Busy weekend for minor baseball team

Red Deer’s bantam AAA Servus Credit Union Braves had their way with teams from Alberta this past weekend, but it was one team from the west that did them in.

The Braves were in Sherwood Park for the annual Doc Plotsky Tournament and opened play Friday with a 15-5 win over the host Sherwood Park Green in a game that lasted just five innings because of the mercy rule.

Justin Van Tetering got the start on the mound for Red Deer, giving up two runs on one hit while striking out three over three innings of work, with Tyler Galloway coming on in relief and throwing the ball the rest of the contest.

Joel Mazurkewich was outstanding at the dish, going three for four, with two doubles, a single, three runs batted in and three runs scored, while Van Tetering helped out his own cause, banging out two singles and three RBI’s in four at bats.

Saturday saw the Braves’ bats pick up where they left off in a 14-4 win over the Calgary Redbirds in a game that saw just six innings played because of the mercy rule.

Mazurkewich got the start against Calgary, allowing four runs on four hits and four strikeouts over four innings, with Nik Fischer coming on in relief to pitch the final two innings.

Mazurkewich also knocked in seven runs for Red Deer, going three for five at the plate, including a grand slam home run, while Ryan Klinck drove in three runs for the Braves, going two for four at the dish.

Red Deer played its final round robin game of the tournament Sunday morning, falling 12-2 to the Saskatoon Cardinals.

Brendan Baker took the loss on the mound and Galloway accounted for half of Red Deer’s offense, going two for two in the batter’s box with one RBI.

Despite the loss, the Braves found themselves in the semi-final Sunday afternoon, where they went up against the Ridge Meadow Royals from BC, eventually losing 10-4 to the team that wound up winning the tournament, with Mitch Vanson taking the loss on the mound.

Riley Guntrip went three for three at the plate, with three RBI’s, while Fischer had the other RBI for Red Deer in the loss.

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