Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
At just 17 years old, Aiden Kilshaw didn’t expect to get much Western Canadian Baseball League playing time this summer, let alone starting Game 1 of playoffs for the Saskatoon Berries.
On Friday night at Cairns Field, the hometown product stepped up with the most important swing of his baseball career in the bottom of the eighth inning.
A three-run shot to centre-right field, which was the dagger in Saskatoon’s 7-3 victory over the Regina Red Sox to take Game 1 of WCBL East Division semi-finals.
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“That’s the biggest one so far,” Kilshaw said. “Definitely the most exciting one, I’d have to say.”
Kilshaw’s heroics capped off a breakthrough eighth inning for the Berries, who had been trailing the Red Sox 3-1 since the sixth inning.
Berries head coach Joe Carnahan was first introduced to the young catcher over a decade ago during his time with the Swift Current 57’s organization and said it’s amazing to see how far Kilshaw has come.
“I’ve known him since he was probably like four or five years old,” Carnahan said.
“He was our bat boy in Swift Current and then he ended up moving up here, going to the (Berries Academy). It’s just a special moment.”
Kilshaw didn’t become a regular in the Berries lineup until late July, after a stint with the Canadian National Junior program.
“I wasn’t really coming in expecting to play,” Kilshaw said. “When I got my chance, I was just trying to make the most of it.”
While Kilshaw delivered Saskatoon’s biggest moment offensively in Game 1, it was Zachary Landreville who put on a show for the Berries crowd on the defensive side of the ball.
The Saint-Jerome, Que. product was sensational on the mound for Saskatoon as he pitched six complete innings, giving up just one earned run against on three hits with a whopping 10 strikeouts.
“It was just thinking about one pitch at a time,” Landreville said. “How can I get this guy out? If they wave, they wave.”
Wesley Shackleford was just as effective in three innings of relief pitching, as he only allowed one Regina hit against with six strikeouts to finish the game.
Carnahan said the Berries had to contend with a strong performance from Regina ace Kaegan Baker, who pitched into the seventh inning with the lead.
“It was a pitchers’ duel there until the very end,” Carnahan said.
“Their guy was keeping us off balance and threw great. Landreville was excellent as well and Shackelford came in and did an outstanding job.”
For the Red Sox, it was a disappointing end to a Game 1 which they did not trail until the bottom of the eighth inning.
“I thought we had control of the ballgame for most of it,” said Red Sox interim head coach Braydon Cobb. “A couple mental mistakes, it turns on its head and we’re looking at tomorrow.”
Red Sox infielder Jalen Meyers finished his night 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and said it was an entertaining game to play, aside from the way the final two innings went.
“That’s what you live for as a baseball player,” Meyers said. “You want to come out and compete, I love that. I wish that swing would have been on our side obviously, but that’s just how the game goes.”
Regina opened the scoring in the top of the third inning, as they capitalized on back-to-back errors made by the Berries with Ian Montz reaching first on a throwing error and Alex Roux crossing home plate.
It remained a 1-0 lead for the Red Sox until Saskatoon got their bats going in the bottom of the fifth with Nash Nichols sitting on a stolen second base, as Ethan Murdoch singled to the outfield to score Nichols and tie the game at 1-1.
The Red Sox gave Saskatoon their biggest scare one inning later, as Meyers and Raine Kreklewetz both cashed in runs to extend their lead to 3-1 and force Landreville out of the game.
Shackleford however, came out of the blocks firing for Saskatoon with back-to-back strikeouts and a ground-out to get to the seventh inning stretch.
“It was really great to see my buddy just having my back and having the back of the team,” Landreville said.
A Nichols RBI double in the bottom of the seventh brought Saskatoon to within a single run, before Montz robbed Brock Laird on a fly-out to centre field but saw Nichols score to tie up the game again at 3-3.
With the bases loaded and Kilshaw at the plate in the bottom of the eighth after Regina intentionally walked Josh Henson, Red Sox pitcher David Gordon was called on a balk which scored the go-ahead run for Saskatoon.
Saskatoon Berries rookie catcher Aiden Kilshaw (pitcured) celebrating his eighth inning home run in a 7-3 victory over the Regina Red Sox in Game 1 of their East Division semi-final series at Cairns Field on Aug. 7, 2026 (Steve Hiscock / Saskatoon Berries)
On the very next pitch, Kilshaw eyed a breaking ball and took Gordon deep for a memorable welcome to the WCBL post-season.
“It feels awesome,” Kilshaw said. “Obviously with the crowd behind you, it’s no better feeling hearing the crowd erupt. It was quite awesome.”
After a Meyers single to kick off the top of the ninth inning to give Regina some life, Shackelford got back-to-back strikeouts and a fly-out to left field to preserve the 7-3 victory for the Berries.
Despite the loss, Baker was given praise by Cobb following the game for the Red Sox after allowing three earned runs on seven hits against with seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work.
“He was absolutely incredible,” Cobb said. “He’s been incredible for us all year. I wish we could have done a little more run support for him the way he threw for us.”
Meyers said there will be no shortage of motivation for the Red Sox on Saturday night, as their season will be on the line in Game 2 on their home diamond.
“It’s like a boxing match,” Meyers said.
“Are you going to get up? Are you going to stay down? I believe that we’re going to get up tomorrow, we’re going to come back and we’re going to win a game.”
As for Saskatoon, they have the opportunity to complete a series sweep for the first time in franchise history after all four of their previous playoff series went the maximum of four games.
According to Carnahan, as long as they manage their moments of frustration they’ll have a shot at advancing to the second round.
“It’s probably not going to be perfect,” Carnahan said. “When there are mistakes, we just have to limit the runs that come in with them and just pick each other up. We were able to do that today and have to do that again tomorrow.”
The Berries and Red Sox will meet at Currie Field in Regina on Saturday at 6 p.m. for Game 2 of their East Division semi-final series.
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