The Weyburn Senior Beavers host their home opener tonight, June 2, when Yorkton comes to town. First pitch is at 7 p.m., with the game hosted at Tom Laing Park.In his second year as the head coach, Terry Smith believes that the Beavers are more prepared for their 2010 season. As far as game management, things are a lot more organized and Ive got the players ready to go a lot sooner. I also got to know a lot more of the guys, because I did a lot of the recruitment myself.Because I knew I was coming back after I left last summer, I started recruiting early, because I wanted to sign the available players before anyone else jumped on them, said Smith.I feel that we will be confident going into any game this year, with the arms we have on the mound and the defence we have behind them. This is the first year I can say that they are all my guys, I have a relationship with each one of them, and I have put my stamp on every one of them and okayed them to come here. So they are playing under my name now.Smith and pitching coach Justin Wichert recruited all of the players, with the majority signed early in January. We got a lot of good talent and good players from a lot of different programs, so we will have a good team, said Wichert.For returning local player Jon Neuberger, he is ready for his chance to take to the field. Last year he was injured early in the season. The biggest thing about last year was that I learned a lot more in one season on the bench than I did playing. So I feel that I am more mature and more experienced, and I cannot wait to get out back in the field.For the majority of the team, this week will be their first time playing together. Neuberger said that the first week is the time when the players come to learn more about each other. During practice and stuff, we will learn each others range and learn the signals, so we wont be running into each other. I think that by our home opener we will be more comfortable as a team, and play a much better game.In their game against the Moose Jaw Miller Express on May 30, the Beavers had a close 5-4 win. In the first inning, Jon Neuberger scored an unearned run, taking advantage of a Moose Jaw error. The Beavers kept that one-run lead until the bottom of the fourth when Moose Jaw tied the game.After five innings, pitcher Brady Adamek retired from the mound with a strong first showing of only allowing two hits and one run. At the top of the sixth inning, the Beavers had three runs, with Derek Wallace scoring unearned, Daniel Perron brought home by a batter hit-by-pitch, and Dillon Yeaman walked in with bases loaded.Moose Jaw took one run in the bottom of the fifth. The Beavers gained one more run in the seventh, scored by Grant Malm on a steal. Then the Miller Express attempted to tie the game with two runs scored, one in the seventh and one in the eighth. However Dillon Yeaman saved the win in the ninth inning, with one walk and three strikes.For the majority of the players, it is a valuable opportunity to have a chance to play with a team on the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL). The organization really opens it up for Americans to come up here and get a feel for a different kind of baseball, explained Adamek. We get to play with Canadians, and its good for team unity.We do meet good guys, but it is also a good opportunity to meet coaches and consider your school options, said Neuberger. I have talked to a lot of these guys about their college experience and they have told me what they do. It is interesting to learn the different levels of playing.As for the Beaver organization itself, Wichert said, I have heard that it is a pretty great organization and that they get a lot of community support.
