Tim Pratt, Head Coach for the Bantam Girls team that will represent Nova Scotia at the National Championships in Québec City, is hoping for some good results in the tournament. “I like our chances to make it to the crossovers and get in to the medal round,” says Pratt. “We built the team to compete,” adds Pratt, “so, we’re going to be competitive and looking forward to playing some good ball.” This is the first time that Pratt and his team will be at the Nationals and he wants his girls to savour the experience. “I want my kids to have fun,” says Pratt. “They’ve worked hard and if they have fun and play relaxed and play loose they’ll have some successes, both personal and on the field.” His high expectations for his team finishing in the medals are based on the fact of his team’s cohesiveness and spirit. “The strongest suit of the team is the team itself,” says Pratt. “These girls have been together since March and they never give me a day off. They’re always trying to get together. They’re very close as a team.” Now all that is left to do for Pratt and his team is to get to Québec City and play. “We’ve finished our last practices,” says Pratt, “so the girls are amped and ready to go.” The 2007 Baseball Canada Championships are a single site event that will be held in Québec City from August 8-12 and August 16-19.
The Texas Rangers traded Eric Gagne of Mascouche, Québec to the Boston Red Sox, which puts the closer on a contending team to possibly make the playoffs and even the World Series. “The Red Sox are a team that is built to win now. On top of that, they’re the best team in the Majors,” says Gagne in an interview with the French sports network RDS. To get Gagne, The Red Sox traded pitcher Kason Gabbard and two minor league outfielders, David Murphy and Engel Beltre. The 2003 Cy Young award winner will be in uniform for the Red Sox when they take on the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. The former Junior and Senior National Team member has posted a 2-0 record with a 2.16 ERA and 16 saves this season.
Baseball Canada will broadcast National Championship games via webcasts through its website. The National Championships will take place from August 8-12 and August 16-19 in Québec City. The games that will be broadcast are those that will be played at the Stade Municipal in Québec City. The divisions scheduled to compete at the Stade Municipal will be the Midget, Junior and Senior men’s, as well as the Baseball Canada Cup. To see the schedule and to listen to the broadcast, go to the Championships link on our website.
