FORMER TEAM MVP/NCABL ALL-STAR MOVES ON
Posted May 20, 2017
Prior to the start of the season news broke that former NCABL All Star pitcher and outfield Blair Mulder would not be joining the Axemen for the 2017 season due to work and travel. Governor Jordan Riopel was given the disappointing news as the Axemen were getting ready to hit the field for spring practices.
Mulder originally came to the Axemen in the summer of 2011 when he was playing with the Sherwood Park Crusaders of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. The young southpaw would get the start against the Edmonton Warriors on June 15 2011 and pitch 8 2/3 innings in what ended up being a 4-4 tie at Footz Field in Edmonton, called due to darkness. Mulder would strikeout nine, walk seven and hit one Warriors batter while doing 3 for 4 with a pair of singles, a triple and two stolen bases to make an impact immediately in the NCABL.
Since that first appearance with the Axemen, Mulder had been a key player for the Axemen and turning into the team’s MVP the last couple of seasons with his dominant pitching from the left side, his combination of average and power as well as his ability to cover ground in the outfield. Mulder was also a great teammate in the dugout and away from the field but as life goes once school is done and the real world comes knocking, players often need to make decisions based on work and life.
Axemen fans will have a lasting memory of Mulder as in what turned out to be his last pitching performance with the team, he was able to set the franchise record for strikeouts in a game with 17 against the St Albert Cardinals on July 27 2016 at Harry Andreassen Field. Mulder’s 62 strikeouts in 42 2/3 innings during the 2016 season were the most an Axemen pitcher accumulated in the North Central Alberta Baseball League and the most since Scott Peterson (67) and Joel Boettger (78) during the 2004 Powerline Baseball League season. Mulder leaves with the most wins by an Axemen pitcher since 2008 with 16 and the most strikeouts with 172 during his Axemen career starting a franchise best 27 games in the NCABL. Offensively Mulder leaves the Axemen with the second highest career batting average (.358) trailing only Paul Ofrim (.379) since 2008 and his 32 stolen bases are second to Brett Harke’s 37 NCABL career steals.
Mulder will be truly missed by the Axemen and the team thanks Mulder for his commitment to the team traveling from Lacombe to games in Bon Accord, Footz Field or Stony Plain on a week night. The Axemen wish Mulder the best of luck on the ball field and in whatever adventures he decides to take on.