The Calgary Vipers remain unbeaten in Northern League pre-season play after a 5-5 tie against the Edmonton Cracker-Cats before 3,500 fans at Cairns Field in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on Thursday Night. The game was staged by the Alberta rivals to draw awareness to the league in the province and could become an annual event.

The Vipers trailed only once in an entertaining game called after nine innings by mutual agreement of field managers Mike Busch and Frank Reberger.

Edmonton tied the game in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Rhett Teller, his third hit of the game.

It was a breakout game for two rookies trying to make the Vipers roster. Walk-on infielder Jorge Tang from Venezuela drilled a home run to left in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at 4. Drew Miller put the Vipers up 5-4 with a double down the left field line to score Jason Colson. Earlier rookie outfielder Maxim Ouellette of Montreal smashed a monster home run to straight away center field into the wind to give the Vipers an early 2-1 lead.

Saskatoon’s Phil Sobkow started for the Vipers and pitched a solid four innings giving up only one run. Japanese rookie Kazuaki Minami pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the top the ninth to keep the game tied at 5.

Thursday night’s game will be rebroadcast on SHAW TV in Calgary on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.

On Wednesday night in Edmonton, the Vipers crushed the Cracker-Cats 15-7 thanks to a seven RBI performance from Nelson Castro who also hit for the cycle.

The Vipers will face the Winnipeg Goldeyes on Saturday night then head to Fargo for a pair of games against the RedHawks. They’ll finish their preseason in Schaumburg on Tuesday night before starting the regular season on Thursday in Joliet.

The home opener at newly refurbished Foothill Stadium is set for Friday, May 25 when the Vipers will celebrate the 100th anniversary of professional baseball in Alberta.