Past Harry Andreassen Challenge Scores and Recaps:

GAME RESULTS (game took a hiatus from 2000-2003)

  • 1997-1999: 2 games to 1 in favour of BRBL
  • 2004: 16-5 PBL
  • 2005: 10-0 PBL
  • 2006: 9-5 PBL
  • 2007: 9-6 PBL
  • 2008: 8-5 BRBL
  • 2009: 5-1 BRBL
  • 2010: 2-2 Tie
  • 2011: 8-0 PBL
  • 2012: 7-7 Tie
  • 2013: 10-9 PBL
  • 2014: 6-4 PBL
  • 2015: 6-3 BRBL
  • 2016: 5-2 PBL
  • 2017: 12-6 BRBL
  • 2018: 15-8 PBL
  • 2019: 10-8 BRBL
  • 2020: No Game Due To Covid-19 Pandemic

DOUG WOLBECK MEMORIAL MVP AWARD

  • 2020: No Game Due To Covid-19 Pandemic
  • 2019: Zeke Leuck (Veteran Bulls)
  • 2018: Luke Ryan (Armena Royals)
  • 2017: Matt Stebner (Heisler Cardinals)

2019 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Battle River League Takes All Star Game

The 2019 edition of the Harry Andreassen All Star Game was played under heavy clouds and scattered showers on Sunday afternoon, with the Battle River Baseball League taking the game by a score of 10-8 over the Powerline Baseball League. This was the 19th annual game between the two leagues since 2000 and the win by the BRBL trims the PBL lead all time to 10-7-2. 

 

 

First Inning: 1-1

The BRBL were first on the board with a RBI single with two outs from 3B Damon Zimmer of the Battle River Rivals to score Amisk Astros RF Brady Johnson. The BRBL would get three runners on base in the first inning against Camrose Axemen P Zach Bailey but C Sheldon Pederson of the Rosalind Athletics would throw out Damon Zimmer at second to end the inning. 

 

Starting 2B Chase Leslie from the Rosalind Athletics led off the game for the PBL by reaching first base on an error to the BRBL left fielder and a wild pitch later would move into scoring position. Roadrunners CF Cal Zimmer worked a walk from BRBL starting pitcher Zeke Leuck putting the first two hitters on base. After a fielder’s choice off the bat of Royals 1B Luke Ryan, the PBL would pull off a double steal with one out as Leslie would score and Ryan would move into second

 

Second Inning: 2-1 BRBL

A lead off double from Veteran Bulls CF Colton Kitt would eventually lead the BRBL to a 2-1 lead against Bailey and the PBL in the top of the second inning. Killam Braves C Jordy Mandell would reach on an error to Luke Ryan at first base but would be eliminated on a fielders choice. Kitt would come around to score on the error. BRBL P Zeke Leuck would be thrown out at third for the second runner caught stealing by Pederson of the game. 

 

Third Inning: 3-3

For the second inning in a row the BRBL would see their lead off hitter reach base and come around to score. Provost Pilots LF Brett Schmidt would earn a lead off walk and move into scoring position on a single to right field by Killam Braves SS Dean Brody. Axemen P Zach Bailey would make a nice diving catch on an attempted sacrifice bunt from Amisk Astros RF Brady Johnson for the first out of the inning. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Battle River Rival’s 2B Eric Zimmer would give the PBL two outs, however the BRBL now had runners on the corners. The BRBL would get their own double steal as Zimmer would break for second while Schmidt would come home for the easy stolen base of home and move the BRBL lead to 3-1. 

 

A one out error by Killam Braves SS Dean Brody with one out would set up Areman Royals 1B Luke Ryan the opportunity to tie the game with one swing of the bat and the power hitter did not disappoint. After Roadrunners CF Cal Zimmer reached on a throwing error, Ryan would send a Zeke Lueck fastball on a rope over the left field fence to tie the game at three. Leuck would retire ten of twelve PBL hitters at one point, but the two who would reach would end up tying the game. 

 

Fourth Inning: 5-3 PBL

The BRBL bats were quiet in the top of the fourth inning against new PBL P Ray Lehman of the Tofield Braves. Lehman took the mound after spending the first three innings at third base. A Zeke Leuck single to the left side of the field was the only base runner to reach base against Lehman in his first inning of work. 

 

While Lehman kept the BRBL off the scoreboard, the PBL hitters would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Leduc Milleteers RF Adam Pahl and Axemen 3B Zach Bailey would each work two out walks from Leuck. After a wild pitch and a passed ball, the top of the PBL order would come up big with a RBI single from Rosalind Athletics 2B Chase Leslie and Roadrunners CF Cal Zimmer to make it 5-3 PBL. 

 

Fifth Inning: 5-5

Another lead off BRBL hitter would reach base as Killam Braves Landon Ekstra would hit a single to left field off of Lehman in his second inning of work. After getting Schmidt looking for the first out, Lehman would surrender a two run home run into the right field pond off the bat of Braves SS Dean Brody. With the game now tied once again, and once again as the result of a two run home run, the PBL would run themselves out of the home half of the inning by getting picked off, twice, by Rivals P Damon Zimmer. After back to back walks to lead off the inning, Zimmer would pick off Sheldon Peterson trying to get to third base after a short lived run down. Zimmer would then balk, allowing Axemen SS Grayden Guntrip to move to second base, before proceeding to pick off Guntrip on a daylight play with SS Dean Brody. All of a sudden two runners on with no outs was bases empty with two outs and a huge swing of momentum for the BRBL. 

 

Sixth Inning: 9-5 BRBL

Young Rosalind Athletics P Carter McDonald had a touch game on the mound right for the start of his two innings of work. Veteran Bulls Colten Kitt would strike out shining to start the inning, but would each first base on a wild pitch for that third strike. McDonald would then issue back to back walks to Braves C Jordy Mandell and Bulls P Zeke Leuck to load the bases. The BRBL would take a 7-5 lead on a bases loaded double from Amisk Astros 1B Brandon Anholt that would evade Axemen RF Matt Andreassen. Leuck would come in to score the third run of the inning on a wild pitch before Anholt would come home on the BRBL’s second double steal of the game. Just like that it was 9-5 BRBL despite McDonald striking out three hitters and getting a weak pop up in foul territory for four outs in the inning. 

 

Battle River Rivals P Damon Zimmer would get Rosalind Athletics Carter McDonald, Tofield Braves 2B Shaye Yoder and Armena Royals 3B David Ritz in order in a great shut down inning to get his offence back on the field. 

 

Seventh Inning: 10-5 BRBL

Control issues once again plagued McDonald and the BRBL capitalized on them. With two outs, the BRBL would load the bases with back to back to back walks wth Veteran Bulls CF Colten Kitt scoring the tenth run of the game for the BRBL on a wild pitch. McDonald however would finish his second inning of work with a total of five strikeouts of BRBL in the six outs he would record, but the six walks issued were too much to overcome for the PBL. 

 

Axemen RF Matt Andreassen, grandson of Harry Andreassen, would start the inning off for the PBL with a single into left field and would reach second base on an error to the middle infield of the BRBL who failed to remain on the base in a force play. A lucky break for the PBL to start an inning off where they needed to start chipping away to climb back into the game. However new BRBL P Jordy Mandell would get Royals 1B Luke Ryan to pop up to the first baseman and then pick up an out when Roadrunners C Colton Craig would line out to short for a big second out. The third out would be taken care of by Mandell himself when he would snag a comebacker off the bat of Axemen SS Grayden Guntrip to end the threat and the inning. 

 

Eighth Inning: 10-8 BRBL

Next out of the pen for the PBL was Armena Royals Ian Sherbaniuk. Despite allowing a lead off walk, and another stolen base, and seeing the second hitter of the inning reach on a throwing error by Axemen SS Grayden Guntrip, Sherbaniuk would settle things down getting the next three hitters in order by not allowing a ball out of the infield. Infact, over the last two innings of the game, in which Sherbaniuk would pitch, the player/manager of the PBL All Stars would record six outs all in the infield to give the PBL a chance at climbing back into the game. 

 

The PBL would get to BRBL P Jordy Mandell of the Killam Braves in the bottom of the eighth inning. With two quick outs, Tofield Braves 2B Shaye Yoder took a walk, Royals P Ian Sherbaniuk ripped a single into left field. Mandell would load the bases by walking 3B Matt Andreassen of the Axemen before issuing back to back bases loaded walks to Roadrunners CF Cal Zimmer and Royals 1B Luke Ryan. Andreassen would come in to score the third run of the inning on a wild pitch to close the book on Mandell’s night. Veteran Bulls P Colten Kitt would be summoned to close out the game with the PBL now with the tying run in scoring position. Kitt would get Roadrunners C Colton Craig to pop up to first base after the left handed hitting Craig took quality hacks at the dish. 

 

Ninth Inning: 10-8 BRBL 

Sherbaniuk would close out the game for the PBL on the mound allowing only a walk and keeping the game to a two run lead for the BRBL. In the home half with the PBL fans looking for a big comeback by their all stars, the PBL offence would fizzle out. Grayden Guntrip would hit a line drive to third base for out one ahead of Holden Blue Jays LF Randall Ziegler reach base to bring the tying run up to bat. Back to back fielder’s choices would end the game as the third and final out of the game was recorded on a 4-6 force out by the BRBL middle infield. 

 

For his work on the mound for the BRBL and at the plate, Veteran Bulls starting pitcher (and then eventual catcher) Zeke Leuck would be named the game’s most valuable player. Leuck would receive the Doug Wolbeck Memorial Award for his effort as the third recipient of the award since it was first award in 2017. The BRBL All Stars would gather around home plate and received the Harry Andreassen All Star Challenge trophy presented by members of the Andreassen family. 

 

The win by the BRBL moves the all time series to 10-7-2 in favour of the Powerline Baseball League. 

 

Starting Lineups

 

Powerline Baseball League

2B - Chase Leslie - Rosalind Athletics

CF - Cal Zimmer - Camrose Roadrunners

1B - Luke Ryan - Armena Royals 

C - Sheldon Pederson - Rosalind Athletics

SS - Grayden Guntrip - Camrose Axemen

LF - Randall Ziegler - Holden Blue Jays

3B - Ray Lehman - Tofield Braves

RF - Adam Pahl - Leduc Milleteers

P - Zach Bailey - Camrose Axemen

 

Battle River Baseball League

SS - Dean Brody - Killam Braves

RF - Brady Johnson - Amisk Astros

2B - Eric Zimmer - Battle River Rivals

3B - Damon Zimmer - Battle River Rivals

CF - Colton Kitt - Veteran Bulls

C - Jordy Mandell - Killam Braves

P - Zeke Leuck - Veteran Bulls

1B - Brennan Anholt - Amisk Astros

EH - Landon Eskra - Killam Braves

LF - Brett Schmidt - Provost Pilots

 

 

On behalf of the teams, players and fans, I would like to thank Powerline Baseball League President Brett Keohane for all the hard work and organization that it takes to get this game going every year. This was Brett’s third and final year in his term as the PBL President and has set a terrific precedent for the continuation of the annual Harry Andreassen All Star Challenge. Another two individuals who need recognition are the umpiring crew of Doug Bowie and Peter Rogers. Both gentlemen have been involved with the Powerline Baseball League and the Battle River Baseball League for as long as most of us can remember, and seeing them giving their time at an event like this means a lot to everyone involved. Thanks fellas! 

 

  • 2000-2003: 2 games to 1 in favour of BRBL
  • 2004: 16-5 PBL
  • 2005: 10-0 PBL
  • 2006: 9-5 PBL
  • 2007: 9-6 PBL
  • 2008: 8-5 BRBL
  • 2009: 5-1 BRBL
  • 2010: 2-2 Tie
  • 2011: 8-0 PBL
  • 2012: 7-7 Tie
  • 2013: 10-9 PBL
  • 2014: 6-4 PBL
  • 2015: 6-3 BRBL
  • 2016: 5-2 PBL
  • 2017: 12-6 BRBL
  • 2018: 15-8 PBL
  • 2019: 10-8 BRBL

 

Next up for the Powerline Baseball League will be the yet to be announced Fall Meeting. This meeting is scheduled for sometime in September where teams will meet to discuss the 2019 season as well as finalize the League Executive as the league searches for a Vice President and Treasurer. Stephen Hrabec of the Holden Blue Jays will begin his three year term as the PBL President.


2018 Harry Andreassen Challenge

PBL Blasts BRBL in 2018 All Star Game


2017 Harry Andreassen Challenge

PBL drops tough one in annual All Star Challenge


2016 Harry Andreassen Challenge

PBL bounces back with 5-2 victory


2015 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Photos Added: PBL loses for first time since 2009


2014 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Jays’ Soprovich slings, Lang wallops as PBL wins again

The Powerline All Stars and Battle River All Stars exchanged the lead five times, but the PBL ended up on top with a 6-4 win over Battle River All Stars Tuesday night at Harry Andreassen Field at Kinsmen Park, in the 14th All Star Challenge.

The PBL took the lead in the eighth inning and held on for the victory. A fielder’s choice scored Zak Lang and gave Powerline All Stars the lead for good.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
BRBL
1 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 6
PBL
1 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 0 6 9 3

Braedon Majeski of the Holden Blue Jays racked up two RBIs on two hits for Powerline All Stars. He singled in the fifth and eighth innings.

2014 PBL All Stars

The PBL All Stars pose with the Harry Andreassen Trophy following a 6-4 win. The series is now 8-4-2 in favour of the PBL.

Ian Sherbaniuk of the Armena Royals brought out the dancing knuckleball against Battle River All Stars during his outing. Sherbaniuk held Battle River All Stars hitless over two innings, allowed no earned runs, walked none and struck out two.

Ryan Lehman of the Beaumont Angels got the win in relief for Powerline All Stars. Lehman pitched two innings and allowed no runs.

Braedon Erickson of the Heisler Cardinals took the loss for Battle River All Stars. He lasted just two innings, walked two, struck out none, and allowed two runs.

In the top of the first, the Battle River All Stars grabbed the early lead, 1-0. A single by Nolan Miller of the Cardinals, scoring Steve Enright of the Rosalind A’s started the inning off.

The PBL quickly matched the BRBL’s strong inning with a one-run inning of its own in the first. Powerline All Stars scored on an RBI double by Lang.

Grayson Soprovich picked up the save and made the play of the night, after a Marc Villaneuve error looked to score a run from second, but Soprovich threw a frozen rope to preserve the tie and help the PBL win its 8th All Star Challenge to move to 8-4-2 all time.

Absentee All Stars

Of notable absence on the PBL side was any of the Ryley Rebels, fresh off hosting a successful Ryley Sports Day. One has to wonder if the boys in black and blue were shaking off the cobwebs after a wild weekend. Or… if it was a silent protest against the Armena Royals who failed to show for the annual league meeting.

Also, the Battle River League lacked representatives from the southern teams such as Castor or Coronation, prompting one to wonder if there’s a way to incorporate everyone, either through a weekend game in Heisler at some point or alternating venues.

Much Thanks

Still, the game in Camrose makes a lot of sense given the Harry Andreassen legacy, his family and field. Much thanks to Larry Lewsaw again and the Andreassen family as well as umpires Doug Bowie and Peter Rogers who donate their time. Bowie, who has worked in all 14 games now, did his first game on the bases in the game following a violent foul tip in the A Final of the Rosalind tournament on the weekend.

“Parts of this story were powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.” Any reuse or republication of this story must include the preceding attribution.


2013 Harry Andreassen Challenge

PBL tops BRL 10-9 in All Star Challenge

A back-and-forth affair in the early going settled down and ended with an exciting finish as the Powerline League won for the 7th time in the 13th Annual Andreassen All Star Challenge Friday, Aug. 9.

Ryley’s Craig Koughan and Heisler’s Trent Steil got the starts for the PBL and BRL respectively and the bats for both teams were going early on.

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
PBL
3 0 2 0 0 2 2 0 1 10 13 2
BRL
4 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 9 11 3

The PBL took an early 3-0 lead on a lot of infield hits and dying quails before the Battle River boys came out swinging with a retaliatory four-run first. Koughan saved himself from sure death with a line drive at his filled-out frame, but then threw the ball away in a possible double-play situation to keep the inning alive. He then struck out Sheldon Pederson but the ball skipped by Dylan Berrecloth and the night looked like it was going to be a long one with both teams short-staffed.

Koughan settled in and Leduc’s Mark Walker and Camrose’s Mark Lawson had back-to-back singles in the third inning to knot the game at 5-5.

But the Battle River Leaguers finally struck paydirt in the fourth when they loaded the bases with two outs, and PBL coach Steven Pahl gave Koughan one last chance to close out the fourth inning against Steil again.

But this time Steil launched a bases-clearing triple and Koughan’s day was done. Steven Pahl appointed himself reliever and was lights out the rest of the way, going 5 â…“ with three strikeouts and only two hits.

That paved the way for the PBL to mount a Milleteers-like comeback. Lawson would continue his hot day with a lead-off single in the seventh before fellow Roadrunner Josh Banack knocked in two runs with the bases juiced to tie the game.

Banack then came up in the top of the ninth and smacked his third hit of the day to drive in Armena Royal Jason Buzzell for the go-ahead run. Banack was 3-for-4 in the game with three RBI.

Pahl then struck out the lead-off and final batters to cap the victory and mark the series 7-4-2 in favour of the PBL.

Past Scores:


2012 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Sawed off at seven


2011 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Powerline Pitches Shutout


2010 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Teams battle to marathon 2-2 tie

It took three hours, a couple rain/wind delays and some small ball with the first ever wood-bat Harry Andreassen All-star Challenge, but in the end nothing was solved as the two teams played to a 2-2 seven-inning draw.

On a night when storms circled and threatened all night long, both teams did similar threatening moments offensively – each time pitchers finding a way to avoid catastrophe.

Scott Peterson of the Leduc Milleteers took the first four innings and gave up his lone run in the first inning. After getting two quick outs, he gave up a lead-off hit on a rocket to right that flew over Holden’s Wesley Burkard’s head in right before a chopper down the third base line got past Armena’s Jason Buzzell. Peterson then did his normal routine of ground balls and pop ups to go the next three scoreless and give the PBL a chance to come back.

Mark Walker of Armena got two outs in the fifth but then walked three straight. He then got a strike out with the bases juiced to keep the game 1-0 in favour of the BRBL. Marcel Lesoway took over, a controversial pick in some eyes, and it looked justified as he struggled with control early. A one-out gun down at home by shortstop Jon Anstey halted what could have been a huge inning for the BRBL and Lesoway worked four more outs to keep the game 2-0 after five and fend off any naysayers.

The PBL struggled to score runners who were in scoring position. They got runners on second and third in the first, and the bases loaded in the fourth but couldn’t score both times. They also had a chance to notch one in the third, but Anstey at second, after swiping the bag, got a late break on a hit to the outfield and was thrown out heading for home.

It wasn’t until the sixth inning when small ball took over.

After some Holden and Leduc mayhem on the basepaths, plus Armena’s Ian Sherbaniuk 17-pitch at-bat walk and steal, yes steal for the young lumbering first baseman, an infield grounder by Ken Braget scored Sherbaniuk on a gutsy run to home from third to tie the game.

Both teams couldn’t score in the seventh and umpires Doug Bowie and Peter Rogers correctly called it quits on a well-played game, but not great spectator night except for the dozen or so die-hards and the Andreassen family who stuck around.

The series is now 5-4-1 in favour of the PBLers after the 2-2 tie.


2007 Harry Andreassen Challenge

PBL makes it five in a row

Vikse's bomb sends BRL All-Stars back home with a loss

by Larry Lewsaw
 

Hometown hereo Mike Vikse's three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Powerline All-Stars to a 9-6 victory over their Battle River League rivals in the annual All-Star Challenge on Tuesday night in Camrose.

Although out-hit in the game by a 7-6 margin, the Powerline squad made the most of their opportunities, capitalizing on hit batters, walks, and untimely errors to rack up their fifth consecutive win in the mid-summer series. 

After falling behind 4-1 early in the game, due in part to a two-run homer by Chase Herder of Rosalind, the Powerliners used key hits by Axeman Adam Johnson, the Brewers' Josh Lyons and Roadrunner Paul Ofrim to battle back and take a 6-4 lead after five. 

Roadrunner brothers Paul and Steve Ofrim book-ended the game around Joel Boettger, each pitching three innings. Paul Ofrim led the pitching staff with three hitless innings, and Steve Ofrim picked up the win as closer. 

The Powerliners have now won five in a row and lead the all-time series with the Battle River League 5-2.


2006 Harry Andreassen Challenge

PBL does it again

Newcomers make impact in league's fourth straight victory

by Larry Lewsaw
 

Back-to-back RBI doubles by John Andreassen of the Camrose Roadrunners and Adam Johnson of the Armena Axemen ignited a four run rally in the sixth inning, which propelled the Powerline All-Stars to a 9-5 victory over the Battle River All-Stars Tuesday night in Camrose. 

The win was the fourth in a row for the Powerline squad in the annual event. 

The game was evenly played, with both teams recording 10 hits and committing three errors. Ben Kinzer of Killam pitched a strong opening four innings for the Battle River team, which held a 5-3 lead going into the sixth. 

Scott Peterson of Armena slammed the door on the visitors over the last three innings, allowing only one hit. The series is now 4-2 in favour of the PBL.

 


2005 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Powerliners pound Battle River League in All-Star Challenge

By Larry Lewsaw

 

 

Team

R

H

E

Battle River League

0

2

5

Powerline League

10

7

1

 

 

 

 

Pitching was the key as the Powerline All-Stars racked up a convincing 10 - 0 win over the Battle River All-Stars in Camrose on Tuesday night. 

 

The trio of Steve Ofrim, Scott Peterson, and Jeff McDonald allowed only two hits, did not walk a single batter, and struck out seven, facing only 31 Battle River batters over nine innings. McDonald also contributed on offense with a solo home run in the seventh, the only tater of the match. 

 

Jonny Ewanowich of the Ardrossan Steelers with an RBI double in the fourth drove in the first Powerline run, and Derek Olafson drove in two to ignite a four -run fifth inning, which gave the Powerline hurlers all the cushion they needed.


2004 Harry Andreassen Challenge

Powerline All-Stars even series with 16-5 win

July 3, 2004

By Larry Lewsaw

 

Tim McTavish of the Roadrunners went 6-for-7 and scored six runs as the Powerline All-Stars thumped their rivals from the Battle River League 16-5 on Tuesday night, June 29 at Camrose. 

 

Also making major contributions to the offence were John Spigott of Armena with a three-run homer and three runs scored, and Jason Buzzell, who was 3 for 3 including a solo shot off the right-field fence. 

 

The Powerline pitching was strong, with starter Rene Brisson giving up only one hit and striking out five. Scott Peterson allowed only four hits in his three innings, striking out four, and Steve Ofrimchalked up six strikeouts over his three innings.

 

 

2004 PBL All-Stars

 

TOP ROW L-R (Scott Peterson, Steve Ofrim, Jeff Kasa, Corey Tymchuk, 

Josh Banack, Rene Brisson, Craig Weder, Chris Mittelstadt

Brian Thiessen, Aaron Bartling, Rob Gillrie)

 

FRONT ROW L-R (John Spigott, Mike Vikse, Jason Buzzell, Sean MacMillian,

Trevor Baillie, Pat Kawalilak, Tim McTavish)