A decade after collecting bats in Swift Current, Ethan Murdoch is now a key offensive force for the Saskatoon Berries and he’s doing it under the coach who first shaped his swing.
Murdoch has come a long way from being a bat boy with the Swift Current 57’s. Now a senior outfielder with the Saskatoon Berries, the Saskatchewan slugger leads the team in home runs and RBIs, capping off his WCBL journey where it all began.
“I used to be the bat boy, I think at eight or nine years old,” Murdoch said. “I’ve been hitting with [coach Joe Carnahan] for years. He shaped my swing, my mentality, all of it.”
Carnahan, now the head coach of the Berries, remembers Murdoch fondly from those early days. “He was catching bullpens in high school. Now I get to coach him, it’s special,” he said.
With local roots and a tight bond, the pair are aiming for a league title in Murdoch’s final college summer. “He’s earned everything,” Carnahan said. “His work ethic is second to none.”
Watch the video above to see how Murdoch’s journey from bat boy to slugger came full circle in his final WCBL season. Scott Roblin has the story.