SPORTSHOUND: No Time to Rest

There was no time to rest for  U18 AA Braves, who were up in St Albert this past weekend playing another provincial round.  The weekend’s first game on Saturday was against a tough Lloydminster team. This is the first year that Lloydminster has entered the Alberta league full-time. In the past, they have played mainly on the Saskatchewan side of the border.   It was the best game of the year so far.  The Braves were down 2-1 going into the 7^th inning and could tie it up 2-2 and force extra innings.  Keagan Locke was on the mound and threw 100 pitches, going six innings with four strikeouts and only allowing the two runs.  The top of the 8^th tied 2-2, and the Braves bats woke up with Dawson Plamondon going 2-3 and driving in a couple of runs and Dallas Sparklingeyes going 2-3 as well operating in a run.  The Braves took a 9-2 lead into the bottom of the 8^th, and the big unit Carter Goreniuk was able to come in and shut the Twins down. The Braves are winning 9-4.

 

In back-to-back games for the Braves, they never left the dugout except for a quick snack and were right back at it with a match against the Barrhead Orioles.  A team that the Braves should be able to handle, but coming off the extra-inning win, the boys were a little slow out of the gate. Down 6-0 early in the game, it looked like one of those games where nothing would click for the Braves. Seth Cobourne pitched an outstanding six innings with 12 K’s ( strike-outs). Without a doubt one of the best games of his AA career.  He only gave up 2 ER ( earned runs)  and kept the team close enough for some late-inning dramatics.  The Braves scored a couple of runs in the 6^th inning, making it a 6-2 ball game.  Ty Dechaine kept his bat hot going 3-3 in the game.  Still down 6-2 into the bottom of the 7^th, the hits started coming with rally caps on.  After scoring a few runs, it was 6-5 for Barrhead, with the Braves down to their last out. Braves runners on first and second.  Colton Lacoursierre stepped up to the plate as the Brave’s last hope. With two strikes on the batter, he hammered the ball to the gap for a double and a massive 7-6 walk-off win.

 

Sunday afternoon, the host St Albert Cardinals were the weekend’s final game.  Since the batting took all the glory on Saturday night, it was great to see the pitchers take over the spotlight.  Something you don’t see very often is three pitchers combining for a complete game, no-hitter.  Starter Kobe’ Cobra’  Warawa, middle relief Ethan Walgren, and closer Colton Lacoursierre combined for a no-hitter Pickowicz went 3-3  while Zach Lapointe went 1-3 and also threw out a couple of base runners to help the Braves beat the Cardinals 6-0.  After a hot start and a record of 7-2, the, Braves have been re-tiered into Tier 1 with the seven best teams in Alberta.  It is going to be a tall task to hang out with these teams. But to be the best you have to play the best. There will be some great baseball to look forward to in the coming weeks.  This weekend the boys of summer are off to Edmonton again for another battle.