SPORTSHOUND: Squeeze Play

Tales from the Doug-Out: July 13, 2022

It only takes one run to win a ball game. And the Bonnyville U18AA Braves proved that this past weekend. Not only once but twice!

The Braves were in the Border City this past weekend, taking on the host the Lloydminster Twins on the first game Saturday morning. The Braves coaching staff knows that the provincial finals are at the end of the month and wanted to get as many pitchers as possible some work and see how they handle the pressure. Four different guys chucked the ball for 30 pitches each, and all of them came through with flying colors. All four of them combined only to give up a single run. Starting pitcher, Brad Atwal went 1.1 innings striking out 2. Seth Cobourne, out of the bullpen, went 1.2 innings, struck out a pair, and gave up one run. Then it was Ethan Walgren who hurled the ball for two innings giving up only one hit and struck out 1. The closer Kobe ‘Cobra’ Warawa took a big bite, closing out the game, pitching two innings, striking out 1, and didn’t give up a run. At the plate, catcher Zach Lapointe went 1-3 and caught a solid game keeping the runner in check. Dawson Plamondon, who has been outstanding defensively this year at shortstop, went 1-2 with a double. With a terrific defensive effort, the Braves won this one 2-1.

Kobe Warawa on the mount

The Braves’ second game was scheduled for 6 pm against the Sherwood Park Athletics. It was a long layoff, but the boys came ready to play—this one with a dramatic finish. The oversized unit, starter Carter Goreniuk getting the call from the manager, was on the hill and pitched three solid innings striking out two and giving up five runs. Reliever Keagan Locke came in next from the pen and was lights out again, going four innings with 7K’s and only giving up 1 ER. Keagan has also been hot lately, with the bat hitting a couple of triples over the past few weekends. The ‘Mighty Casey’ Warawa went 1-4 at the dish, and Dallas Sparklingeyes was on fire, going 3-4 with a double. Ty Dechaine played a solid game at second, making some nice plays. And now it brings us to the dramatic finish. The score was 7-6 for the Athletics going into the bottom of the 7th. The Braves, playing a little small ball, got a couple of runners and then moved them over to the second and third base. Time for a squeeze play and Foster Pickowicz executed it to perfection, laying down a perfect bunt scoring the tying run, and at the same time also beating out the throw to first. Tie game ( drum roll, please). Zach Lapointe, a good contact hitter, knocked a ball right up the middle to score the walk-off run and then the big celebration for the Braves winning this one 8-7.

The Braves are off to Spruce Grove this coming weekend for the final round of ranking before provincial finals, which will be on the August long weekend back in the Border City. One more weekend of fine-tuning to ensure the Braves run on full cylinders come August long.