The Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) Saints fastpitch team started their annual Saints Classic tournament with a win.

Maddie Shwaluk pitched a compete game and helped her own cause on the offensive side of the ball, smacking three RBIs as the Saints beat Virden 12-8 in the preliminary round of the 2017 Saints Classic Friday morning at Republic Park.

After plating two in the first inning, the Saints scored five in the second to take a commanding 7-0 lead. Virden answered with two runs in the third, but PCI came back with three in the top half of the fourth to make it 10-2. Virden, however, made for some nervous moments heading into the fifth inning after scoring six in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Saints' lead to 10-8. PCI added two insurance runs in the fifth then Shwaluk pitched a scoreless bottom half.

SAINTS DRAW WITH NEEPAWA

PCI Saints tied Neepawa 18-18 in their second game of the 2017 Saints Classic Friday afternoon. The tie put PCI into the 'B' Side Bracket for Saturday's playoff round.