WCBL Releases Game of the Week Schedule

May 26, 2022 9:29 am | by WCBL | Posted In Feature News, News

The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) is excited to unveil its Game of the Week (GOTW) schedule for the 2022 season.

This weekly feature is designed to highlight the many great rivalries of this historic league, as well as put a spotlight on a number of the many great baseball events happening across Alberta and Saskatchewan this summer.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the GOTW matchups to keep an eye on:

Week 1: The defending WCBL champion Lethbridge Bulls host the Sylvan Lake Gulls at Spitz Stadium on Friday, May 27th. The two teams renew hostilities for the first time since they clashed in the 2021 postseason. The Bulls will perform a banner-raising ceremony before the game.

Week 2: The Bulls play host to the Edmonton Prospects on Friday, June 3rd as part of Festival Weekend. Lethbridge swept the Prospects in the 2021 WCBL championship series.

Week 3: The Fort McMurray Giants, back in action for the first time since 2019, welcome the Okotoks Dawgs to town on Thursday, June 9th. The Giants will push for the playoffs under veteran coach Ray Brown, who experienced postseason success against the Dawgs when he was with the Prospects.

Week 4: A Father’s Day Doubleheader with a twist will take place at Currie Field on Sunday, June 19th when the Regina Red Sox welcome the Sylvan Lake Gulls for an afternoon tilt, followed by the Weyburn Beavers in the evening. Other Father’s Day festivities will take place at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks, where the Dawgs play the Moose Jaw Miller Express; in Medicine Hat with the Mavs hosting the Swift Current 57’s; the Brooks Bombers clash with the Lethbridge Bulls at Elks Field; and the Prospects and Fort McMurray Giants do battle at Centennial Park No. 9 in Sherwood Park.

Week 5: Cross-provincial rivals the Medicine Hat Mavericks and the Moose Jaw Miller Express will meet up at the newly-renovated Athletic Park after the Miller Express make the trek along the Trans-Canada Highway 1 for a 7:05 p.m. start on Wednesday, June 22nd.

Week 6: Long-time postseason combatants the Edmonton Prospects and the Okotoks Dawgs take to the diamond at Seaman Stadium for a Canada Day matchup that promises to entertain on Friday, July 1st. Other Canada Day games include the Bombers vs. Bulls at Spitz Stadium for a doubleheader in Lethbridge; the Gulls in Fort McMurray to face the Giants; the 57’s at Athletic Park to square off against the Mavs; and the Weyburn Beavers visit both Regina and Moose Jaw for a pair of road games.

Week 7: The Brooks Bombers step between the chalk lines for a matchup against the Weyburn Beavers at Elks Field on Tuesday, July 5th. Both clubs are back in the WCBL after a two-year hiatus and the Bombers are excited to welcome fans to their new seating area – the Flight Deck – above the home team’s dugout.

Week 8: Saskatchewan adversaries the Swift Current 57’s go into Moose Jaw to tangle with the Miller Express at Ross Wells Park on Tuesday, July 12th. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. As with the other clubs from the province, 2022 marks their first season of summer collegiate baseball action since 2019.

Week 9: The WCBL has two signature events this week that are sure to be fan favourites. The Sylvan Lake Gulls provide the venue for Baseball Day in Canada on Thursday, July 21st for a full night at the ballpark that celebrates the sport in our nation. Fans at Gulls Stadium will get the opportunity to watch the Red Sox and Prospects clash at 4:05 p.m., followed by a matchup featuring the home team and the Miller Express at 8:05 p.m. Just a couple days later, on Saturday, July 23rd at Seaman Stadium, the Okotoks Dawgs open their doors to the best players in the league for the 2022 WCBL All-Star Game & Home Run Derby. The fun-filled day will include fireworks displays, musical entertainment, autograph sessions and a special guest appearance by former Major League Baseball (MLB) star Matt Stairs.

Week 10: Alberta and Saskatchewan do battle on the diamond yet again, this time in the form of a matchup between the Brooks Bombers and Swift Current 57’s at Mitchell Field on Tuesday, July 26th. Brooks looks to make playoffs for the first time in franchise history, while Swift Current looks to regain its championship form of 2016-17.

Week 11: The playoff picture starts to take shape during the WCBL’s final week of the regular season. We highlight three contests and watch for the postseason implications in each game. Southern Alberta squads Lethbridge and Medicine Hat meet up in a Highway 3 clash between the Mavs and Bulls at Athletic Park at 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 2nd. While that’s happening, the five-time WCBL champion Okotoks Dawgs host the upstart Sylvan Lake Gulls at Seaman Stadium in what could be a playoff preview. On Wednesday, Aug. 3rd, the Weyburn Beavers invite the Red Sox to Tom Laing Park for an East Division showdown.

That’s a quick glimpse of our 2022 Game of the Week schedule. Find more information on the full WCBL schedule here.