SPORTSHOUND: Pitching the key to success for the Bonnyville Braves this past weekend

The Blue Jays often use pitching by committee when they run into trouble. Which seems to be all too often lately! The Bonnyville AA U18 Braves used the same strategy on Saturday in St. Albert with terrific results. Playing only one game on Saturday and having two scheduled for Sunday, head coach Tyler Warawa and his coaching staff elected to use five different pitchers against the High Prairie Sauce. Each of them chucking 30 pitches or less. Staying under the maximum 30 pitch count rule each. This allowed all of them to be eligible to pitch again on Sunday. Keagan Locke, Seth Cobourne, Brad Atwal, Kobe “Cobra” Warawa and Tyler Hardy combined for a pitching masterpiece that allowed only 2 hits, no runs scored, while striking out 13 . The final score 6 to 0 for the Braves.

The first game on Sunday morning the Braves faced Leduc and it was a pitcher duel between Keagan Locke from the Braves and the lefty from Leduc. Both of them throwing hard and getting good results from their defense. The nail biter game tied 3 to2 into the 7th inning. Top of the 7th Leduc putting a few through the gaps adding 3 runs. The Braves unable to respond in the bottom of the 7th would lose this one 6 to 3.

The final game on Sunday was against the host St. Albert Cardinals. As the day heated up so did the Braves bats. The Braves crushing the Cardinals 22 to 9. Lead- off batter Graham ‘ Uncle Cracker’ Broda had a fantastic weekend at the plate crushing the ball for multiple extra base hits and RBI’s. Chris Kolikow came in on relief to close out the game striking down and sending all three batter he faced to the dugout. He also had a huge double in the game. Catcher Dallas Sparklingeyes was steady all weekend behind the mask. At the dish he went 2 for 3 driving in 3 RBIs. Winning 2 out of 3 game for the weekend is a great start for the Braves season keeping them on top of the heap.

This coming weekend the boys of summer travel to Leduc for their second provincial round robin.

Tyler Hardy Bonnyville

Graham Broda Bonnyville