Colts look to the future, fighting hard in the present

By RYAN MCCRACKEN on May 4, 2019.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken

There’s no bringing down the McCoy Colts varsity baseball team.

After falling into a two-run hole late in their UCT High School Baseball Tournament opener on Friday at McCoy Field, the Colts rebounded to take a pair of runs from the Catholic Central Cougars and secure a time-shortened 4-4 tie in the sixth.

The result comes just a few days after the announcement that McCoy will host a baseball academy next season – something coach Intek Hong says seems to have the entire roster fired up.

“We do have quite the graduating crop, but I think hopefully for the younger group - especially the ones at Notre Dame who are hopefully coming to McCoy – it’ll intrigue them now that we have that option available,” said Hong, adding he was proud of the way his team rebounded to split Friday’s tournament opener.

“They didn’t quit and that’s kind of all you can ask for. It’s easy to let a game get away from you and get down on it. You can take two routes, you can roll over and die or you can try to claw back. I think that’s the biggest thing I was happy with as a team.”

Grade 10 Colt Wyatt Study says the prospect of a baseball academy at McCoy is undeniably exciting – especially considering the Hat High Mohawks opened an academy of their own last year.

“It’s the best thing that could happen to the school since Hat High got their own academy,” said Study. “We lost a lot of kids to Hat High and I think we’re going to bring some back and be the top school in Medicine Hat baseball.”

Former Medicine Hat Mavericks pitching coach Kyle Swannack will be at the helm of McCoy’s academy. Swannack recently opened Swanny’s Baseball and Training in Medicine Hat and has already spent time coaching with the Colts this season.Â

The academy will be integrated into the school day with courses running once or twice per week, both at the school and at off-campus training facilities.  The academy will also incorporate McCoy’s fitness and performance course, “a hands-on experience in guided intensive training and conditioning sessions using a variety of different training methodologies,” according to a release from the school.

“(Swannack) has got so much to offer. I’m really looking forward to having these guys have that opportunity next year to get better and grow,” said Hong, a McCoy alumnus who would have loved the chance to participate in a baseball academy when he was a student. “That would have been amazing, having that intelligence and knowledge getting passed on to you. I think these guys will definitely be much better not just players, but young men, because of this academy.”

Study added Swannack has already brought a wealth of expertise to the squad, as well new methods for training and conditioning.

“He’s very knowledgeable and he’s bringing new technology into the program so we’re up to date, we’re always getting better, we’re always doing the new thing,” said Study, who had an a RBI walk in Friday’s tie. “The new technology is stuff like system band work, shoulder tubes and weighted balls, really good arm care stuff.”

One of the team’s youngest players, Evan Morrison, says he’s thrilled to know the baseball academy will be kicking off in his first year at McCoy. The Grade 9 Notre Dame student has been competing with the high school squad this season, and even training alongside Swannack at his current school.

“He’s a really nice guy. I’m excited for it,” said Morrison, who contributed to Friday’s comeback tie with a walk in the sixth. “We got on, we got hits like the one to the fence. If we made it to the seventh inning I think we would have came out on top.”

Peyton Cox led the Colts with 2 RBI in a 1-for-3 outing from the leadoff slot, while Reese Whelen added an RBI on a sacrifice bunt, Jayden Ball finished at 2-for-4, and both Drew Niwa and Carson Sauter added individuals base knocks.

Starting pitcher Ty Brooks managed to hold Catholic Central to one run on four hits through 4 and 1/3 innings, then Ball took the hill to close out the game – allowing three runs on three hits with three strikeouts through the final 1 and 1/3.

“He’s had a lot of arm issues lately so we definitely wanted to limit him, but he came out with the mentality of a grinder,” Hong said of Ball, who entered with two on and one out in the fifth. “He didn’t back down, he just went right at them. He showed them what he’s got and did a heck of a job.”

McCoy went back at it against Foothills Friday night, though a score was not available by press time. The Colts return to the diamond Saturday to close out the round robin stage against Cranbrook.

The UCT tournament continues with consolation games at noon at Kin Coulee, Jeffries Field and McCoy Field. The championship and third place games are set for 2:30 p.m. at Jeffries and McCoy, respectively.

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