Dukes Baseball Inc. - Update: August 18, 2008

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Update: August 18, 2008

Dukes Finish Strong Winning Major Hardware

Sherwood Park Home to Western Major Baseball League’s Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year

SHERWOOD PARK, ALBERTA, Monday, August 18, 2008

The Western Major Baseball League expansion franchise Sherwood Park Dukes’ inaugural season may have wrapped up last Sunday with a loss in the Western Conference Championship series, but the Dukes brought home some major hardware yesterday as the league released the 2008 WMBL All-Star Teams and Award Winners. Leading the way all season for the Dukes, Thunder Bay native Dan Grant led all WMBL hitters this season winning the League Batting Title with a .403 batting average in the wood bat league. Grant (ex-University of Northern Iowa/NCAA Division I) not only added a 1^st Team All-Star Infield Award to his wall, but also brings home the WMBL’s Most Valuable Player Award. “Dan did a great job this summer being a consistent threat at the plate, taking pressure off our other hitters and giving our line-up depth,” states Dukes Head Coach Jordan Blundell. “Dan was a quality defender and displayed a knack for getting big hits. He lead by example everyday giving the Dukes his best effort every game,” adds Blundell.

Dukes center fielder Ryan Jacobi (Mansfield, TX; Texas Wesleyan University/NAIA) dazzled the Dukes and their fans all season, robbing opposing hitters of extra base hits with his great range and diving catches. Jacobi’s efforts in the outfield were not just noticed by the hometown fans as Jacobi was awarded a 2^ndTeam All-Star Outfield Award by the Western Major Baseball League. “Ryan took many hits away from the opposition, which I'm sure did not go unnoticed on our Pitching Staff,” says Blundell.

Leading the team from a tough mid-June to a strong 13-4 win-loss record in July and a third place overall finish, it is clear to see why Dukes Head Coach Jordan Blundell was named as the Western Major Baseball League’s Coach of the Year. Although Blundell had a head start with some players following him to Sherwood Park from the 2007 St. Albert Prospects squad (who took the year away from the league due to facility issues), Blundell recruited some new faces to the League, dealt with a couple of tough injuries and managed the team through losing three quality players to Team Canada’s entry at the World University Games with a fantastic July record. Coach Blundell heads the baseball program at Vancouver Island University (formerly Malaspina University) and is extremely proud to be recognized as Coach of the Year in the WMBL. “The league has so much talent and has so many great coaches that it's special to be given this honor,” states Blundell. Blundell continues, “Most importantly, I need to thank all my players for an outstanding season – their hard work and dedication provided me the opportunity to be recognized with this award.”

The Dukes players have all departed back to their respective colleges after a strong first season that saw the Dukes finish the regular season with the third best record and a first round playoff series win, both huge victories for an expansion franchise. The Dukes cap off their successful inaugural season with three of the major WMBL awards – a tough year to improve on, but the Dukes hope to build on the strength of their first season and fight their way to the League Championship series in 2009.

WMBL Allstars for 2008 Season
Monday, August 18th, 2008

WMBL ALLSTAR TEAMS AND AWARD WINNERS FOR 2008

1st Team Allstars

Pitchers:
LHP Robert Alcala Moose Jaw Millers
LHP Mark Hardy Okotoks Dawgs
RHP Jeff Duda Okotoks Dawgs
RHP Jake Bottari Okotoks Dawgs

Infielders:
Dustin Bissonette Swift Current Indians
Dan Grant Sherwood Park Dukes
Matt Warr Melville Millionaires
Joel Cardinal Saskatoon Yellow Jackets

Outfielders:
Riley Gavello Weyburn Beavers
Anthony Cros Okotoks Dawgs
Nickolas Longmire Yorkton Cardinals
Kyle Albright Swift Current Indians

Catcher:
Brett Thomas Okotoks Dawgs

DH:
Cory Hall Regina Red Sox

2nd Team Allstars

Pitchers:
RHP Gord Gateman Weyburn Beavers
LHP Josh Marshall Saskatoon Yellow Jackets
LHP Mike Goemans Yorkton Cardinals
RHP Brian Strawn Swift Current Indians

Infielders:
Hogan Barnes Medicine Hat Mavericks
Conrad Funk Swift Currrent Indians
Manny Kumar Okotoks Dawgs
Jason Chatwood Saskatoon Yellow Jackets

Outfielders:
Ryan Jacoby Sherwood Park Dukes
Eric McKinney Regina Red Sox
Ken Fuglerud Lethbridge Bulls
Doug West Moose Jaw Millers
Brandon Hunter Okotoks Dawgs

Catcher:
Eric Sim Moose Jaw Millers

DH:
Lee Darracott Okotoks Dawgs

Batting Champion: Dan Grant Sherwood Park Dukes (.403 avg)
Pitching Champion: Jake Bottari Okotoks Dawgs (.84 era)
Rookie of the Year: Matt Warr Melville Millionaires
MVP for the season: Dan Grant Sherwood Park Dukes
Canadian Rookie of the Year: Eric Sim Moose Jaw Millers
MVP of the Playoffs: Brett Thomas Okotoks Dawgs
Coach of the Year: Jordan Blundell Sherwood Park Dukes

The Sherwood Park Dukes (www.dukesbaseball.ca) are the newest collegiate summer team franchise in the Western Major Baseball League and will play their inaugural season at Centennial Park Diamond #9 in Sherwood Park, Alberta, a legacy of the 2007 Western Canada Summer Games. The WMBL includes teams from Saskatchewan – Melville Millionaires, Moose Jaw Miller Express, Regina Red Sox, Saskatoon Yellow Jackets, Swift Current Indians, Weyburn Beavers and the Yorkton Cardinals, and Alberta – Lethbridge Bulls, Medicine Hat Mavericks, Okotoks Dawgs, the Sherwood Park Dukes as well as the Red Deer Generals and St. Albert Prospects who have been granted leaves of absence for the 2008 season. The Dukes are locally owned and operated with their “Diamond of Dreams” motto and their vision “to build a community oriented organization that will enrich Sherwood Park’s quality of life by providing affordable wholesome family entertainment and promote the benefits of athletic competition through the successful ownership of a summer collegiate baseball team.”