The Lethbridge Bulls middle infielder Kyle Turner gears up for the 2022 baseball season. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By Mario Cabradilla

The Lethbridge Bulls open 2022 season

May 25, 2022 | 4:48 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge Bulls baseball team is opening the regular season of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) on Thursday, May 26, 2022 against the Sylvan Lake Gulls.

The Bulls won the WCBL 2021 Championship, so the team is coming into the season as the defending champions.

During a news conference May 25, 2022, head coach Chance Wheatley said the game against the Gulls will allow him to get a feel for the players.

“I wouldn’t say there’s a strategy going into this game other than just getting a feel for everyone and seeing what we got,” said Wheatley.

Lethbridge Bulls Head Coach Chance Wheatley, May 25, 2022. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

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Wheatley is excited about the season and is confident with the team’s offensive capabilities. Wheatley also said that they are not feeling pressured as a result of winning the 2021 WCBL championship.

“You take care of every game, or take one game at a time, and things will take care of itself,” said Wheatley. “It’s kind of our mindset going in there.”

Returning players this year include pitcher Max Benton, who helped the team win the championship last summer. According to Benton, he is looking forward to the upcoming season, but nothing could beat the experience of winning the championship.

“It was just something you can’t explain,” said Benton.

Lethbridge Bulls Pitcher Max Benton, May 25, 2022. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

Catcher Roger Riley from Nevada, who last played for the Bulls in 2019, is also coming back to Lethbridge. Riley was unable to play for the Bulls last season due to COVID-19 and he is eager to be back.

“In 2019, we weren’t [the] defending champs, but now we are. So, we got a title to protect and I’m eager to contribute,” said Riley.

Lethbridge Bulls Catcher Roger Riley, May 25, 2022. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

Before Thursday night’s game, the Bulls will host a ceremony in honour of former WCBL umpire Mitch Ball, who passed away in 2021 due to COVID-19. According to the baseball club, the umpire’s favourite drink was root beer, so free root beers will be handed out to fans in attendance, and they will be asked to wait to open their cans until prompted.

Wheatley said Mitch Ball had a huge impact, not only within the local umpire community, but also on baseball in Canada.

“He was an amazing umpire, but also an amazing person,” said Wheatley. “It’s very important for us to honour him.”

The game gets underway at Spitz Stadium at 7:35 PM on May 26, 2022.