The Swift Current 57’s avoided playoff elimination for a second straight game, defeating the host Weyburn Beavers 11-1 to even the best-of-five Western Major Baseball League Eastern Division final at two games apiece. The 57’s scored at least a run in seven different innings to improve to 4-0 on the road in the post-season.
The 57’s built up a 3-0 lead, beginning with a solo home run from Blake Adams in the first inning. They added two runs in the third inning when they took advantage of two errors as Matt Bondarchuk singled home Cole Thibodeau and then scored an unearned run.
Weyburn got on the board in the bottom of the third, but Bondarchuk singled home John Baiada in the fourth inning to restore the three-run lead. Brett Esau made it 5-1 with a leadoff home run in the sixth inning, his third of the post-season after hitting 11 in the regular season.
Bondarchuk added another run in the seventh inning when he singled and scored on an error. Esau quickly added a double to score Adams and Thomas DeBonville. Bondarchuk grounded out to score Riley Campbell in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 9-1.
Esau added a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to plate Bodie Cooper for a 10-1 lead. Baiada followed with a single to score Canas to increase the lead to double digits.
Mitch Guiberson improved to 2-0 in the playoffs with eight innings of one-run ball, allowing only four hits and three walks while striking out three.
Game five will be Friday back in Swift Current beginning at 7:05 p.m. at Mitchell Field.
