The Peewee AAA DQ Braves are off to a blistering start the 13U National Western Championships in Brandon, Man.
After a win on Thursday to open the tournament, the Braves knocked off Oildome 16-8 on Friday. Oildome is the top team from Manitoba.
Red Deer scored a run in every inning on the way to the win, including a huge seven-run top of the seventh inning to close out the game.
Th Braves lead 9-6 after six innings, before the outburst in the final frame.
Tanner Morrow was the Braves offensive catalyst, with three hits and three RBI. Tysen Wandler, Dominic Skjonsberg, Ethan Rowland and Gavin Gosselin all added a pair of RBI. Red Deer had 16 hits in the victory.
Matthew Murray had a strong day on the mound, pitching five and two-thirds innings to earn the win. He struck out seven over the outing and allowed just four earned runs and six hits. Wandler pitched one and a third in relief, allowing two hits and striking out three.
Red Deer suffered their first loss of the tournament on Friday afternoon against B.C. The Braves fell 4-2 in their third game and will look to rebound Saturday in the semifinal. They scored in the bottom of the first, but B.C. added two runs in the second and one more in both the fifth and seventh to earn the win.
Gosselin pitched six and a third innings for Red Deer, allowing just three earned runs and 11 hits. Luke Schmitt got the final two outs on the mound.
The Braves had six hits in the loss, and Claerhout had the only RBI.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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