The Swift Current 57’s will open the Western Canada Baseball League playoffs on Thursday when they host the Weyburn Beavers in the best-of-three Eastern Division semi-final series.
The 57’s finished five wins ahead of the Beavers with a 38-18 record, while the Beavers wound up with a 33-22 record after leading the Division for much of the season.
The 57’s won 17 of their final 20 games to make a late charge at top spot in the division.
They finished with a 3-4 record against the Beavers this season, but won their most recent meeting 8-3 in Weyburn on July 24.
The series will feature the top two home run hitting teams in the WCBL. Weyburn led the 12-team circuit with 53 home runs, while Swift Current was second with 49. Beavers’ 6’3’’ Australian Jack Barrie led the league with 19 home runs and was second with 57 runs batted in.
The 57’s should have the edge on the mound as their staff finished second with a 3.52 earned run average, while Weyburn was well behind with a 4.46 team ERA.
Game two will be Friday in Weyburn, followed by game three, if necessary, back in Swift Current.
The top seeded Regina Red Sox will meet Moose Jaw in the other Eastern Division semi-final series.
