When Tyler Boudreau came in to close out the final game of the 2024 Western Canadian Baseball League regular season for the Sylvan Lake Gulls, it was a full-circle moment.
As has become expected out of the man affectionately referred to as “Mr. Sylvan Lake,” the right-hander struck out Keaton Matlick, Leeroy Taverez and Killian McLaughlin to put the exclamation point on a 12-4 win over the Brooks Bombers.
It was the Gulls’ 10th straight victory and also set the tone for what would become a best-of-three first-round playoff matchup with the Bombers.
It was also the team’s 44th triumph of the summer and it set a new WCBL record for most wins in a regular season.
Having been with the team since its inaugural 2021 season, Boudreau sent the 1,555 fans at Gulls Stadium into a frenzy when he struck out the side.
“I will always remember closing out that game, hearing all the fans cheering and all the boys being so happy,” the Bedford, Nova Scotia product said.
“It’s a feeling I will never forget.”
The Gulls would go on to sweep the Bombers in their first-round playoff series before losing to the eventual champion Okotoks Dawgs in the West Division Final.
While they were hoping to earn their first WCBL championship series appearance, the season was still one to remember for those involved with the club.
RENEWED FOCUS
Sylvan Lake head coach Jason Chatwood had high hopes heading into the season, although for the first time in his four years at the helm, he had a lot of new faces entering the nest.
Already boasting two of the best pitchers in the league in the form of reigning WCBL Pitchers of the Year Josh Tucker (2022) and Boudreau (2023), he wanted to add more offense.
He got exactly that with newcomers like Cooper Ciesielski and Marqus Abulhosn, who hit .382 and .335, respectively, while Ciesielski shared the league lead in home runs with 13.
They also had shortstop Gavin Roy hitting .363 with 49 runs batted in and 33 stolen bases among a host of others who helped the Gulls score the most runs in the league (475).
“You don’t really know what to expect right off the bat,” Chatwood said. “I think the guys relied on some leaders that we did have returning and I think they bought in right away.
“They played hard and represented Sylvan Lake and the surrounding area and the organization as good as we could have asked for and that’s a credit to them.”
As the season went on, Chatwood says the team’s focus became about finishing in first place in the division and securing home-field advantage during the playoffs.
VICTORY FORMATION
Following the WCBL Home Run Derby and All-Star Game on July 20th, the Gulls were in a good spot with a record of 33-11, just ahead of the Dawgs in the standings.
With dates against Brooks, Fort McMurray, Lethbridge and Edmonton to round out the season, Chatwood says the team really wanted to muster up positive momentum for a playoff run.
The team delivered by winning all but one of their remaining dates, including the last one to set the record.
“To come down to the last game of the year and set the single-season record, it’s remarkable,” the dugout boss said. “We were very deep as a team. We used all of our guys down the stretch and they all contributed.”
Chatwood was particularly happy with the performances of local players like Gavin Galenza, Matthew Murray, Owen Pote and Kai Rempel, who all had big moments for the team during the season, as well as fellow Innisfail product Nathan Flewelling, who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays.
“You have some guys who have been here for multiple summers or returning locals – this is starting to turn into a second home for them,” he said. “They take a lot of pride in it.”
Fresh off the Game 3 loss to Okotoks, many of the Gulls were set to return to their colleges right after the playoffs and were unable to fully appreciate all they had accomplished until they were gone.
In that sense, Chatwood says the heartbreak might have been fresh, but he hopes they hold their collective heads high.
“In the blink of an eye, they get here and before you know it, they’re right back to school,” he said. “You don’t get as much time to enjoy it at the end of the year, as much as you would like to.”
A SECOND HOME
Life on “The Lake” has been good to veterans like Boudreau and Matty Fung.
Both say they are grateful for the opportunities presented by the Gulls and the people they have met along the way.
Boudreau returned to the Gulls after pitching in four games for the State College Spikes of the MLB Draft League.
“That place means everything to me,” said Boudreau, who is joining Texas Tech University after a great two seasons with Midland Community College.
“I don’t think I would be where I am today without the Sylvan Lake Gulls.”
Fung, meantime, had a great third season with the Gulls by hitting .324 with five home runs, 23 RBI and 12 stolen bases in 48 games.
“Sylvan Lake is a second home for me now,” the University of San Francisco Dons utilityman said.
“The town and community has really taken me in and I appreciate everyone who showed love and support for all three years … I have met so many locals and no matter, win or lose, they always have our backs.”
Fung says it’s only a matter of time before the Gulls put it all together for a championship run.
Outfielder Elijha Hammill, who spent the 2023 season with the Okotoks Dawgs before coming north for the 2024 summer, agrees that the success of this summer will bode well for the future.
“It’s just a matter of staying hungry and keeping our foot on the pedal,” said the University of Utah product. “We have to keep the standard high because we know we can go far with this team.”
EYES ON THE PRIZE
With the 2024 season barely wrapped up, Chatwood says the work is already underway to make sure he fields a better team next season.
As players left for school, he had numerous conversations with those able to come back, not just about their own availability but the potential of having some of their college teammates join them.
“They love playing here and playing in front of our crowd,” Chatwood said. “I’m really excited about where our organization is and where we’re heading.”
He says many of the newcomers will also see what the league is about and spread the word to others, creating a ripple effect for other teams as well, which is good news for the league as a whole.
Add in some of the up-and-coming talent he has through St. Joseph Academy in Red Deer and the minor baseball scene in Central Alberta, and he believes it’s a recipe for success.
“I thought this year, we took a really, really big step forward,” Chatwood said. “Now, we need to keep the momentum going and carry it on into next year.”
In just a few short years, the Sylvan Lake Gulls have gone from expansion team to regular season champions with their eyes on a much bigger prize.
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