyen
Nickel (W) and Bell
(July 11) Hamiota veteran moundsman Glennis Scott made an uncharacteristic throwing error on a routine ground ball with two out in the final inning that allowed the Binscarth Orioles to push across the tying and winning runs in a 9 to 8 contest. The visiting Red Sox were nursing a two-run lead heading into the bottom-of-the-ninth before disaster befell them with the two gift tallies. Bob Neville, the last of three Oriole heavers, was credited with the win. In picking up their 13th win of the season, Binscarth managed 16 safe blows off Scott, three each by Reg Parton and Herb Andres. Ron Low, Dale Gies and starting twirler Brian McAuley all added a double and single. Mel Smith hit a two-run homer for the Red Sox while teammate Lynn Caldwell garnered two singles and a double.
Scott (L) and Woods
McAuley, Sobkow (8), Neville (W) (9) and Parton
(July 11) A three-run pinch-hit double in the seventh inning by Wes Rathwell highlighted a come-from-behind 8 to 5 victory for the Riverside Canucks over the visiting Minot Merchants. Complete-game winning hurler Grant Everard was nicked for five hits, including a pair of home runs and a single by heavy-hitting Tom Kraft, while swishing a dozen Dakotans and walking just one. Minot starter Terry Barsness, replaced on the knoll in the seventh spasm by Bill Koering, suffered the setback. Besides Rathwell’s game-changing hit, he also laced a single in the eighth when the Riversiders added a brace of insurance tallies.
Barsness (L), Koering (7) and Wright
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 12) Bill Chapple drove in seven runs as the Brandon Cloverleafs clobbered the Souris Cardinals 16 to 5. Chapple belted a home run, his third of the season, and added a double and three singles in leading Brandon’s 16-hit attack. The heavy Cloverleaf assault sent starting and losing heaver Bernie Graner packing after just 2/3 of an inning on the hill. Souris’ Bob Fitchner took over pitching chores at that point and, although he went the rest of the way, wasn’t particularly successful in taming the Wheat City swatsmiths. Brian Hodgson went the distance on the mound for the Leafs to pick up his first win of the campaign against three losses. He gave up four hits, walked seven and breezed eight. Other than Chapple, other Brandon hitters of note were Bob Wilson with a double and two singles, Doug Fraser with two-bagger and one-base hit, Hodgson with three one-baggers and Bert Ready with a pair of singles.
Hodgson (W) and McFadyen
Graner (L), Fitchner (1) and Leslie
(July 13) Garth Neville fashioned a two-hitter in leading the north-section leading Binscarth Orioles to a 3 to 1 MSBL inter-sectional victory over the hosting Minot Merchants. The loss cut Minot’s south-section lead over the Riverside Canucks to a half-game. Neville struck out six and walked two in increasing his record to 5 – 2. Bill Koering, who was nicked for seven Binscarth safeties, was the loser in going the route. Bruce Stephens and Ron Low both had a pair of singles for the winners. Tom Kraft slammed a fourth-frame round-tripper for the Retailers, his fifth of the season.
Neville (W) and Stephens
Koering (L) and Corey
(July 14) Pitcher Terry Barsness had a no-hitter going for six full innings as the Minot Merchants shaded the visiting Brandon Cloverleafs 2 to 1. Finishing with a two-hitter, Barsness lost his no-hit bid and shutout in the seventh spasm as Rick McFadyen laced a one-bagger and was eventually singled home by teammate Roy McLachlan. Bob Thompson, nicked for six safeties, was the complete-game loser. Larry Muratore and Ed Baker hit run-scoring singles for the Merchants.
Thompson (L) and McFadyen
Barsness (W) and Seeley, T. Feldner (8)
(July 14) A five-run seventh inning sparked the Binscarth Orioles to a 9 to 5 conquest of the invading Virden Oilers. Gerry Asselstine of the Birds copped the knoll verdict over the Oilers’ Jerry Araujo. Neither twirler was able to go the distance. Barry Jamieson, Glenn Hodgson , Herb Andres, Ron Low and Ron Reagh all had two singles for Binscarth. Ian Whyte doubled and singled for Virden while Jack Day and Araujo added two singles apiece.
Araujo (L), McCannell (7) and Hemstad
Asselstine (W), Lynd (7), Jamieson (8) and Reagh
(July 14) Receiving solid pitching from rookie Ed Beare, the streaking Riverside Canucks doubled up on the Souris Cardinals 4 to 2. Beare scattered six singles, walked six and fanned six en route to the win. Rick Read, who was relieved by Bernie Graner in the seventh inning, absorbed the loss. Riverside’s Craig Bell hit a solo home run while clubmates Grant Everard and Mark Fisher registered two singles each.
Read (L), Graner (7) and Leslie
E. Beare (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 14) Plating a singleton in the bottom-of-the-ninth panel, the hosting Dauphin Redbirds slipped past the Hamiota Red Sox 3 to 2. Dave Rottman tossed a three-hitter to earn his fifth win while Ron Ramsey was nicked with his sixth mound setback. The hosting Redbirds loaded the bases in the bottom-of-the-ninth and, with nine retired, Ross Stone hit a ground ball between second and third. However, the attempted force play at the plate was too late in trying to catch Jerry Shumanski.
Ramsey (L) and B. Caldwell, L. Caldwell (5)
Rottman (W) and Bell
(July 16) The hometown Hamiota Red Sox went toe-to-toe with the pennant-winning Binscarth Orioles for 13 innings before the Scarlet Stockings finally emerged from the struggle as narrow 3 to 2 winners. Ron Ramsey’s long sacrifice fly in the fourth session of overtime plated Bob Caldwell with the walkoff winner. Ninth-inning reliever Glennis Scott was the winning tosser while Bob Kutzan, who ascended the knoll for the Birds in the eighth episode, was dinged with the defeat. The Red Sox managed only four safeties with Bob Caldwell collecting two of them, both one-baggers. Don Gies led Binscarth’s seven-hit offense with a double and single.
Asselstine. Andres (3), Kutzan (L) (8) and Reagh
McNiven, Scott (W) (9) and B. Caldwell
(July 16) The hosting Virden Oilers and Dauphin Redbirds split the proceeds of an MSBL west twin-bill with Dauphin taking the first game 2 to 1 and the Oilers coming back to capture the second contest 10 to 5. The Redbirds, with left-hander Ross Stone on the bump, scored a singleton in the top-of-the-ninth inning of the matinée contest to pull out the win. Stone’s timely single drove in Garry Keating with the go-ahead counter. The portsider tossed a complete-game seven-hitter while striking out five and walking one. Losing chucker Monty Wood was touched for just four safeties. Jerry Araujo pounded a double and single for Virden while Ted Bridgett stroked a brace of one-baggers. John Morrison and Ken Buchy led Dauphin batters with a triple and double respectively.
Stone (W) and Bell
Wood (L) and Hemstad
Darryl McCannell copped the hurling verdict for Virden in the sunset skirmish, coming to the aid of starter Ted Bridgett in the fifth frame. Keating was the Redbird starter and loser in this clash but was kayoed in the third panel as Vern Nickel took over. The Oilers, who stormed out with a six-spot in the third, had a 12 to 9 edge in base blows over the course of the contest. Araujo, Mike Labossiere and Bob Labossiere all had a double and single for the victors. Harry Bell singled three times and Dave Rottman had a pair of one-baggers for the Dauphinites.
Keating (L), Nickel (3) and Bell
Bridgett, McCannell (W) (5) and Hemstad
(July 17) Better known as a pitcher than a batter, Brian Hodgson drove in all three runs as the Brandon Cloverleafs came up with a 3 to 0 win over the Riverside Canucks in an MSBL west contest played at Kinsmen Stadium. Hodgson used his bat instead of his arm when, with the bases loaded, he stepped into the batter’s box during the sixth inning of a scoreless game and belted a bases-clearing double. It was one of four base raps surrendered by hard-luck loser Grant Everard. Winning chucker Bob Thompson, in running his record to 7-2, struck out three while yielding seven hits, walking two and hitting one batter. Everard fanned seven, allowed a pair of bases-on-balls and also plunked a hitter. Thompson squirmed his way out of trouble on a couple of occasions to preserve the shutout. The win leaves the Leafs a half-game behind the Riversiders who have one game left in the schedule as they chase down the Minot squad in the battle for the south-section pennant.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Thompson (W) and McFadyen
(July 17) The Minot Merchant failed to wrap up the south-section pennant in the MSBL west when they dropped a 12 to 3 decision to the Souris Cardinals. Rick Read pitched seven innings for Souris to earn the win in a game that was called in the eighth inning because of darkness. Terry Barsness was charged with the loss. Bob Leslie and Don Hodgson paced the Souris attack with solo home runs while Bernie Graner rapped two singles. Minot’s John Plowman had a double and two singles while Larry Muratore added a two-bagger and one-base hit.
Barsness (L), Henegar (7) and T. Feldner
Read (W), Graner (8) and Leslie
(July 18) The north-section pennant-winning Binscarth Orioles nosed out the Riverside Canucks 7 to 6 in a late-starting game shortened to six innings because of darkness. The loss for the Canucks gave the idle Minot Merchants the south-division pennant and allowed Brandon to tie the Riversiders for second spot, forcing a sudden-death tie-breaker. The tilt was a replay of a 1 – 1 tie game of June 27 in which darkness foiled extra-innings. The Orioles used three chuckers with Herb Andres, the second of the trio, copping the victory. Mark Fisher went all the way for the vanquished nine. Unfortunately for Fisher and his mates, his hard-smashed two-bagger in the bottom-of-the-sixth jumped over the fence for a ground-rule double and stalled what would easily have been the tying run at third base. Glenn Hodgson belted a solo homer for the winners while Dale Gies added two singles. Fisher and Gord Hunter both socked a two-bagger and single for Riverside.
Asselstine, Andres (W) (3), Kutzan (6) and Stephens
Fisher (L) and C. Seafoot
FINAL STANDINGS
NORTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Binscarth 16 4 .800 ----
Dauphin 10 10 .500 6.0
Virden 8 12 .400 8.0
Hamiota 7 13 .350 9.0
SOUTH SECTION W L Pct. GBL
Minot 11 9 .550 ----
Brandon 10 10 .500 1.0
Riverside 10 10 .500 1.0
Souris 8 12 .400 3.0
(July 20) Three costly errors in the opening canto by the North-section All-stars allowed their counterparts from the South-section to chase across of brace of unearned tallies which stood up for a 2 to 1 victory in the MSBL west all-star game. Both starting heavers, winner Rick Read of the Souris Cardinals and loser Dave Rottman of the Dauphin Redbirds, tossed three frames and were the pitchers of record. Jerry Araujo of the Virden Oilers drove in the lone run for the vanquished Northerners with a pinch-hit single in the bottom-of the-ninth inning.
Read (W), Thompson (4), Graner (7) and C. Seafoot
Rottman (L), Wood (4), Neville (7) and Stephens
(July 21-23) Brandon Kinsmen Tournament of Champions
SOUTH-SECTION SECOND-PLACE TIEBREAKER
(July 24) The Riverside Canucks and Brandon Cloverleafs battled for 16 innings at Kinsmen Stadium before Brandon came out with a 10 to 9 victory. The win gives the Cloverleafs second place in the south-section of the MSBL west and also an extra home game in their semi-final series with the Canucks. Roy McLachlan was the hero for the Leafs as it was his single in the 7th bonus round of play that drove in Bill Chapple with the deciding run. Brandon’s Brian Hodgson lasted nine innings on the hill before giving way to eventual winning tosser Ron Funk. The duo combined to give up 15 hits and 13 walks while fanning 11. Craig Bell made his initial mound start of the season for the Riversiders and was lifted in the ninth for ultimate losing heaver Lorne Lilley. They allowed 18 base raps, 11 bases-on-balls and whiffed seven. Brandon left 21 baserunners stranded while Riverside marooned 18. The Cloverleafs built up a 5 to 1 lead after three innings but by the time they came to bat in the ninth, they were trailing 9 – 8. They managed to knot the count at 9 – 9 and send the contest into overtime when Funk bounced a single over Lilley’s head to score Dave Bender from second base. McLachlan ended with two singles and three RBI’s. Bob Wilson and Rick McFadyen each had a double and two singles. Marv Hollender tripled and singled while Hodgson and Chapple each had a brace of one-base hits. Bob Williamson paced the Canucks offensively with a triple and two singles. Morley Hartel added three singles while Grant Everard, Mark Fisher and Bell ripped a pair of one-baggers each.
Bell, Lilley (L) (9) and Kinsley, C. Seafoot (9)
Hodgson, Funk (W) (10) and McFadyen
PLAYOFFS
SECTIONAL SEMI-FINALS (best-of-five series)
NORTH
Hamiota Red Sox vs Binscarth Orioles
Dauphin Redbirds vs Virden Oilers
SOUTH
Souris Cardinals vs Minot Merchants
Riverside Canucks vs Brandon Cloverleafs
(July 26) The Hamiota Red Sox unleashed a 13-hit attack to crush the pennant-winning Binscarth Orioles 9 to 1 in the first game of their north-section best-of-five semi-final series. Ron Ramsey went the distance on the mound for Hamiota, giving up seven hits. The Orioles used three chuckers with starting heaver Bob Kutzan being charged with the loss. Bryan Smith, Ellis Woods, Lynn Caldwell, Ramsey and Bill Brooking each had two singles as part of Hamiota’s torrid offensive thrust. Garth Neville was the only member of the Birds to acquire more than one safety as he rapped a double and single.
Ramsey (W) and B. Smith
Kutzan (L), McAuley (7), Sobkow (9) and Parton
(July 26) A throwing error in the 11th inning enabled the travelling Souris Cardinals to head back home with a 2 to 1 victory over the south-section pennant-winning Minot Merchants as their playoff series got underway. Winning flinger Bernie Graner gave up seven hits and one walk while yielding seven scattered hits. Hard-luck losing twirler Donn Feldner limited Souris to just three hits in going the distance for the hosting Merchants. He struck out six and walked two. The teams were scoreless after eight episodes and each side racked up a singleton in the ninth. Brian Moffatt, who had nailed a one-bagger, came around to score for the Cards after an unsuccessful fielder’s choice, a throwing miscue and a ground out by Greg Cameron. The Retailers then forced overtime when Bill Koering and Tom Feldner cuffed back-to-back singles with both advancing a base on a sacrifice before Koering romped home with the equalizer on a passed ball. Moffatt again started the visitors off in the second bonus round of play when he reach first base on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and came around to score on a routine ground ball that shortstop Koering fielded cleanly but overthrew first base.
Graner (W) and Leslie
D. Feldner (L) and Corey
(July 28) The Riverside Canucks capitalized on a pair of third-inning errors and went on to defeat the short-handed Brandon Cloverleafs 5 to 3 in the opener of their best-of-five south-section semi-final showdown. A dropped fly ball in the outer pasture and a throwing error on a routine ground ball allowed Lyle Anderson, who had singled, and Grant Everard, the benefactor of the dropped fly, to plate the brace of unearned markers, the difference in the final score. Both pitchers of record, winning heaver Everard and losing chucker Ron Funk were raked for ten hits and both remained on the knoll for the entire fixture. Gene Cory and Ross Kinsley both singled twice for the Canucks. Dave Bender and Doug Fraser of the Wheat City nine replicated that output.
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
Funk (L) and McLachlan
(July 28) The Dauphin Redbirds scored four runs in the bottom-of-the-seventh inning to pull off a 5 to 2 come-from-behind victory over the Virden Oilers in the opener of their north-sectional semi-final series. Ross Stone punched out ten and yielded seven hits in going the distance for the pitching win. Oiler starting heaver Jerry Araujo, lifted for Darryl McCannell in the eighth, was stung with the defeat. The Redbirds collected eight safeties off the Virden pitching tandem. Dave Rottman led Dauphin offensively with a triple, double and single while John Morrison followed with a three-bagger and two-base hit. Bob Downey and Ted Bridgett had three and two singles respectively for the vanquished Oilers.
Araujo (L), McCannell (8) and B. Labossiere
Stone (W) and Bell
(July 30) The Binscarth Orioles scored three unearned runs in the third inning and went on to defeat the Hamiota Red Sox 8 to 2, squaring their best-of-five playoff series at a game apiece. Garth Neville scatted seven hits to earn the win. He struck out 11 and walked five. Losing pitcher Ron Ramsey gave up nine hits and six walks while fanning five in going the distance for Hamiota. Don Gies paced the Binscarth batters with a triple and two singles. Teammate Ron Falloon doubled and singles. Barry Brooking managed two singles for the Red Sox.
Neville (W) and Reagh
Ramsey (L) and B. Smith
(July 30) Ed Baker’s sacrifice fly in the top-of-the-ninth inning drove in Kevin Bjork, who had led off the frame with a single, as the Minot Merchants squeezed out a 3 to 2 victory over the Souris Cardinals to tie their series at one game each. Bill Koering went the distance on the hillock for Minot, ringing up nine punchouts and walking five while giving up six hits. Bob Fitchner, who gave way to Rick Read in the fateful ninth, was tagged with the loss. Fitchner scattered six hits and walked two while Read, who surrendered Baker’s sacrifice fly, walked one and did not give up a hit. Larry Muratore ripped a two-run homer in the seventh inning for the Merchants while clubmate Tom Kraft had two doubles.
Koering (W) and Corey
Fitchner (L), Read (9) and Leslie
(July 30) Mark Fisher, making a recovery from a sore pitching arm, hurled the Riverside Canucks to a 1 to 0 victory over the Brandon Cloverleafs, a win which put the Riversiders in front by two games in their playoff series. Fisher limited Brandon to five hits while walking three and striking out six. Lefthander Brian Hodgson went the distance for the Cloverleafs, yielding seven hits and five walks while fanning four, in taking the loss. The Canucks scored the game’s only run in the second inning on Ross Kinsley’s RBI-single. Cliff Seafoot and Kinsley each rapped a pair of singles for the winners while Doug Brown singled twice for the Wheat City nine.
Hodgson (L) and Brown
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
(July 30) The Virden Oilers scored five times in the third inning but couldn’t hang on as they dropped a 10 to 6 decision to the Dauphin Redbirds. The victory gave the Dauphinites a 3 – 0 lead in the series. The Birds had a 9 to 6 margin in base raps. Gary Keating, the last of three Redbird chuckers was given credit for the win while Monty Wood, who went the distance for Virden and whiffed 11 along the way, was tagged for the loss. John Morrison had an inside-the-park homer and a single for the victors while Ross Stone delivered a double and a brace of one-baggers. Kelly Turner chipped in with two singles. For the Oilers, Jack Day cuffed a double and two one-base raps.
Wood (L) and Hemstad
Rottman, Nickel (4), Keating (L) (7) and Bell
(August 2) A three-run homer in the bottom-of-the-tenth inning gave the Binscarth Orioles an 8 to 5 win over the Hamiota Red Sox and a 2 – 1 lead in their best-of-five playoff series. Garth Neville’s big blast came after the Orioles had tied the score with a lone run in the ninth inning, forcing overtime. Ross Lynd started on the hill for Binscarth but Neville came to his rescue in the seventh stanza and was given credit for the pitching win. Fifth-inning reliever Glennis Scott, who took over for Red Sox’ starter Allie McNiven, was charged with the loss. Bruce Stephens with a triple and single and Herb Andres with a double and two singles provided much of the punch in the Birds’ offensive attack. Lynn Caldwell singled twice for the Hamiotans.
McNiven, Scott (L) (5) and xxx
Lynd, Neville (W) (7) and xxx
(August 2) The Minot Merchants unloaded a 13-hit attack, including five home runs, en route to a 12 to 9 triumph over the Souris Cardinals in the third game of their best-of-five series. The Retailers hold a 2 – 1 lead in the series. Donn Feldner started on the knoll for Minot and earned the win although he needed relief help from Bill Koering in the ninth inning. Rick Read was charged with the loss after being lifted in the second spasm in favor of Bob Fitchner. Russ Henegar and Tom Kraft each slammed a pair of four-baggers for the Merchants and Jim Corey went yard once. Koering added four singles. Don Hodgson cracked a circuit-clout for Souris while Lynn McEvoy and Wayne Keeler picked up three singles apiece. Clubmate John Dell slapped out a brace of one-baggers.
Read (L), Fitchner (2) and Leslie
D. Feldner (W), Koering (9) and Corey
(August 2) The Brandon Cloverleafs stayed alive in the MSBL west playoffs by coming up with a narrow 2 to 1 victory over the Riverside Canucks, The Canucks committed two errors in the game and both miscues cost them a run. Bob Thompson, his right shoulder feeling much better, went the distance for the winning Leafs, yielding a dozen safeties and allowing three free passes while fanning six. Grant Everard, the tough-luck loser, also went the route, surrendering seven safeties while walking two and whiffing eight. The Riversiders plated their lone counter in the second spasm as Cliff Seafoot, who had led off with a single, eventually touched home following Gord Hunter’s sacrifice fly. The Wheat City baseballers knotted the count in the fifth when Thompson launched a three-bagger and later scored on an infield bobble. The Cloverleafs went ahead in the eighth after Bill Chapple reached the keystone sack after his roller down the first-base line hopped between Craig Bell’s legs. Brian Hodgson followed with an RBI-single to drive in the deciding tally. The Riversiders blew opportunities to score in both the sixth and eighth panels as, in each canto, they smacked three hits. Second baseman Bert Ready sparkled defensively for the winners and stroked a pair of singles as well.
Everard (L) and C. Seafoot
Thompson (W) and McFadyen
(August 2) The Dauphin Redbirds became the first MSBL west team to advance in the playoffs when they eliminated the homestanding Virden Oilers with a 9 to 2 win. The Redbirds annexed the series in three straight games. Ross Stone hurled the full nine innings for Dauphin in picking up his second victory of the series. He scattered 11 hits and struck out 12. Three Virden hurlers were combed for 14 base blows as starter Jerry Araujo was nicked with the setback.
Stone (W) and Bell
Araujo (L), McCannell (5), Wood (6) and Hemstad
(August 3) Reg Parton singled home Dale Gies with the game’s only run in the top-of-the-eleventh inning to give the Binscarth Orioles their second straight extra-inning win, a 1 to 0 conquest of the Hamiota Red Sox. The win wrapped up the series for the Orioles in four games. Binscarth enjoyed a 7 to 3 advantage in base hits as chuckers from both sides were tough in the pinches. Winning heaver Herb Andres was replaced briefly in the seventh when Garth Neville was brought in to face Glennis Scott, but returned to the knoll in the eighth. Neville came back once more in the bottom-of-the-second round of overtime to secure the save. Ron Ramsey went all the way for the Scarlet Stockings in absorbing the loss. Parton had an earlier single, prior to his safety which drove in the winner.
Andres, Neville (7), Andres (W) (8), Neville (11) and xxx
Ramsey (L) and xxx
(August 3) A pair of intentional walks in the tenth inning proved to be Bernie Graner’s undoing as the Minot Merchants nipped the Souris Cardinals 1 to 0 to move into the south-section finals. Graner, who struck out 13 and walked eight in his ten innings of toil on the bump, chose not to face the heart of the Minot batting order with two retired in the bonus round of play, instead issuing an intentional bases-on-balls to Tom Kraft who promptly swiped the keystone sack. With first base open, Graner then walked Larry Muratore. Although heavy-hitting Kraft was prevented from using his bat to advantage, his legs carried the Retailers to victory. After he swiped second which set up the walk to Muratore, Kraft once again, with larceny in his heart, took off for the hot corner sack and slid in successfully with a second stolen base. The suddenly rattled Graner then unloaded a a wild pitch as Kraft breezed across the pan with the deciding counter. In going down to the elimination defeat, Graner allowed only two Merchant safeties, a sixth-inning single to Muratore and an eight-frame one-bagger to Kraft. Gary Davidson and Don Hodgson divided the four safeties garnered by the Cards off winning chucker Bill Koering, slapping out two singles each. Koering walked four and struck out 12 in going the route.
Koering (W) and xxx
Graner (L) and xxx
(August 3) The defending playoff champion Brandon Cloverleafs were sidelined from the playoffs when the Riverside Canucks whipped them 8 to 2 to take their south-section semi-final series in four games. Riverside jumped on Brandon starter and loser Ron Funk for six tallies in the first two episodes and were never headed. Mark Fisher went the distance for the Canucks, scattering six hits while walking five and striking out a pair. Bob Williamson led the 12-hit Riverside offense with two doubles and a single. Garth Seafoot added two singles and a double while Fisher banged out three singles. Bill Chapple and Brian Hodgson had two singles each for the fallen Leafs while Bob Thompson nailed a lead-off homer in the seventh.
Funk (L), Hodgson (2) and xxx
Fisher (W) and C. Seafoot
SECTIONAL FINALS (best-of-five series)
(North) Dauphin Redbirds vs Binscarth Orioles
(South) Riverside Canucks vs Minot Merchants
(August 9) Binscarth shaded Dauphin 3 to 1 in the opener of the north-section finals. No game details and batteries were found in print.
(August 10) Grant Everard threw aspirins and his Riverside Canuck teammates brought out the heavy artillery as they downed the Minot Merchants 12 to 1 in the opening game of the MSBL west semi-finals. Everard struck out 16 and walked one while scattering eight hits. Terry Barsness went the distance for Minot and gave up 13 base knocks along with six free passes while punching out eight. Mark Fisher pounded a three-run homer in the fifth inning for the Riversiders and added a single. Teammate Ross Kinsley rammed a solo dinger in the eighth episode and also slapped out two singles. Bob Williamson helped the cause by contributing two singles and a double while Craig Bell ripped two one-baggers. Tom Kraft accounted for the Merchants’ lone counter with a bases-empty tater in the ninth. Russ Henegar added two singles.
Everard (W) and C. Seafoot
Barsness (L) and Corey
(August 11) The Binscarth Orioles took a commanding 2 – 0 lead in their best of five north-section final series with a narrow 3 to 2 conquest of the hosting Dauphin Redbirds. Ross Lynd earned the mound decision for the Orioles as he went the distance, limiting the Redbirds to five hits. He fanned a pair and didn’t issue a walk. Complete-game loser Dave Rottman gave up eight base raps, walked an equal number and whiffed two. Herb Andres drove in two runs for the winners with a third-inning double. Teammate Barry Jamieson stroked a brace of one-base hits. Dauphin’s John Morrison managed a double and single.
Lynd (W) and Stephens
Rottman (L) and Bell
(August 13) In a ten-inning slugfest at Riverside, replete with 31 hits and 11 errors, the homestanding Canucks came out on top of the Minot Merchants 12 to 11. Grant Everard, the fourth pitcher for the Riversiders and the winner in relief, doubled to start the last-half of the overtime frame. On the very next pitch, Mark Fisher drilled a single to send Everard home with the deciding tally. Summoned to the knoll in the eighth, Everard allowed only one of the 16 base hits acquired by the Dakotans. Bill Koering, combed for 15 Riverside safeties, persevered to the end in taking the mound setback. Fisher finished with three singles accounting for four RBI’s Besides his big two-bagger in the final frame, Everard added a single. Ross Kinsley, Garth Seafoot and Wes Rathwell all singled twice while Craig Bell unloaded a two-run circuit-jack. For the Amerks, Brian Riley and Jim Corey both managed three hits including a double by Riley. Jeff McPeak and Terry Barsness added a double and single each while playing-manager Larry Muratore and Russ Henegar delivered a brace of one-baggers each.
Koering (L) and Muratore
E. Beare, Lilley (5), Kinsley (6), Everard (W) (8) and C. Seafoot
(August 13) The Dauphin Redbirds capitalized on two Binscarth errors to edge the hosting Orioles 2 to 1 and remain alive in their north-section series. The pennant-winners enjoyed a 1 – 0 lead after five frames but a dropped fly ball and a misplayed infield grounder, preceded by a walk and a sacrifice, handed the visitors a pair of unearned counters in the sixth spasm. Dauphin got to losing heaver Bob Kutzan and reliever Garth Neville for nine hits while their southpaw ace, Ross Stone, gave up just five safeties in going all the way for the win. Bob Buchy delivered a brace of two-baggers for the victors while Gary Keating came through with a double and a pair of singles. Glen Hodgson drilled a double and single for the Orioles while Roy Reagh drove in the lone Binscarth tally with a single.
Stone (W) and Bell
Kutzan (L), Neville (6) and Stephens
(August 15) Cashing in what appeared to be a game of give-away, the Riverside Canucks emerged as eleven–inning winners with a 6 to 5 triumph over the Minot Merchants. The victory gave the Canucks a sweep of the south-section finals and a berth in the MSBL west championship series. Ninth-inning reliever Grant Everard, who took over from a tired starter Craig Bell, earned the win, his third straight against the Dakotans in the series. The Riverside hurling duo were nicked for 11 safeties and six free passes. Donn Feldner went the distance for Minot, allowing nine hits and nine walks. The Riversiders had to scramble for a pair of ninth-inning counters to keep their hopes alive and force overtime. After Feldner walked the first two batters to face him in the top-of-the-second bonus round of play, the Canucks went on to plate a three-spot on an attempted fielder’s choice and run-scoring singles by Gene Cory and Bell. Everard retired the first two Merchants to face him in the bottom-half-of-the-eleventh but with a walk and an error, the game of give-away reappeared. Kevin Bjork and Larry Muratore followed with singles, bringing in two tallies and narrowing the score to 6 – 5. Everard, at this point, put the load on his shoulders and struck out Bill Koering to end the game and Minot’s 1972 season.
Bell, Everard (W) (9) and C. Seafoot
D. Feldner (L) and Corey
(August 18) Five Dauphin errors paved the way for the Binscarth Orioles to advance to the MSBL west finals as the north-section pennant-winners posted a 4 to 1 victory, winning the best-of-five series 3 – 1. Binscarth now faces the Riverside Canucks in the north-south finals. Garth Neville went the route on the hill for the O’s, yielding ten base hits. His mates collected seven safeties off the slants of losing chucker Ross Stone but the five Redbird fielding miscues were the decisive factors. Neville rang up 13 punchouts and walked a pair while Stone whiffed seven and didn’t issue a base-on-balls. Don Gies had a triple and single for Binscarth while Glen Hodgson added two singles. Dave Rottman had three singles for the Redbirds, knocking in their only run while Stone had a brace of one-baggers.
Neville (W) and Stephens
Stone (L) and Bell
NORTH-SOUTH FINALS Riverside Canucks vs Binscarth Orioles (best-of-five series)
(August 20) The home park of the Riverside Canucks is considered hitter-friendly and, in the opening game of the MSBL west finals, the ballyard lived up to its reputation as the Binscarth Orioles and the hosting Riversiders combined for a 32 hits, including five round-trippers, in a rain-shortened, eight-inning contest, won by the visiting Birds 13 to 9. The two teams went through five pitchers with the Orioles sending three to the mound. Ross Lynd, the winning tosser, ascended the bump in the second panel and exited in the eighth. The trio of Binscarth flingers were raked for 14 hits and one walk. Canuck starter Grant Everard suffered the loss, walking two and yielding 16 of the 17 hits collected by the invaders. Dialing long distance with dingers for the victors were Don Gies and Ron Low who both launched three-run clouts. Going yard with taters for the vanquished nine were Mark Fisher and Cliff Seafoot with a solo shots and Craig Bell with a two-run blast. Low added four singles to his circuit-jack, good for four RBI’s. Don Gies added a one-bagger to his homer while Reg Parton, Garth Neville and Bruce Stephens each singled twice for the Orioles. Fisher had four RBI’s for the Riversiders, adding a double to his four-ply clout. Bell drove in a pair with his home run and two singles. Everard doubled and singled while Gene Cory ripped a brace of one-baggers.
Andres, Lynd (W) (2), Kutzan (8) and Stephens
Everard (L), Lilley (8) and C. Seafoot
(August 23) The Binscarth Orioles continued their push toward the MSBL west title with a 7 to 2 home-turf triumph over the Riverside Canucks. The victory for the Birds gives them a two-game lead in the best-of-five north-south series. Although not overly sharp, left-hander Garth Neville proved adequate in setting down the visitors on seven hits and five walks. Loser Mark Fisher lasted eight innings on the Canuck mound before giving way to Ed Beare. Fisher was nicked for all ten Binscarth safeties in addition to seven free passes. The O’s roared out of the gate with a deuce in the opening canto and, after three frames, had increased their lead to 5 – 0. Riverside narrowed the deficit with singletons in the fourth, on an RBI-single by Craig Bell, and in the seventh, when Ross Kinsley drove in Bell with a one-bagger. The hosts closed out the scoring in their portion of the seventh on a two-run homer by Ron Low.
Fisher (L), E. Beare (9) and C. Seafoot
Neville (W) and Stephens
(August 25) The Riverside Canucks stayed alive in the MSBL west finals with a come-from-behind 10 to 9 win over the Binscarth Orioles. The Birds have a two-games-to-one-lead in the best-of-five showdown. The hometown Canucks poured four runs over the plate in the bottom-of-the-ninth inning after most fans had given them up for dead. Once again, the game proved to be a hitters’ battle as the two teams cranked out a total of 29 hits, 17 of them by Binscarth. Veteran Lorne Lilley, who took over mound duties for the Riversiders in the eighth episode, got credit for the win while Garth Neville, who went back-and-forth from the outer pasture to the elevated portion of the diamond on two occasions for the O’s, was tagged with the defeat. A two-run double by Craig Bell, an RBI-double by playing-manager Cliff Seafoot and a clutch run-scoring single by Gord Hunter highlighted the ninth-inning comeback triumph for the Canucks. Bell had a grand-slam dinger in the second spasm in addition to his late two-bagger.
McCauley, Neville (5), Andres (6), Neville (L) (7) and Stephens
Everard, E. Beare (7), Lilley (W) (8) and C. Seafoot
(August 27) Binscarth Orioles capped a hugely successful season Sunday downing Riverside Canucks 7-5 to win the Manitoba Senior Baseball League championship and the Thomas Ryles Trophy. Orioles thrilled a crowed of more than 11-hundred fans coming from behind a 5-3 deficit with two runs in the seventh inning to tie and two in the eighth for the win. Binscarth had earlier captured the North Division pennant and been awarded the Les Edwards Memorial Trophy for the best record in the league.
Helped by six Binscarth errors, Riverside had scored single runs in five straight innings while the Orioles managed two in the third and another in the fifth. In the seventh, Don Gies singled to scored Bruce Stephens and Ron Low for a 5-5 tie. In the eighth, Low and Don Gies drove in runs to put the Orioles in front 7-5. But Riverside loaded the bases in the ninth before Garth Neville came in to strike out Bob Williamson to end the game and the season. Ross Lynd, the sandwich hurler amongst the triad of Binscarth tossers, copped the mound verdict over complete-game loser Lorne Lilley. Grant Everard belted a solo home run for the losers. Canuck fans received a bit of consolation after the game when it was announced that Craig Bell had been chosen as the most valuable player in the playoffs. Bell hit safely in all 11 playoff games with three home runs and 15 runs brought home.
Lilley (L) and Cliff Seafoot
Kutzan, Lynd (W) (6), Neville (9) and Stephens
(September 9-10) Manitoba Senior Baseball League east-west final series (See below)
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE (EAST DIVISION)
Carman and Steinbach departed the loop in 1972 while a team from Giroux, the Athletics, joined the circuit.
Not surprisingly, game results of league games appeared only sporadically and, in spurts, within the Winnipeg print media. Some semblance of regularity occurred during June but the cupboard was almost barren in July.
Giroux Athletics
Sanford/R. M. of MacDonald Mets
South End Sioux
Ste. Agathe Bisons
(June 6) The Ste. Agathe Bisons defeated the Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonaid 8 to 5 in MSBL east play. The winning pitcher was Paul Chartrand and the loser Don Miskiw. Dan Fink had a double and four RBI’s for the Saints while Stuart Manness dove in a pair of tallies for the Mets.
(June 9) Nursing a 1 – 0 lead over the Sanford Mets heading into the ninth inning, pitcher Gord Leduchowski of the South End Sioux imploded by loading the bases, then allowing a single to pinch-hitter Bill Predenchuk which tied the score. Next, he committed the cardinal sin of walking another pinch-hitter, Danny Allan, to force in the winning counter in a 2 to 1 loss.
(June 11) Terry Moore, pitching for the hosting Ste. Agathe Bisons, hurled a no-run, no-hit game in leading his club to a 1 to 0 verdict over the South End Sioux in the first game of an MSBL east doubleheader. Moore struck out eight batters and walked one. Dan Creechan picked up two of the five hits allowed by losing chucker Gary Benson. One of those safeties drove in the game’s lone run. In the second game, South End roared back to take a 5 to 2 decision behind the five hit heaving of winner Bill Walmsley. Paul Rintoul delivered a brace of hits off the slants of losing twirler Paul Chartrand who was touched for eight base raps.
(June 11) The R. M. of MacDonald Mets, who play out of Sanford, defeated the Giroux Athletics 6 to 4. Don Miskiw copped the knoll victory while Myron Cote was tagged with the setback.
(June 12) Ted Finlay’s two-run double in the top-of-the-ninth inning lifted the South End Sioux to a 5 to 3 victory over the Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonald. Doug Rintoul pitched eight innings for the win, surrendering six hits, one of which was a two-run homer by Sanford’s Fred Hardy. Neil Dodman worked all nine innings on the hillock for the Mets and absorbed the defeat.
(June 12) The strong pitching of Roy Seidler, backed up by the flawless fielding of his mates, allowed the Giroux Athletics to upset the Ste. Agathe Bisons 4 to 3. Flychaser Brian Sim saved the game for the A’s with a brilliant catch in the eight inning, smashing into the outfield barrier to make the play.
(June 19) The Giroux Athletics, behind the stellar three-hit pitching of Marcel Champagne, dumped the MSBL east front-running South End Sioux 5 to 4.
(June 20) The Ste. Agathe Bisons edged the R. M. of Sanford Mets 4 to 3 in MSBL east action at Sanford. Dennis Buhlin recorded the hurling triumph, pitching five innings and striking out ten batters. Carl Watson absorbed the setback. Dave Saulnier paced the Bisons at the plate with a double and triple.
(June 22) Rick Cruise belted two home runs in the same inning, the fourth, as the Ste. Agathe Bisons crushed the Giroux Athletics 21 to 0 in a blowout that was mercifully ended after five innings.
(June 29) Paul Chartrand struck out 14, walked two and hit a home run to lead the Ste. Agathe Bisons to a 10 to 2 win over the Sanford Mets of the R. M. of MacDonald. Rick Cruise also homered for the winners.
(July 10) The Ste. Agathe Bisons defeated the Giroux Athletics 6 to 1 in MSBL east action. Winning pitcher Terry Moore was aided by home runs off the bats of Dave Saulnier and Ralph Gardiner. The loss was charged to Wayne Seidler.
FINAL STANDINGS W L Pct. GBL
Ste. Agathe 13 2 .867 ----
South End 9 8 .529 5.0
Sanford/MacDonald 7 9 .438 6.5
Giroux 2 12 .143 10.5
PLAYOFFS
No evidence was found indicating playoffs for the MSBL east teams although the Ste. Agathe Bisons represented the eastern division against the MSBL west Binscarth Orioles in September.
MANITOBA SENIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE EAST-WEST FINAL SERIES
Ste. Agathe Bisons (MSBL east) vs Binscarth Orioles (MSBL west) best-of-three series
(September 9-10) The visiting Binscarth Orioles added another trophy to their collection when they annexed the Frank Richardson Memorial Trophy after scoring an 8 to 4 Sunday afternoon triumph over the St. Agathe Bisons. The two teams met Saturday at Binscarth in the first game of a best-of-three MSBL east-west final and the Orioles came up with a convincing 15 to 4 win.
Bob Thompson, a pickup for the series from the Brandon Cloverleafs by the west-division champion Birds, scattered six hits to earn the Sunday pitching win which clinched the series. Terry Moore, relieved on the knoll by Paul Chartrand, was charged with the loss. The duo gave up eight hits. Thompson also slammed a solo homer in the sixth inning. Barry Jamieson launched a second-inning dinger and Herb Andres blasted a three-run tater in the opening panel. Adding to the bevy of four-baggers drilled in the short-porched Ste. Agathe ball yard were four-ply clouts hammered by Rick Cruise and Gord Leduchowski, the latter having been added to the Bisons’ roster for the series from the South End Sioux.
Garth Neville allowed 11 hits in the series opener on Saturday in recording the win. Three Bison hurlers were combed for 18 base knocks as Dennis Buhlin took the loss. Jamieson and Thompson again homered for Binscarth and Cruise nailed one for Ste. Agathe.
SOUTH-CENTRAL BASEBALL LEAGUE
Carberry Royals
Cypress River
Glenboro Canucks
Notre Dame de Lourdes
NORTH-WEST BASEBALL LEAGUE
Angusville Cardinals
Birtle Blues
Grandview Lakers
Rossburn Mallards
SOUTH-WEST BASEBALL LEAGUE
Goodlands Cubs
BEAUTIFUL PLAINS BASEBALL LEAGUE
Neepawa Cubs
BORDER BASEBALL LEAGUE
Pilot Mound Pilots
Morden Mohawks
NORTHERN BASEBALL LEAGUE
Thompson Reds
WINNIPEG JUNIOR BASEBALL LEAGUE
Assiniboine Buffaloes
Carman Goldeyes
Legion #141
MacDonald Mets
River East Raiders
South End Sioux
St. Boniface Legionnaires
St. James Cardinals
Transcona Mallards