Melton, Dawgs rally again against Mavs

Okotoks did it again… a late-game rally lifted WCBL league-leading Dawgs who flipped the switch late on offence to rip the hearts out of the defending WCBL champion Medicine Hat Mavericks 7-4 in the first game of the three-game set on Tuesday night.

Okotoks completes its fourth comeback win of the season when down heading into the final third of ballgames. The last being a walk-off ninth-inning win over these same Mavs in their last meeting.

Medicine Hat jumped to an early 3-0 lead before growing their lead in the seventh to 4-0, while suffocating Okotoks on defence.

Lewis-Clarke hurler Tanner Simpson had a balanced game during his fourth start of the season, pitching six-inning while allowing three runs on six hits and fanning five – but had no support on offence during his outing.

The Dawgs were forced into double plays twice inside the first five innings while only mustering three hits in that span.

Medicine Hat seemed to have the league leaders knocked down and out and saw their victory was within reach – heading into the final three innings of the contest with a comfortable 4-0 lead, but the Dawgs answered emphatically with seven runs inside their final two innings left on offence.

A sigh of relief followed by a roaring boom summed up the Dawgs’ seventh inning.

Okotoks was held to a mere three hits heading into the seventh inning down 4-0 before a two-out rally that was sparked by  Southeastern Community College catcher Gavin Logan, tallied the first Dawgs run of the game.

Okotoks got on the board on just their fifth hit of the game and their first multi-hit inning of the ballgame, on a long RBI single from catcher and Dawgs Academy Alumni Logan.

A few batters on, Oregon State commit Jacob Melton lobbed a three-run home run over the left-field fence that created a huge roar among the Seaman Stadium faithful with his three-run shot to tie the ball game.

The Dawgs found their familiar savage offence and continued their press into their final turn in the batter’s box.

A three-run eight-inning gave the Dawgs their first lead of the game courtesy of a two-run RBI single from UBC infielder Jaxon Valcke who had the bases juiced with no outs before a wild pitch pushed the advantage at 7-4 in the eighth.

Mesa Junior College closer Dustin Schorie pitched the top of the eighth, getting out of a bases-loaded situation, before pitching a shutdown ninth inning to pick up his sixth save of the season.

The series continues in Okotoks with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.