BRAVES WIN BIG IN CAMROSE

The duo of Dylan and Rob Berrecloth would combine to drive in seven runs and nine different Braves would score runs as Tofield widened their lead for the fourth and final playoff spot over the Camrose Roadrunners with a big 13-4 win Tuesday night. Tofield would ride a big ten run top of the second inning to victory, an inning which saw the first eight hitters reach safely with all eight eventually coming around to score setting a franchise record for most runs in an inning with ten. 

Rob Berrecloth would continue his run producing start to the season driving in a pair on second inning double, a third inning RBI fielder’s choice and finally a fifth inning sacrifice fly. The veteran PBLer leads the Braves with eleven RBIs on the season. But Rob wasn’t the only Berrecloth doing damage at the plate, Dylan Berrecloth would add hit two RBI singles in the top of the second inning, the second driving in run number nine and ten of the inning. 

The Braves would overwhelm Roadrunners starting pitcher and off season acquisition Lance Zimmer to the tune of seven hits, two doubles and capitalizing on a pair of errors from Camrose in the second inning as fourteen hitters would come up to face the right hander. Zimmer would struggle to locate his breaking ball which meant the Braves could wait for the fastball and pound away on the Roadrunners defence. Zimmer’s night would be done after the second inning but a bright spot from the former Spring Lake Lakers all star was four of his six outs were strikeouts including back to back strikeouts to end the second inning. His final line over two innings of work would include eight hits and ten runs, six of which were earned. Former Tofield Laker Josh Banack would pitch the remaining five innings for the Roadrunners, giving up three runs and seven hits out of the bullpen. 

Making his first start of his career for the Braves on the mound, Chad Nelson would have a record night at the plate. Nelson would set the record for the most hits in a game for a Braves player with his four singles in as many at bats to finish the night 4 for 5 with two runs scored and a RBI as well. On the mound the PBL All Star catcher would spread six hits over his three innings of work striking out two and not allowing a walk before giving way to the Braves bullpen. 

On Tuesday night the relief available for the Braves was right hander Dylan Solberg who would pick up the win pitching the last four innings. Solberg would strike out five and allowed only a single to Roadrunners lead off hitter Colton Craig in the fourth inning for his only hit against. This would be Solberg’s second win on the season after having pitched six relief innings over two outings, striking out nine and not yet having allowed a walk. 

The win is a big two points for the Braves who are currently holding down the fourth and final playoff spot at 6-4 on the season, ahead of the now 3-6 Roadrunners. This is game one of a home and home for the Braves against the Roadrunners, Camrose will play Leduc on Thursday night while the Braves have their last bye date of the year. These two teams will meet on Tuesday July 4 where a win for the Braves would surely sink the Roadrunners season which started off promising at 2-0 and many people in Camrose thinking playoffs for the first time since 2011. 

First up for the Braves will be a pair of games at the Canada Day Tournament scheduled for Saturday July 1 at the Tofield Sports Grounds. The longtime annual Canada Day Tournament which was run by the Tofield Lakers will be making its first appearance since the Lakers last played in Tofield back in 2010, and what ended up being the last PBL games in Tofield until May 18 2017 when the Braves took on the Leduc Milleteers. Teams joining the Braves will be the Rosalind Athletics, the Camrose Axemen and the Holden Blue Jays. Games are scheduled to begin at 10:00am on Saturday.