The 57th edition of the NCABL post season will be taking place this coming Saturday and Sunday at Keller Field in Westlock, Alberta.  Despite the excitement and anticipation that this event is known to produce at this time of year, one piece of the NCABL’s heart will be missing as we mourn the loss of a long time friend and pillar of the League and community of Westlock. Chuck Keller has passed and we are deeply saddened by his loss. Chuck Keller worked tirelessly and proudly for the community of Westlock and for the game that he loved.  Keller helped to build the game by exemplifying good sportsmanship as an elite player and by contributing his time and talents in many areas within the sport of baseball. His volunteer spirit was unmatched as he quietly went about caring for the facilities that were built for the citizens and sports enthusiasts of his community.  His coaching expertise and leadership style were to be admired. A 1996 recipient of the Ken Schultz Memorial Award, Chuck Keller will always be remembered for his unselfish and unassuming service to community and the sport of baseball. It is ever more fitting that the park that bears his name will be hosting a championship in which his beloved Red Lions will be competing.

The same top four seeds as last season have qualified for the two post season series’, but the match ups have changed.  The pennant champion Twins will be opening Series A (best of three) against the pesky Orioles who will be without the services of an injured Chase Visser. Visser will probably be sidelined for two months before returning to active competition.

Saturday, August 10:  
(A) 10:00 Orioles vs. Twins
(B) 13:00 Red Lions vs. Cardinals
(A) 16:00 Twins vs. Orioles

The Red Lions will be opening their best of three series (LCSFS: B) on Saturday against the defending League Champion St. Albert Cardinals.  These two teams have a long history of doing battle on the diamond and this season was no exception.  After the Red Lions had eked out two extra inning victories by scores of 10-9 and 9-8 in the first half of the season, the Cardinals pounded the Red Lions for a decisive 15-0 victory.  The Red Lions answered the bell in their fourth encounter by returning the favour with an equally decisive 13-0 rout of the Cardinals.  Series B will be concluded on Sunday with the game times subject to change depending on the results from Series A.

Sunday, August 11:  
(B) 10:00 Cardinals vs. Red Lions
(A) 13:00 Orioles vs. Twins
Should LCSFS: A have been completed on Saturday, the 10:00 game featuring the Cardinals and Red Lions would be pushed back
(B) 16:00 Red Lions vs. Cardinals

The Beverly Optimist All-Stars, with players from the Cardinals, Orioles, and Reds built a commanding lead in the 2024 All-Star Game played at Keller Field in Westlock, Alberta last July 21st before their defence collapsed.  The Optimist All-Stars came out firing on all cylinders in the first half of the contest collecting 10 runs on 9 hits in the early innings.  The Power Sports and Marine All-Stars, with players from the Twins, Red Lions, and Primeau’s, had been very quiet until their half of the fourth inning managing only one hit off of the effective pitching of starter Kayden Rentz.  By the time the dust had settled ending the fourth inning, the Power Sports All-Stars had counted 7 runs on 4 hits while taking advantage of 4 Optimist All-Star errors. The Power and Marine All-Stars added another run in the fifth to come within 2 runs of the Optimist All-Stars. In the bottom of the seventh, Greg Brady managed to score after being walked to close the gap to a single run differential. Nathan Brown then singled to score Poeter for the tying run.  Hayden Chies followed Brown with his second hit of the day driving in Nate Day and securing a come from behind victory for the Power and Marine All-Stars.

The home club prevailed by scoring 10 unanswered runs in the second half of the game to edge the Beverly Optimist All-Stars 11-10.

	R	H	E	LOB
Power Sports and Marine All-Stars	11	9	3	4
Beverly Optimist All-Stars	10	12	6	8

Player mentions:

At the pitching position, mentions go out to Eric Pankiw (2IP, 7BF,1H, 0R, 1K, WP) of the Power Sports and Marine All-Stars and to Kaden Rentz (2IP, 8BF, 1H, 0R, 1K, 1HB) of the Beverly Optimist All-Stars.

Positional players deserving of mentions include Nathan Brown of the Power Sports & Marine All-Stars:  4AB, 2H, 1R, 2RBI, including a game tying RBI in 7th. And Zach Pollard of the Beverly Optimist All-Stars:  3AB, 2H, 1R, 3RBI, including one double and 1K.

Most Valuable Player of the Game Award:

Hayden Chies:  5AB, 2H, 1R, 3RBI, including one double and the game winning RBI.

Beverley Optimists All-Stars

Power Sports and Marine All-Stars

We will be launching our 57th consecutive season of operation on May 8th with six franchises in our fold. The Legal Primeaus will be returning to Citadel Park to once again compete in the same League they once joined over fifty years ago. The NCABL will be offering its players and fans a sixty game package plus an exciting post season.

We welcome Jim Crawford, Winston Tuttle, Kevin Adam, Marty Stubbs, and newcomer Travis Parker to our core in 2024 along with the return of a solid group of casuals comprised of Dan McKennitt, Mike Duncan, Jason Gabert, Larry Wedgewood, and newcomers Braden Horn (who will also be in the mentorship program) and George Vander Velde.