SPORTSHOUND: Final Countdown

Tales from the Doug-Out: July 20, 2022

The U18 AA Bonnyville  Braves baseball team always knew they were good enough to play in tier # 1. But with a short bench and some injuries in the month of June they didn’t have the best record and were dropped down by Baseball Alberta to Tier #2. This past weekend the  Braves were off to Spruce Grove to play their final weekend of tiering.  The boys really wanted to get back to tier 1 and prove they could hang with the best teams in Alberta. And they did it with a  strong 3-0 weekend proving that they are a legit tier #1 team. Going from the top spot in tier # 2 they were bumped back up to tier # 1 and will now travel to Olds on the August long weekend to face some tough competition.  The Braves have steadily improved all year and are finally healthy.  With their drive and determination to play the best baseball they can, you never know what can happen on the final weekend.  In fact last year it was the 8^th seeded team that won Tier 1, so never say never. Especially in Baseball, it’s never over until it’s over!

Brad Atwal pitching

The boys of summer started off the weekend playing the  Barrhead Orioles.  The Orioles threw their ace starter at the Braves, but they were ready for it.  The ‘Mighty Casey’ Warawa had a great weekend at the plate going 2-2 in this game with a double and 1 RBI. Keagan Locke continued his hitting streak going 2-4 with a triple and an RBI.  Seth Cobourne went 1-2 with a single.  Dallas Sparklingeyes was on the mound to start for the Braves and pitched 3 solid innings with 1 strikeout and only two errors.  Colton Lacoursierre came into the game and threw another good inning giving up only 1ER with 1 strikeout.   The Braves would take this game 6-4.

Sunday the Braves had a doubleheader and started off with the Sherwood Park Athletics.  The Braves started out with a bang and didn’t stop until a final of 17-1 after 5 innings.  Carter Goreniuk went 1-2 with an RBI and Ethan Walgren continued to swing a hot bat going 1-2 with a double and RBI. Brad Atwal pitched a great game going 4 innings with 1ER and 7 K’s.

The final game of the weekend had a little extra juice to the game as the winning team would move back up to Tier 1.  With both teams having 5-2 records the winner would take all.  It’s a tricky spot to move up and play the best teams or stay in Tier 2 and probably be the favorite to win it all, however, there were no questions about what the boys wanted.  They believe in themselves and their teammates and that they are strong enough to compete at the highest level.  It was a back-and-forth game with the Braves coaching staff trying to get some pitchers work.  Foster Pickowcz a first-year player came in for the first time this year and pitched a solid inning giving up a couple of hits and 1 strikeout.  Zach Lapointe was steady as usual behind the plate. Dawson Plamondon went 1-3 with a double and 2 RBI. Kobe ‘ Cobra’ Warawa went 3-4 with a triple and 1 RBI.  Ty Dechaine went 1-3 with 1RBI.  In the end, the Braves won the game 14-13 giving them the final berth in Tier 1.

After a long season, it is great to see the team coming together and playing their best baseball when it matters.  Off to Olds for the final weekend and hoping for a great final weekend.