Criseyde Borthwick has now played for Team Saskatchewan for two straight years. (submitted photo/Darryl Gershman)

By Nick Nielsen

Championships played over September long weekend

Three Prince Albert baseball players represent Team Sask

Sep 25, 2024 | 11:03 AM

With baseball season already at an end, three players from here in Prince Albert were able to represent on the provincial level during the month of September. Nash Noble, Marcus Exner, and Criseyde Borthwick all got a chance to play with Team Saskatchewan at different levels of competition earlier this month during the September long weekend.

President of Prince Albert Minor Baseball Nathan Noble said that both Nash (his son) and Exner originally tried out for the U15 team with Team Saskatchewan that would go to nationals, but didn’t make the team this year that went on to finish eighth in the national tournament. That said, Noble said that both players got to go anyways because of a unique thing Team Saskatchewan does with young prospects against teams from Alberta and B.C.

“What Team Sask does is they try to run kind of a first year group, so they call it a 14U team, and both the boys were selected to be part of that team that ended up going to kind of a tri-province type of tournament in Alberta. So both boys were super excited about the opportunity to play some higher level baseball and just to be able to experience what it’s like to play against some of those kids from Alberta and B.C. and continue to play baseball into September.”

As for the baseball itself, Noble and Exner’s U14 team dropped both of their round robin games on the opening day to Alberta and B.C., but they came back on day two to beat both teams to clinch second after the round robin and head to the semifinal to take on Alberta a third time. Team Alberta got the win to head to the final against B.C. in a close game, but Noble said that both players should be proud of how they played.

“They had a really great game, ended up losing a close one there at the end, but both Marcus and Nash were able to get in and pitch. They both got some at bats, they played well defensively and it was good to see them compete at the at the level of those boys.”

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With the two young players heading out to Alberta to play with their U14 team, it gave them a chance to learn from some older players as they team bus made stops to pick up players in Saskatoon, the Battlefords, and Lloydminster. Travelling with the U16 team, Noble said the experience of travelling with some of the older age group players was a useful tool for these young kids playing baseball so late in the year.

“Because they’re first year 15U kids, so they’re not quite as big, strong, developed, etcetera as the second year kids that made Team Sask. But the Saskatchewan program wants to keep some of these first year kids involved and still playing baseball at a higher level so I think that’s kind of what this prospect kind of tournament was about.”

Both Nash Noble and Marcus Exner are hoping to crack the 15U Team Saskatchewan roster next year and represent their hometown at nationals.

As for Criseyde Borthwick, she played at nationals in Saskatoon as part of Team Saskatchewan’s U16 girls team.

“She’s been on Team Saskatchewan I think for three years now, and she was able to go to nationals. Nationals were hosted at Saskatoon, so not necessarily traveling far, but still playing some high level baseball against the against the country.”

Borthwick’s team got out to a hot start, winning their first game 15-2 over Manitoba, then earning a tight 3-2 win over Prince Edward Island the next day. Saturday saw Team Sask play back to back, losing 8-7 to Nova Scotia at 11 a.m., then turning around at 11:45 a.m. to win 12-5 over New Brunswick.

That sent Team Saskatchewan to the semi finals where they lost 3-0 to Quebec, sending them to the bronze medal game. Facing team Ontario, Borthwick and Team Saskatchewan lost their bronze medal final 12-2.

As for Borthwick herself, she managed a .308 batting average, earning four hits and one RBI on 13 at bats.