The Pembina Valley Orioles are now 3-0 at the 2016  Western Canadian Junior AAA Baseball Championships after a thrilling 9-8 extra innings win over the host Weyburn A’s Saturday night.

The A's would get on the board first, when John Gaab hit a two RBI triple to right field. That was followed up by an RBI single from Jonathon Matity that brought home Gaab.Matity would follow the RBI up with two stolen bases, and was then brought home by a single from Drew Fellner. That would spell the end of the night for Orioles starting pitcher Seth Staple. McKenzie Hmm came in to take his place, and finished the evening off.

Pembina Valley responded in their half of the first.  A single from Eric Swanson cashed in a run, and another was added with an RBI single from Justin Odlum. Weyburn was quick to respond with another run in the top of the second, opening the lead to three runs. The Orioles would rally to tie the game up in their half of the second, though, making it a 5-5 game.

Weyburn took the lead in the top of the fifth, when a single from Kolby Fleury brought a run in. In the bottom of the inning, the Orioles threatened to even the game up with runners on second and third. A sacrifice fly by Derrick Wood evened the game up at six. The following batter, Tim Dunn, brought home Bobby Matuszewski with a single as Pembina Valley took the lead.

The A\s would tie the game up in the top of the seventh, when Blake Walchuk, pinch hitting for Justin Chuckry, hit a sacrifice grounder. The Orioles would threaten to tie things up in the bottom of the inning, with a runner on third, but relief pitcher Kirkland Chalus threw a strike out on three pitches.

The game would go to extra innings. In the top of the ninth, the A's took the lead. It looked like they would be able to pull off the upset, and cause a logjam at the top of the standings. In the bottom half of the inning, though, keys hits from Pembina Valley allowed them to regain the tie. A single from Nick Friesen then scored the winning run, giving the Orioles the victory.

The Orioles will finish the round robin Sunday afternoon when they play their Manitoba Junior Baseball League rivals the Brandon Marlins who are 2-1 at the Championship.

As to who will be the two teams in the final, that will depend on the final round robin game between Brandon and Pembina Valley. A Brandon win means three teams tied at 3-1, and it will go to a tie-breaking formula to determine the two finalists. A Pembina Valley win means South Jasper Place will take on the Orioles in the final at 3:00 p.m.