(Photo by Colton McKee, coltonmckeephotography.com) 

BY TRUMAN BARTMAN. THEMAVERICKS.CA

It wasn’t a typical Mavericks home game yesterday, as for just the second time this season, the Mavs fell at the hands of the Saskatoon Berries. In a first inning that included 4 Berries home runs and 9 runs in total, it set the tone for what would end in a blowout. 

Fortunately for the Mavericks, today is a new day and a new chance to prove that they can hang with the Berries. 

Xander Roberts, who had a stellar start in his last match with the Berries, is back on the mound again today. Roberts is undefeated on the year with a sub-2.00 ERA and has quietly become one of the WCBL’s more reliable starters. He is also one of the few pitchers who has had Berries star Carter Beck’s number, after he limited him to just one hit last Thursday.

Beck found his touch against a different Mavericks pitcher a night ago when he homered off of Jensen Cockrell in his first plate appearance. But the Mavericks will have their eye on more than just Beck, as the Berries as a whole now lead the WCBL in runs scored.

Their pitching is just as high-end, with 2023 All-Star Matthew Whitney leading the way. Whitney is top 5 in the WCBL in wins and is in the mix for pitcher of the year. Whitney has proved to be a great addition to the Berries rotation after he spent 2023 with the Fort McMurray Giants. 

Alongside former Swift Current 57s pitcher Klevert Martina, the two have formed an excellent duo. There’s a chance that the Mavericks see both Whitney and Martina this afternoon, and they will have to be prepared, as neither is easy to crack.

The Mavericks close out their 4-game home stand as they host the 20-3 Saskatoon Berries. After today’s game, the Mavericks will head on the road for 6 games, facing off against Sylvan Lake, Fort McMurray, and Energy City. This is a chance for the Mavs to send their fans home happy and keep them excited about what is to come when Medicine Hat returns to Athletic Park on July 8th.

The afternoon action heads off at 2:05 pm from Athletic Park on a sunny day in Alberta’s sunniest city.