Scenes From Opening Weekend

The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) 2023 season is underway.

Opening Day and the first weekend of the campaign kickstarted high-end, summer collegiate baseball across Saskatchewan and Alberta.

A number of talented photographers were on hand at WCBL ballparks and captured some outstanding moments.

Here’s a look at the game through their lenses:

The mascot of the Sylvan Lake Gulls, Sully, overlooks the home diamond in anticipation of the first pitch of the team’s 2023 season at Gulls Field … photo credit: Karlin Stickel.
Coaches with the Regina Red Sox and Weyburn Beavers exchange lineup cards with the umpires at Tom Laing Park ahead of the WCBL Season Opener on May 25th in Weyburn … photo credit: Dallas Burnett’s Photo Captures.
A crowd of 5,146 baseball fans showed up at Seaman Stadium for the Okotoks Dawgs home opener against the Brooks Bombers on May 26th. The defending champs displayed the Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy and unveiled a 2022 championship banner before defeating the Bombers by a 16-6 score … photo credit: Okotoks Dawgs
Umpires prepare for the Swift Current 57’s home opener vs. the Regina Red Sox on May 26th at Mitchell Field … photo credit: Ed Fonger.
Hand-written notes from the leadership team of the Sylvan Lake Gulls welcome back fans at their seats in Gulls Field ahead of their home opener against the Fort McMurray Giants on May 26th … photo credit: Karlin Stickel.
Chaz Poppy, catcher for the Moose Jaw Miller Express, has a smile during a break in the action at Ross Wells Park. The Miller Express split their home-and-home series with the Weyburn Beavers, dropping the opening match 3-2 before rebounding for an 11-6 win in front of their home crowd on May 27th … photo credit: Joe Gunnis.
Pitcher Matt Wilkinson has his game face ready before he’s introduced as the Opening Day starter for the Okotoks Dawgs. The southpaw will head south to the Cape Cod Baseball League later this summer … photo credit: Ellery Platts.
Catcher Xander Little races out onto the field after being introduced to Swift Current 57’s fans at Mitchell Field on May 26th. The 57’s defeated the Regina Red Sox 8-1 in their home opener … photo credit: Ed Fonger.
Peyton Starr of the Brooks Bombers celebrates at home plate after hitting the team’s first homer of the season against the Okotoks Dawgs at Elks Field on May 27th … photo credit: Brooks Bombers.
Zach Stark awaits a pitch as Mavericks fans look on at Athletic Park in Medicine Hat. The Mavs dropped their home opener to the Lethbridge Bulls by a 7-6 score … photo credit: Colton McKee.
Mavs third baseman Nathan Tarver reaches to apply the tag to a Lethbridge Bulls batter running towards home plate at Athletic Park on May 27th … photo credit: Colton McKee.
Regina Red Sox first baseman Jackson Alaniz catches a pickoff throw while a Weyburn Beavers runner slides back to the bag … photo credit: Wanda Harron Photography.
Swift Current starting pitcher Kenny Jinks delivers against the Regina Red Sox during an 8-1 victory for the 57’s on May 26th. Jinks pitched five innings and surrendered no runs while striking out eight batters … photo credit: Ed Fonger.
Home plate umpire Matt Payne signals for one warmup pitch for Jake Williams (No. 11) as his teammates with the Brooks Bombers gather around the mound at Seaman Stadium on May 26th … photo credit: Ian Wilson
Lefty pitcher Matt Vasquez, who logged three innings of one-run ball in an 11-6 triumph over Weyburn on May 27th, meets with catcher Chaz Poppy and Miller Express mates at the mound … photo credit: Joe Gunnis.
Infielder Cale Yuzdepski tracks a ball he hit during the WCBL season opener at Tom Laing Park on May 25th … photo credit: Dallas Burnett’s Photo Captures.
Second baseman Kalem Haney of the Lethbridge Bulls awaits a ball as a Mavs runner slides into second base during a 7-6 win for the Bulls in Medicine Hat on May 27th … photo credit: Colton McKee.
Regina Red Sox players congratulate each other at the visiting dugout at Tom Laing Park on May 25th. The Red Sox beat the Beavers 9-1 in the season opener … photo credit: Wanda Harron Photography.
Sylvan Lake Gulls coach Jason Chatwood (left) gets a hand submitting his lineup card to the umpires as Joe Ellison, head coach of the Fort McMurray Giants, goes over things with one of the umps … photo credit: Karlin Stickel.