Sports

Brewers looking for repeat for 2014 — Five time champions back with powerhouse roster

April 27, 2014   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart
After becoming the only team in the North Dufferin Baseball League’s history to win five consecutive titles, the Bolton Brewers will be back on their home diamond at North Hill Park in Bolton this season in an attempt to claim the championship for the sixth year in a row.
The Brewers have signed up 22 players for the 2014 season, and they’re going to need them all.
In addition to playing a full schedule in NDBL, the Brewers have again signed on with the Greater Toronto Baseball League (GTBL).
With 28 games in the NDBL regular season and 12 more with GTBL the squad will play 40 games before the playoffs.
“We have four new guys this season,” said coach Mike Wallace. “We have three that jumped ship, (from other teams) and one new junior player that moved up.”
The roster includes 13 players who will rotate pitching duties through the season.
The squad has already been practising, using indoor facilities around the region so they won’t have too much rust to shake off when they get out on the turf.
“We had our first practice on Saturday (April 19),” Wallace said. “It’s always a world of difference when you get outside. We do a lot of batting practice, work on the infield, and the pitchers do their own thing.”
They’re going to have to be in shape. They’ve got 10 games to play in the first week of competition, including a double-header against Nobleton opening day in May.
NDBL has 15 teams on the schedule in the Senior division this season. That’s one up from last year, with the return of the squad from Orangeville — who have also changed their name.
The Orangeville team took last season off after failing to find enough players. This season, they are back with a new name — the Giants — and most likely a new uniform, as their previous duds were emblazened with their former sponsor’s colours and logo.
The Bolton Dodgers will also be back this season and have 22 players listed on the roster.
Their home diamond is also at North Hill Park in Bolton with Wednesdays and Sundays being their days for home games.
The NDBL schedule will get underway May 3, when the Brewers travel to Nobleton to take on the Cornhuskers with a double-header to start off the season.
Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m, followed by game two at 3:30 p.m.
The Dodgers’ season will kick off May 7, with a home game against the Angus Black Sox.
Game time is 8:30 p.m.

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