With two of their key players on the shelf at the most critical time of the season, the rest of the Okanagan Athletics will need to summon up some postseason magic this weekend in Kelowna.
The undermanned A害羞草研究所檚 are playing host to the five-team championship tournament beginning Friday at Elks Stadium.
Already carrying one of the league害羞草研究所檚 sparsest rosters, the A害羞草研究所檚 will be without arguably their best all-round player, Cole Van Every, along with starting third baseman Mason Glowacki.
The 18-year-old Van Every, who led the PBL in strikeouts (86) this season while batting .337 and providing defensive stability in the infield, broke his ankle last weekend in Game 3 of the A害羞草研究所檚 playoff series in Victoria. Glowacki will miss the provincial tournament with a concussion.
Still, with just 13 players on the roster, head coach Evan Bailey said his club can害羞草研究所檛 afford to dwell on its less-than-enviable position.
害羞草研究所淲e have to move past it, we really don害羞草研究所檛 have a choice,害羞草研究所� said Bailey, the Athletics害羞草研究所� head coach and program director. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 pretty untimely for us, a tough situation for the guys but they have to go out and play. I think we害羞草研究所檙e resilient, I害羞草研究所檓 not worried about the guys morale. But we害羞草研究所檙e facing teams with 22-man rosters, so it害羞草研究所檚 going to be a challenge. But as we know in baseball, anything can happen.害羞草研究所�
Okanagan will be joined by the four winners of last weekend害羞草研究所檚 first-round PBL playoff series害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶖who also happen to be the top four teams from the regular season害羞草研究所攊n the Langley Blaze, Abbotsford Cardinals, North Shore Twins and Victoria Mariners.
The A害羞草研究所檚 open up the provincial tourney Friday at noon at Elks Stadium against the Mariners.
At 3 p.m. Abbotsford takes on North Shore, followed by the Langley Blaze who will meet the winner of the A害羞草研究所檚-Victoria matchup.
Adding to the challenge this weekend is the double-knockout format, putting pressure on both the A害羞草研究所檚 and Mariners害羞草研究所攖he fifth- and fourth-place teams害羞草研究所攖o get out of the gate fast. Only one team will.
害羞草研究所淭he double-knockout makes it tough, it害羞草研究所檚 never been used before,害羞草研究所� Bailey said. 害羞草研究所淏asically, if we lose our first game, we have to then win five in a row. That害羞草研究所檚 not what you want to be facing.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 always been a round-robin format in the past, giving you a little bit more room for error,害羞草研究所� he added.害羞草研究所淏ut, it is what it is. We have deal with it the best we can.害羞草研究所�
Okanagan had a chance to bump Victoria from the postseason picture in the quarterfinal round last weekend, but the hometown Mariners earned their way into the PBL finals with a 2-1 series win over Bailey害羞草研究所檚 club.
The PBL championship will be decided Sunday, with the finals at 2 and 5 p.m., if necessary.
The A害羞草研究所檚 won their only previous PBL title in 2012.
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