Flashback 1984 Ste — Looking back at regional sports history, the 1984 Manitoba Intermediate ‘A’ Fastball championships in Steinbach produced one of the most remarkable tournament finishes in local diamond action. In an all-Hanover regional final, the Ste Anne Saints mounted a dramatic comeback from a five-run deficit to edge out the Friedensfeld Sultans 6-5 in the championship game. The high-stakes showdown brought together two familiar local contenders on the provincial stage, capping off a competitive draw. The Sultans had fought their way back up the ‘B’ side of the double-elimination draw following a 6-4 loss to the Saints in the ‘A’ side final. With another chance at victory on the line, Friedensfeld aimed to defeat Ste Anne to force a deciding A-B final, but the Saints engineered a mid-game rally to capture the provincial title in Steinbach.

A Five-Run Comeback and a Decisive Fourth Inning

The championship final began with the Friedensfeld Sultans establishing early control, appearing ready to force an additional championship matchup. Friedensfeld opened the scoring in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead. The Sultans maintained their momentum in the second inning, adding another run to make it 2-0. In the third inning, Friedensfeld pushed their advantage even further, scoring three runs to go ahead 5-0 over the Saints. However, Ste Anne responded in their half of the third inning. The Saints initiated their comeback by plating two runs, cutting the Sultans lead to 5-2.

The turning point of the championship contest arrived in the fourth inning when Friedensfeld ran into trouble on the field. Ste Anne opened the inning by scoring a run to make the deficit 5-3, and then proceeded to load the bases with one out. Ste Anne batter Roy Seidler delivered the hit of the game, sending a single into right center field. By the time the throw came back into the infield, all three base runners had scored, pushing Ste Anne ahead 6-5. Seidler was thrown out at third base attempting to stretch his hit into a triple, but the Saints had erased the five-run deficit and taken the lead.

Friedensfeld mounted a serious threat in the sixth inning, attempting to regain the lead. The Sultans loaded the bases with one out, putting the potential tying and go-ahead runs on base. However, the Saints defensive unit held firm. Ste Anne executed a force play at the plate to prevent a run, followed by a pop up to the short stop to end the rally. The Saints held their 6-5 lead through the remainder of the game to seal the provincial crown.

Round-Robin Results and Playoff Qualification

Both Friedensfeld and Ste Anne reached the playoff round of the tournament through the runs-for-and-against formula. For the Ste Anne Saints, reaching the bracket required extra work, as the team needed a tie-breaking game just to advance out of their round-robin group.

Ste Anne competed in a six-team round-robin group, playing five games and finishing with a 4-1 record. During group play, the Saints picked up four victories against teams from across the province, defeating:

Molson Brewers, representing the Winnipeg Two region
Gimli Wolves, representing the Interlake region
Active Muffler, representing the Westman region
Thompson Brewers, representing the East Norman region

The Saints dropped only one game during round-robin action, falling 6-5 to Legion 98, representing the Parkland region.

The Friedensfeld Sultans also recorded crucial victories during their round-robin schedule to earn their place in the elimination round. The Sultans picked up wins against:

E.K. Stones, representing the Winnipeg One region
Cranberry Portage, representing the West Norman region

Friedensfeld dropped two round-robin contests during tournament play, losing to:

Pepsi Free, representing the Winnipeg Three region
Portage Sportstop Clubbers, representing the Central Region

Despite their initial 6-4 loss to Ste Anne in the ‘A’ side final, Friedensfeld battled back through the ‘B’ side to set up the all-Hanover championship final in Steinbach. Roy Seidler’s three-run single and the Saints’ defense in the sixth inning ultimately decided the 6-5 final score in favor of Ste Anne.

Reporting based on historical sports coverage from The Carillon. Stay tuned for further updates on Flashback 1984 Ste.

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