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 A91裸聊视频檚 are playing host to the five-team championship tournament beginning Friday at Elks Stadium.
Already carrying one of the league91裸聊视频檚 sparsest rosters, the A91裸聊视频檚 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 A91裸聊视频檚 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 can91裸聊视频檛 afford to dwell on its less-than-enviable position.
91裸聊视频淲e have to move past it, we really don91裸聊视频檛 have a choice,91裸聊视频� said Bailey, the Athletics91裸聊视频� head coach and program director. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 pretty untimely for us, a tough situation for the guys but they have to go out and play. I think we91裸聊视频檙e resilient, I91裸聊视频檓 not worried about the guys morale. But we91裸聊视频檙e facing teams with 22-man rosters, so it91裸聊视频檚 going to be a challenge. But as we know in baseball, anything can happen.91裸聊视频�
Okanagan will be joined by the four winners of last weekend91裸聊视频檚 first-round PBL playoff series91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频攚ho also happen to be the top four teams from the regular season91裸聊视频攊n the Langley Blaze, Abbotsford Cardinals, North Shore Twins and Victoria Mariners.
The A91裸聊视频檚 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 A91裸聊视频檚-Victoria matchup.
Adding to the challenge this weekend is the double-knockout format, putting pressure on both the A91裸聊视频檚 and Mariners91裸聊视频攖he fifth- and fourth-place teams91裸聊视频攖o get out of the gate fast. Only one team will.
91裸聊视频淭he double-knockout makes it tough, it91裸聊视频檚 never been used before,91裸聊视频� Bailey said. 91裸聊视频淏asically, if we lose our first game, we have to then win five in a row. That91裸聊视频檚 not what you want to be facing.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 always been a round-robin format in the past, giving you a little bit more room for error,91裸聊视频� he added.91裸聊视频淏ut, it is what it is. We have deal with it the best we can.91裸聊视频�
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 Bailey91裸聊视频檚 club.
The PBL championship will be decided Sunday, with the finals at 2 and 5 p.m., if necessary.
The A91裸聊视频檚 won their only previous PBL title in 2012.
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