By IAN WILSON
Gael Salinas had the right touch.
The infielder with the Saskatoon Berries also had the crowd behind him at the first day of the 2026 WCBL All-Star Weekend festivities at NexGen Patch at Cairns Field.
During a first-of-its-kind event for the league, many participants in the Bunt Competition looked like they were trying to find the hang of it while trying to place balls on targets that hugged the first and third base lines.
There were definitely shuffleboard vibes for the All-Star batters, who came up empty if they missed the targets or had the opportunity to score one, two, four or six points with a well-placed bunt. Each competitor had 10 attempts to hit the targets.
Infielder Dan Kawanishi of the Energy City Cactus Rats jumped out to an early lead in the opening round by scoring eight points, but Salinas made things look easy a few hitters later by racking up 13 points.
Some competitors put up goose eggs in the frustrating event, while most remained in the single digits.
The final round featured a faceoff between Kawanishi and Salinas.
Kawanishi led off with seven points, but Salinas finished with nine, including six points on his last two attempts to claim the title of Bunt Competition Champion.
“It was actually pretty great. I was nervous at first but then just took a breath and remembered it’s all for fun,” said Salinas, who said he did not prepare for the event.
“At the end of the day, I was like, what’s gonna happen is gonna happen … just tried to hit the front of the grass and it worked out.”
Added Salinas: “It’s an honour, man. This organization has been great to me and Saskatoon has been great to me.”
2026 BUNT COMPETITION RESULTS
Opening Round
Maverick McCallister, Brooks Bombers … 6
Joe Madill, Weyburn Beavers … 0
Nick Sauve, Fort McMurray Giants … 3
Justin Simard, Regina Red Sox … 4
Dan Kawanichi, Energy City Cactus Rats … 8
Lucas Geisler, Swift Current 57’s … 4
Kalem Haney, Lethbridge Bulls … 0
Thomas Soto, Moose Jaw Miller Express … 2
Maddox Shaver, Sylvan Lake Gulls … 3
Gael Salinas, Saskatoon Berries … 13
Cal Gates, Okotoks Dawgs … 2
Nate King, Medicine Hat Mavericks … 3
Final Round
Kawanichi … 7
Salinas … 9
SIMMONS WINS HOME RUN DERBY
He started off with a bang and finished with a bang.
And then he had to wait and see if it was enough.
David Simmons, outfielder with the Energy City Cactus Rats, was the first contestant in the 2026 WCBL Home Run Derby and he set the tone early by launching five home runs in the opening round.
As that first round progressed, three other sluggers put up five long balls during an untimed event that saw each participant get 15 swings to see how many homers they could push out of NexGen Patch at Cairns Field in Saskatoon.
Rece Schuerman of the Sylvan Lake Gulls, Brett Petillo of the Fort McMurray Giants and the crowd favourite, Ethan Murdoch of the Berries, all matched Simmons total of five round trippers.
That set up a four-way tie for the lead, with the quartet of baseball bashers advancing to the second and final round.
Simmons once again led the charge and popped two homers on his first two swings. Another four long balls, including a pair in his final two hacks, gave him a total of six.
The Atlanta product had to sit and wait once more as a trio of hard hitters went to work.
Murdoch came up empty on his first seven swings, but managed five homers in his final eight attempts, falling just short of the bar set by Simmons.
Petillo also got to five home runs, just shy of the lead, while Schuerman launched four long balls.
“It feels pretty good. I’ve been in a few derbies and I’ve come in second place every time so to finally come out and get the dub, it means a lot to me,” said an elated Simmons, who was pitched to by Cactus Rats head coach Jordan Blundell.
“I was trying to come out and set the tone early and I was able to do that … there’s a lot of talented guys in this so I’m glad I was able to come out on top in this.”
Added Simmons: “This is my first time in this league and I’m having the time of my life.”
The temperatures surpassed 30C on a sun-soaked day in Saskatoon but Simmons was unphased by it.
“I’m from Atlanta and we’ve got the humidity and everything, so the heat wasn’t anything, it was normall for me. I sweat a lot but I love it. It makes me feeling like I’m working,” said Simmons.
2026 HOME RUN DERBY RESULTS
Opening Round
David Simmons, Energy City Cactus Rats … 5
Chris Franks, Moose Jaw Miller Express … 2
Jack Wheatley, Lethbridge Bulls … 2
Ethan Murdoch, Saskatoon Berries … 5
Brett Petillo, Fort McMurray Giants … 5
Blake Dale, Medicine Hat Mavericks … 2
Owen Fernandes, Brooks Bombers … 1
Brady Bye, Regina Red Sox … 1
Rece Schuerman, Sylvan Lake Gulls … 5
Rob Gurney, Weyburn Beavers … 2
Jayden Lusk, Okotoks Dawgs … 3
Keagan Knowler … 2
Final Round
Simmons … 6
Murdoch … 5
Petillo … 5
Schuerman … 4
CENTRAL ALBERTA BOUND
The Western Canadian Baseball League is thrilled to announce that the Sylvan Lake Gulls have been awarded the 2027 WCBL All-Star Game.
Following a phenomenal WCBL All-Star weekend in Saskatoon – where the Berries are hosting a full-slate of activities that include a Bunt Competition, Home Run Derby, music concert and the All-Star Game itself – the league celebrations will head to central Alberta next summer.
“Sylvan Lake has shown their ability to operate a first-class franchise and ballpark in our league. The 2027 WCBL All-Star Game is in good hands and will be an event not to be missed next summer at Gulls Stadium,” said WCBL President Kevin Kvame.
The Gulls will host the signature event for the first time in their franchise history and it will be another two-day celebration of baseball, the WCBL and the community of Sylvan Lake. The 2027 WCBL All-Star festivities are set to take place on Monday, July 12th and Tuesday, July 13th.
Day one events will include a celebrity slo-pitch game, a special guest speaker, and the ever-popular WCBL Home Run Derby.
The second day will showcase Sylvan Lake to visiting players, with community events during the day, followed by the WCBL All-Star Game that night.
“For the first time in league history, we are going to have an International Team versus Team USA format,” revealed Aqil Samuel, president of the Sylvan Lake Gulls.
“We feel like 2027, our seventh season in the WCBL, is the perfect time to host a prestigious event like this. Our winning bid focused around our fans and the community in Sylvan Lake, as well as the central Alberta region.”
Added Samuel: “We want to show the players, coaches, fans, and dignitaries from around our league what a special place it is that we call home. This is also an opportunity to show what a great facility we have, and what the Gulls fan experience is truly all about.”
Tickets for the event will initially go on sale in September to season ticket holders with the Gulls and then be opened up to the public in early 2027.
“We want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us and been a part of the Gulls family since 2021. Please join us and come celebrate in July of 2027,” said Samuel.
Stay tuned for more information about the 2027 WCBL All-Star festivities in the months ahead.
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