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Canadians start off on right foot in Heartland
WARNER — Tyler Wheeler stepped off the bus with his 18-under Ontario Blue Jays teammates on Thursday into a sauna known as Warner.
They’re there to defend their championship at the Heartland Classic, which continues through Sunday at five area fields including Hilldale, Bacone College, Warner High School and Okay High School..
He paused for a few moments and quickly adjusted to the scorching temperatures. Wheeler, along with teammate Brodie Ross, have signed to play baseball at Connors State next spring.
“When I was on the bus, I drank a lot of water to keep hydrated,” Wheeler said. “I couldn’t breathe when I got off the bus, but I threw on the cold water and I had a towel. That’s OK because I wanted to play (in college) somewhere it was hot.”
Wheeler didn’t wilt under the sun as he singled and scored a run as the Canadians downed the Oklahoma Panthers 13-4 in five-innings at Connors State’s Biff Thompson Field. Joey Ellison pitched a complete-game victory in the game stopped after five innings because of the run rule.
This wasn’t Wheeler’s first time to Connors. He and the Blue Jays were here in the fall and this trip convinced him that Connors was the place he wanted to continue his baseball career.
“There’s not much to do except to focus on baseball and school. That’s OK,” he said. “That means there will be less distractions.”
The heat, however, had an effect on Ross. He had to leave the game in the fourth inning, but not before singling and doubling and driving in two runs. After the game, he was feeling better.
“I’ll get used to this weather when I get here (to play for Connors),” the outfielder said. “After I got rehydrated, I was OK. I’m excited about coming here. It’s a great baseball environment.”
Dan Bleiwas, the Blue Jays’ coach, talked to his team during the two-day drive from Canada about the “environment” they would face in Warner.
“It’s hard to prepare for the heat,” he said, nothing he reminded his players constantly to keep drinking water.
The tournament resumes today and the Canadians play twice, at 12:30 p.m. at Connors against Kelly Green and at 5:30 p.m. against Burnt Orange at Hilldale.
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