The Kamloops Sun Devils gear up to defend their Okanagan Major Baseball and BC Senior Men’s Baseball title this weekend. The Sun Devils—who are made up of current and former members of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack along with Kamloops Minor Baseball grads will play a home and home series with the Kelowna Jays on Saturday and Sunday (May 23-24). The teams will play at Elks Stadium on Saturday and then return to face each other at Norbrock Stadium in Kamloops on Sunday. Game times Sunday are 11 am and 1 pm. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Scott Nevison will play and coach with the Sun Devils (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] “The team is looking really good this year,” says Sun Devils assistant coach/player Scott Nevison—who is also an assistant coach with the WolfPack. “We have all of our core players returning from last year as well as a few key additions from this year’s TRU team. They will help us to stay very competitive.” The Sun Devils have been practicing for a couple of weeks while the TRU season wound down. Nevison says several of the TRU Alumni have been keeping in shape. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Jordy Cunningham is one of many current 'Pack players to commit to the Sun Devils[/caption] For those players going from the WolfPack (Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference) to the Sun Devils, the transition is very easy according to Nevison. “We have the same coach in Ray Chadwick and he employs the same system for both teams. We also have several coaches from the TRU team who continue to coach and mentor players during the summer. With this team, the coaches play alongside the current ‘Pack players. This is a very good opportunity for the TRU players to play at a higher level as the speed of the game definitely in improves during the summer “ [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Evan Douglas will be the principal catcher for the Sun Devils (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] Nevison adds that the opposition not only has top caliber university players but former professionals as well. “The WolfPack players will definitely have to bring their “A” game. I found over the years that playing up a skill level always makes a better player so playing with the Sun Devils will be a welcomed challenge.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Tony Tabor will play for the Devils (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] The Sun Devils have 30 players on their roster (25 of them have played for TRU at some point of their careers.” “ This has helped us build a very soild veteran core of players who display what TRU baseball is all about,” Nevison says. “This also creates an incredible family atmosphere that breeds a mentality of “team first, individual second” and ultimately brings success on the field.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Ray Chadwick coaches the Sun Devils and will have Mike Riddle pitch for him (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] Nevison says no matter where the Sun Devils players come from they have one goal. “We have players as young as 18 up to 30 years of age from all different backgrounds. Our goal is to win as many games as possible this year, repeating as provincial champs and bringing home a gold medal at the Nationals (being held in Chatham, New Brunswick in early August). Everyone has a specific role on this team and we all play it well. Ray is the mastermind who puts all of these pieces together to put a winning team on the field. Our older veterans (mostly all TRU Alum) also help out with a lot of the organization, scheduling and coaching of the team. It’s a very solid team with a lot of young talent having veteran knowledge-a deadly combination.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Recent TRU grad Erik Herbranson will pitch and play outfield (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] A key to any successful team is pitching. Nevison says they have that: “Our rotation will feature several TRU pitchers as well as a couple of experienced arms who have played in some very big games before. Our bull pen will be solid again this year as long as everyone can stay healthy. We don’t have as much depth as we would like but with the personnel we have, our pitching shouldn’t be an issue.” [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Former TRU players Jay Huggins and Pat Brown will also suit up (Don Osborne photo)[/caption] The Sun Devils will host the 2015 BC Senior Baseball championships later this summer: it will be held at Norbrock July 31 st to August 3^rd. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="464"] "Pack Alum Rob Morrison is also a Sun Devil (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] The team is working towards having a concession available for fans this weekend. Admission is by donation with all money going to help finance the Sun Devils trip to the Nationals. Among the other highlights of the Sun Devils season is playing in the Kamloops International Baseball Tournament July 9-12 th. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"] Yoshi Nakamura will coach and play with the Devils (Andrew Snucins photo)[/caption] EXTRA ININGS: The Sun Devils victory at the BC Championships last year was the first for the team in 25 years.