The return of higher quality, wood bat baseball to Saskatoon and Cairns Field was a great success Tuesday night – except for the result.

A sell-out crowd of 2,217 embraced the first-ever home game of the Berries in all of their purple splendour, but the Regina Red Sox spoiled the party with an 8-4 triumph. The Berries scored the first run of the game, the honour of the first-ever home field run for the franchise scored by Saskatoon product and outfielder Nolan Sparks in the bottom of the third inning. Another Saskatoon native, Ryan Olchoway, was the first-ever Berries starting pitcher at home and shut down Regina on two hits and three strikeouts over the first three innings before being touched for a three-run homer by Red Sox’ catcher Jackson Alaniz in the fourth frame that put Regina ahead for good. Red Sox starter Daniel Crabtree pitched seven strong innings, allowing just one run on two hits, before faltering in the bottom of the eighth inning as Saskatoon cut the deficit to 5-4 with three runs. But, Regina responded with three runs of their own in the top of the ninth inning to improve their record to 3-0…all wins coming at the expense of the Berries. Saskatoon hits the road for two games in Medicine Hat Wednesday and Thursday and a visit to Weyburn Friday before hosting the Lethbridge Bulls Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at Cairns Field. Following is game information courtesy the Western Canadian Baseball League plus post-game media scrums with Berries’ head coach Joe Carnahan, Olchoway and Sparks…..

SCORING