SASKATOON / YORKTON - The Parkland AA Expos headed west Friday to compete in the Quinn Stevenson Memorial Tournament.
“It was the first year that we entered,” said Expos head coach Broden Bilokreli.
Perhaps if they had been aware of the success they would have they would have entered before.
The Expos played three games in their pool, one Friday, and two Saturday, and won all of them.
That put the team into semi-final action Sunday, taking on the Lashburn Cardinals, an eventual 8-6 win.
Brandon Spilchen started for the Expos.
“He pitched an incredible game,” said Bilokreli, adding Evan Knezacek finished in relief and threw well too.
Certainly managing arms was a big part of the weekend, with only 13 players on the roster, and pitchers limited in the number of pitches they can throw over a set period of time.
“We tried to be as efficient as possible,” noted Bilokreli.
Against Lashburn the Expos hit well.
“Pretty much everyone was swinging the bats well,” said Bilokreli, adding the tournament had entire rosters batting, not just nine. “All 13 kids swung really well.”
The win put the Expos in the tournament finals against the Saskatoon Cardinal Sluggers.
And the Cardinal Sluggers hit well, scoring eight, but not enough to win as the Expos scored 9.
Bilokreli said his pitchers Matthew Datema and Logan Wolkowski pitched well although the eight runs against might suggest otherwise. He said Saskatoon was a good hitting club, but the pitching duo held the line when needed.
The win was a good one, said Bilokreli, adding it was a fun trip home for the team.
