After 985 days of absence, the Aigles de Trois-Rivières are preparing to set foot on the field and put on the red and black vest to start their season in front of Mauricie fans.
The Birds will play 51 home games and 45 away games during the regular season. The first game at Quillorama Stadium is scheduled for May 24, when the Y’alls of Florence will be the visitors. 16 teams will be in action on the circuit during the season.
“We can’t wait to see the caliber of the Frontier League. This will be the Eagles’ first official season in the league. With the rules of the league, there will be a lot of recruits, “said René Martin, president of the Aigles de Trois-Rivières.
Several crowd favorites will be back on the field, such as Raphaël Gladu, Juan Kelly, Louis-Philippe Pelletier, David Gauthier and Steve Brown. “We will have a balanced team this summer. I wanted to build a team that was different from other years. Usually, we had a lot of batting power, but little consistency, or we had fastball pitchers, but no pitcher specialized in ball control, noted Matthew Rusch, manager of the Trois-Rivières Eagles. This year, we have a full team, both offensively and defensively and on the mound. »
Five Quebecers will also be on the roster, namely Raphaël Gladu, Louis-Philippe Pelletier, David Gauthier, Miche Dagenais and Sam Belisle-Springer.
“I was with Team Quebec last year, but it’s not the same. There, I come back to play in my city and I’m really excited at the idea of starting the season, comments Raphaël Gladu. I want to help the team win in every way. I want the other guys to feel good in Trois-Rivières and have fun. It will help us to be better, for sure. I just want to have fun playing baseball. This is what will ensure that my performance will be there too. All the guys here are very good players. For me too, it’s a new league to discover and lots of new teams. »
About thirty players are currently participating in the team’s training camp in the hope of carving out a place with the Trois-Rivières baseball club.
“I can’t wait to start the season. I waited a long time for this opportunity. The Frontier League allows more player development. We will play with the objective of winning every game while contributing to the development of the players. It’s a strong team and I want the fans to be proud of their team. We are a balanced team and we are aiming for the end-of-season playoffs,” adds Matthew Rusch,
Baseball fans also seem to be eager for their team’s return as season ticket sales so far have exceeded the organization’s expectations with the highest number of season tickets sold since the first season.
Family Zone
Some novelties also await spectators this season. A new Canadel Family Zone will allow all families to attend games at an affordable cost. With the purchase of an adult ticket at regular price, children will pay $3 to enter the zone.
In addition, the Eagles are associated with the Trois-Rivières Agricultural Exhibition to create the Expo Matches. Thus, the games from July 7 to 16 will be presented as part of the Expo activities. Eagles season ticket holders will be able to come to the Expo with their ticket, while people who have purchased a ticket for the Expo will be able to attend the games of the week.
It should also be noted that game ticket holders will be able to use the Société de transport de Trois-Rivières bus service free of charge to attend games during the summer.
A whole year for baseball!
It will be a whole year of celebration for baseball in Trois-Rivières. The year 2022 coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Junior Eagles, but also with the 100th anniversary of professional baseball in Trois-Rivières.
“We want to make it festive! The stars are really aligned so that we can celebrate the 50th of the Junior Eagles and the 100th of professional baseball in Trois-Rivières. There are more young people playing baseball and there, we also feel that the world is coming back to life. We are very enthusiastic for the coming summer, launches René Martin. Our arrival in 2013 has also contributed to the fact that there are more players playing baseball. The more there are, the more there are that are better. With the subsequent arrival of Baseball 360, which saves young people from having to travel to Quebec and Montreal in winter to practice, it contributes to all the activities that are done to create a baseball ecosystem that holds . »
To celebrate these 100 years of history, the Eagles will organize the Centennial Series on August 16, 17 and 18 and will take advantage of the visit of the Capitals of Quebec to hold ceremonies honoring the pioneers of baseball in the city. Moreover, for the occasion, the Eagles will wear the uniform of the Trios de Trois-Rivières, the professional baseball team that played in the Eastern Canadian League and in the Provincial League of Quebec in 1922 and 1923.
