For nearly a month the Moose Jaw Miller Express have been searching for a fourth starting pitcher.
With their season on the line, head coach Michael Hunt had no doubt who would get the Game 4 start Sunday. Left-hander Paul Waterman rewarded Hunt’s faith with a complete game 4-3 win to prolong the East Final to a deciding fifth game.
“He’s a veteran guy. He’s had success in the WMBL,” said Hunt. “Obviously he didn’t have a lot of starts for us because we had quality starters going. With Sean Lydon being taken out of the rotation, there was no one better to put in that situation.”
When Lydon signed a pro contract in early July, Hunt went looking to fill the final spot in his rotation. Waterman went 55 days between starts before he threw five innings in a win on the final day of the season in Melville. That was his longest outing of the season before Sunday.
“If the coach gives me the ball, I do the best I can for as long as I can,” said Waterman. “Those aren’t my decisions. I’m happy in either role.”
Despite only having three starts this season, Waterman didn’t feel any pressure getting the ball in a must-win game.
“This is fun. Look at this crowd,” said Waterman gesturing to the season-high crowd of 734. “It was a great time.”
Waterman allowed a dozen hits, walked two batters and struck out three Red Sox.
In his third season with the club, it was Waterman’s first playoff win.
He was the Express’ pitcher of the year in 2006 and 2007. After he graduated from Mayville (N.D.) State, the Texada Island, B.C. product played two seasons in Germany, a season in Australia and represented Great Britain at the 2007 European Championships and the 2009 IBAF World Cup of Baseball.
After a failed tryout with the Golden Baseball League’s Calgary Vipers this past May Waterman decided to accept an invitation to return to the Express.
For more please see Monday’s Times-Herald.
