UPDATE: Sunday's games will be held in Kamloops, rather than in Chilliwack as originally scheduled, due to rain in the forecast in the Fraser Valley

Saturday, April 2: Cascades at Thompson Rivers WolfPack, 1 & 4 p.m., Kamloops, B.C.
Sunday, April 3: Cascades at Thompson Rivers, 1 & 4 p.m., Fairfield Park, Chilliwack, B.C.

THE MATCH-UP

The Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference (CCBC) returns to full conference play this weekend, and the Cascades baseball club opens the regular season with a home-and-home series vs. the Thompson Rivers WolfPack. Doubleheaders run Saturday (in Kamloops) and Sunday (at Chilliwack's Fairfield Park).

The Cascades haven't played a full CCBC regular season since 2019, when they won their first league championship. The traditional spring seasons in both 2020 and 2021 were cancelled amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Last fall, the CCBC hosted a championship tournament in Kelowna, with the UFV squad finishing second.

FULL CASCADES SCHEDULE

SEASON PREVIEW

There are many new faces on the Cascades' roster since the last time the club enjoyed a full CCBC season, but there's also a strong core of veterans to lead the way.

Stephen Horner brings a dynamic offensive skillset to the middle of the order and will play in the outfield and at first base. Jack Ray and Dylan Merritt will anchor the infield and hit near the top of the order, while Josh Berenbaum – best known for his work as the Cascades' longtime second baseman – will see extensive time on the mound this season. He'll be a key piece of the UFV rotation, alongside fellow veteran Brad Bishop.

The Cascades' pitching staff will be a strength of the team – Bishop and Berenbaum are part of a group of experienced hurlers that also features 6'7" righty Travis McDougall, Sasha Kamenjasevic, and Garinder Sarana.

In the field, a lot of positions will be handled by committee – a testament to the Cascades' depth across the diamond. Among the many players who will contribute, outfielder Connor Coverett hit .500 (7-for-14) at the CCBC championships last fall, Lane Grunerud has great range in centre field, newcomer Nolan Sparks will energize the squad at the plate, Peyton Kincek and Eric Einarson had strong spring-training performances, and Blake Badger and Jared Coops are two-way players who will see time in both the field and on the mound.

FULL CASCADES ROSTER

PLAYER TO WATCH

Stephen Horner, UFV – The Cascades' standout outfielder/first baseman enters his third season of eligibility as one just a handful of CCBC-experienced veterans remaining on the roster, and his leadership will be crucial. Horner, a Vancouver product, is known for stepping up in big games – he had a memorable seven-RBI performance in the Cascades' CCBC championship-clinching victory in 2019.

QUOTABLE

"This is the culmination of a lot of hard work, a lot of long days. Guys have been putting in time in the weight room, grinding it out in the classroom as well, without that light at the end of the tunnel (getting to play games). For us to finally be here, I couldn't be more excited to take the field with these guys and watch them go out and play. I know how excited they are – they're fired up, and they should have a ton of confidence because of all the time and hard work they've put in. It's a really exciting time for us as a program." – Cascades baseball head coach Wes Darvill, on what it means to his team to finally get a full CCBC season after the 2020 and 2021 seasons were cancelled

"We have a strong mix of players, including some who have been on the roster for three years, and they haven't really seen a ton of CCBC regular-season game time because of COVID. Those are guys you really feel for, and we're excited that we finally get to watch them play. On top of that, we have some really good true freshmen that we're excited to watch compete, see what the CCBC is like and see where they stack up. We're really excited for them to go out, throw on the Cascade green and help us win some ballgames." – Darvill, on the Cascades' roster