The Dawgs Academy continues to have its fingerprints all over the Canadian Junior team.
Five members of the Okotoks Dawgs Academy have earned spots on the Canadian Junior National Team for its May 13-21 tour across the Dominican Republic where they’ll get the chance to square off against MLB academy teams.
Position players Eric Hartman, Leo Cote and Tim Piasentin along with right-handed pitchers Michael Yusypchuk and Will Labonte make up the Dawgs contingent wearing the maple leaf.
Hartman, a Holy Trinity Academy student, was a key addition to the WCBL Dawgs’ playoff run culminating in the 2023 championship last summer.
It will be a second trip with the national program in as many months for the quintet, all of whom were part of the national team’s extended spring training in Florida in late April.
Mother’s Day Classic
The Dawgs finished just shy of a home title on Sunday at Seaman Stadium.
Dawgs Academy 18U Black made it to the championship final of the annual Mother’s Day Classic tournament where they were defeated 2-1 by the Webber Academy Wildcats.
Okotoks had an undefeated record in the tournament and topped Pool A with round-robin wins over Webber, University of Calgary JV and ATHX Academy.
The Dawgs 18U Red ream had a 3-1 record in pool play and advanced to the semifinal round. Dawgs 16U also competed as part of Pool B.
Both the Dawgs’ 18U squads are coming off recent success out of province with the Dawgs reigning supreme at the Best of the West tournament in two divisions over two weekends in Kamloops, B.C.
For more information, go to dawgsacademy.ca.
