Dawgs drop first game to Mavs

Dan Khavkin, Dawgs Baseball

Medicine Hat, AB – A four-run first inning from host Medicine Hat Mavericks crippled the hopes of a
two-game series sweep of the Okotoks Dawgs as the league leaders drop an unusual 8-2 defeat
Wednesday night.
The Dawgs (25-7) also have their five-game win streak snapped while also dropping their first game
out of the three so far in the season series against the Mavs.
UBC pitcher Jared Spearing started the match-up but threw a regrettable first inning, giving up four
runs on four hits.
Spearing settled down after the shaky start, pitching four straight shutout innings before exiting the
game as the losing pitcher.
With the cold start, the usual explosive Okotoks offence was kept at bay all night long as Mavericks
pitcher Garret Nicholson no-hit the Dawgs until the bid was snapped in the sixth inning on route to his
win.
Okotoks also totalled a season-low three-hit total during the contest.
After an error allowed for the fifth Mavericks run to be counted for in the sixth, the Dawgs pulled two
runs back courtesy of a Tristan Peters RBI double before last night’s walk-off hero Kory Longaker
brought in the second run on a fielder-choice in the seventh.
Medicine Hat wiped any hopes of another comeback away with a three-spot in the bottom half thanks
to a three-run home run by Minot State infielder Sal Rodriguez.
The Dawgs focus their attention towards a three-game road swing up in Fort McMurray starting on
Friday, July 12th.