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VIBI will start season right way

The Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners play Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs on Saturday (March 24) and Sunday at Serauxmen Stadium.

This is the way the season should start.

The Vancouver Island Baseball Institute Mariners play the Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs Saturday (March 24) and Sunday at Serauxmen Stadium.

It’s a rematch of last year’s Canadian Colleges’ Athletic Association championship game, when the Lethbridge team beat the Nanaimo club 8-5 in Kamloops.

VIBI always scouts heavily in Alberta, so there are plenty of M’s from that province. But more importantly, the Dawgs can play ball and always give the M’s a challenge.

“It’s really about our strengths versus their strengths and let’s see what’s up,” said Jordan Blundell, VIBI manager.

He expects PBA to bring a lineup of heavy hitters to the Island this weekend.

“They’re aggressive in hitter’s counts and as a pitching staff we have to get ahead and get strike one,” said Blundell. “The more little things that you don’t do well, like getting ahead of hitters, they’ll make you pay.”

VIBI pitcher Connor Russell, slated to start today’s late game, said the M’s recognize that some early-season wins this weekend are important.

“It helps build confidence for the rest of the year,” he said.

GAME ON … VIBI and PBA play Saturday (March 24) at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at Serauxmen Stadium. The series continues Sunday with games at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. … For more on the VIBI Mariners, click here and here.

sports@nanaimobulletin.com