Springfield Braves fall in WSBL B-Pool finals

The Springfield Senior Braves were three outs away from returning to the top of the Winnipeg Senior Baseball League’s B-Pool but instead were forced to watch as the St Boniface Brewers celebrated.

The two teams went game-for-game in the finals, with Springfield looking comfortable to clinch another B-Pool championship in game five Sept. 2 at Koskie Field in Winnipeg.

The Braves leapt out to a 5-0 lead after a four run bottom of the third inning. Springfield was leading 5-3 heading into the seventh, before a three run explosion gave St Boniface just the margin they needed to pick up the victory.

It’s been a tough three years for the Braves since defeating the North Winnipeg Pirates in 2021 to win the WSBL’s B-Pool. They’ve made the finals all three years, but have lost in a winner-takes-all fifth game each season.

It wasn’t just a hard game for Springfield on the scoreboard. Starting first baseman Ty Zebinski was forced from the game after needing an EpiPen to deal with an allergic reaction after a wasp stung his catching hand. The team’s starting center fielder also had his car’s windshield shattered by a foul ball.

All evening playoff games in the WSBL are played on fields with lights, so Springfield moved from their normal home diamond in Dugald to Koskie for the playoffs.