NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks' infielder Carter Roth celebrates his home run in a 24-4 win at Athletic Park over the Swift Current 57s on July 26.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Playoffs in name only, is the Medicine Hat Mavericks focus heading into the WCBL postseason.
The Mavs meet the Regina Red Sox in the first round of the playoffs, the third time in four years they’ve faced off in the first round, with Medicine Hat winning the first two matchups. Game 1 is tonight at Athletic Park and Game 2 goes Thursday in Regina. If needed, a decisive Game 3 would be back at AP on Friday.
Mavs’ head coach Jonathon Thornhill says nothing changes with the playoffs arriving, he says they have to play the way they have, not play to the time of year.
“We just have to go out and keep playing the ball that we did all summer, don’t let the lights get too bright, don’t let the moments get too big,” Thornhill said. “Just stay true to themselves and play baseball the way they know they can.
“The biggest thing is understanding, just go be loose. When you guys are loose and doing your thing no matter what the significance of the game is, everybody knows the significance of the game, and the moment you put that pressure on yourself to have to perform because of that significance, that’s when you end up playing the baseball you’re not supposed to be playing and you play you end up playing it the wrong way.”
The Mavs head into the postseason losing their last four games, picking up just one win on a season-ending road trip. Thornhill says they approached the road trip looking to be right as a team, getting the reps needed at the plate, on the mound and defensively to be ready for playoffs.
“If we won, great, if we lost, great, as long as we got back here (Monday) night healthy and ready to go for Game One was the utmost importance,” Thornhill said.
“Not too worried at all, it’s a new season, everybody’s 0-0 and we look forward to getting after it.”
The Mavs and Red Sox tied the season series 4-4, with Medicine Hat winning the last four games including a doubleheader sweep on July 25. Regina enters the series off a loss to the Moose Jaw Miller Express on Monday. They did string together three wins before that, including two against the WCBL-leading Saskatoon Berries. Thornhill says both teams will have their players going and he expects it will all come down to who is playing their own brand of baseball the best.
“They’ll be ready to roll, but at the same time, we have a home to protect here for Game 1 and it starts there,” Thornhill said. “You worry about one game at a time and go from there. So we expect a good matchup with them.”
Thornhill says there is some excitement to building lineups and setting matchups for playoff series, comparing it to a video game of getting to be creative. The only difference, it’s real life emotions and players who all want to help lead the Mavs, a unique and fun challenge for the skipper.
“It’s going to be a nice little chess match, we’re confident with everyone in that locker room, just like they’re confident themselves,” Thornhill said. “So we’ll keep that flowing and they’ll give us their best for sure, when it comes to first pitch and last pitch throughout the series.”
The first-year Mavs’ head coach has enjoyed his summer in Medicine Hat and says the experience has been better than advertised. He hopes to extend the season another two weeks and help add another banner along the top pillars at Athletic Park. The Mavs are searching for their fourth championship in franchise history and first since 2018.
All summer Thornhill has preached to players and staff about making the right memories in the sprint of a season the WCBL offers and he hopes they can end the summer making the ultimate memory for one another and those who cheer them on every night.
“The people who came to watch the game or come to watch that championship, the memories, they tell their grandkids, it’s all just positive, positive and the ride itself is what you have to enjoy,” Thornhill said. “So day to day, looking back late May was day one here and all of a sudden, here we are a postseason talk, it goes by quick. So as long as we’re creating those right memories and stuff to talk about later, that’s what matters.”
Tickets for Game 1 of the series can be purchased on the Mavs’ website or at the box office, first pitch tonight is at 7:05 p.m.
