NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks right fielder Jordan Phillips loads up to jump and celebrate his seventh inning, two-run home run in the Mavs' 13-8 home opener win Wednesday at Athletic Park over the Saskatoon Berries.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
After a 287-day gap between Medicine Hat Mavericks games at Athletic Park it was exactly the same atmosphere Kevin Mitchell remembered.
The Mavs’ head coach was at the helm for the 12-9 Game 2 win in the WCBL Finals on Aug. 16, 2023 against the Okotoks Dawgs and was back in the dugout for the 13-8 home opener win Wednesday over the Saskatoon Berries.
It was a re-ignition of affection Mitchell has for Medicine Hat and the atmosphere the fans provide at Athletic Park.
“I love this place,” Mitchell said. “This is one of my favourite places in the world and I mean that. Being out there, watching these kids play baseball and getting to be part of it, is really special. The community, the fans, the stadium that we have, it’s pretty awesome.”
The atmosphere provided by the 1,302 fans in attendance was helped by the Mavs’ jacking up four home runs in the win against the WCBL’s newest franchise. The offence was led by catcher Nick Thibodeau’s two home runs, a three-run blast in the first inning and a two-run bomb in the sixth.
The Burlington, Ont. product was shy about his offensive production, saying it was just another night at the ballpark. But that night at the ball park, his first taste of Mavs’ baseball at Athletic Park, is something he’s never been part of before and he is ready for more.
“It’s just going to go up from here, from the Fan Fest to the home opener, it’s crazy the amount of support that we get for the team,” Thibodeau said. “Coming in and not knowing this team, not knowing the league whatsoever, people were telling me we get over 1,000 fans a game, it’s just crazy. I’ve never been a part of anything like this. Maybe getting like 100 fans at school, at most, against rivals.
“But just the atmosphere, the fans and the love and support they gave for us and want to see you succeed, it’s just incredible.”
The Mavs’ other two home runs Wednesday came off the bats of centre fielder Brody Gardner and right fielder Jordan Phillips. Gardner drove a ball over the fence in his defensive stomping grounds for a solo-shot in the first inning and Phillips hit a two-run blast in the seventh to put Medicine Hat ahead 11-4.
Phillips’ home run Wednesday was his second of the season, he had another two-run home run in the Mavs’ 7-4 win at Mose Jaw against the Miller Express on Sunday. Going from two games at Ross Wells Park in Moose Jaw to the Mavs’ Fan Fest on Monday and then the home opener Wednesday, Phillips says it’s the most fans he’s ever played in front of.
“I almost feel like my game improves from the crowd and the adrenaline, it’s nice. I like it. I can’t wait, it’s going to be a fun season,” the Houston, Texas product said.
There’s a lot of baseball still ahead for the Mavs, only three games into a 56-game schedule ahead of what they hope is an almost repeat of last season’s lengthy playoff run.
With 27 more home games left in the regular season, Phillips is looking forward to seeing the full potential of Athletic Park as schools let out, Canada’s Sunniest City reflects its name and the excitement builds around a team building early momentum.
“I’m going to have a blast. I know everybody else is going to have a blast playing in front of these fans,” Phillips said. “I’ve only been here a day, but I can already tell whenever it fills out that it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
The Mavs were back in action Thursday at AP in a rematch with the Berries, that game was not complete by press time. Visit medicinehatnews.com/sports for a full game story. They host the Swift Current 57’s on Friday before an off-day Saturday sets up a two-game home stand against the Fort McMurray Giants on Sunday and Monday.
