It’s advantage Dawgs in the WCBL Final.
Led by a six-run second inning the Okotoks Dawgs fought off the resurgent Moose Jaw Miller Express to take a 7-4 result in Game 1 of the best-of-three Western Canadian Baseball League Final in front of over 5,000 fans Thursday night at Seaman Stadium.
“Credit to them for answering, we had that big inning and they put themselves back in it right away,” said Dawgs designated hitter Aidan Rose. “We did a good job of scrapping and fighting all day and our pitchers did a great job holding them to four for the last six innings.
“It was a really good job by the staff and we’ll try to keep doing that tomorrow.”
Okotoks looked to be in control of the series opener with its six run second inning. Logan Grant kicked things off with an RBI double, Rose then drove in two with a towering double to left field. Brendan Luther and Ricardo Sanchez brought in two more Dawgs on a fielder’s choice and sacrifice fly with Tucker Zdunich then scoring on a wild pitch.
Rose attributed the massive inning to the team making an adjustment from the first inning where Moose Jaw hurler Takao Cookson was throwing a lot of off-speed pitches.
“He had been throwing a ton of sliders and I rarely sit on anything other than a fastball,” Rose said. “I was looking slider, was able to get it and put a pretty good swing on it.”
Moose Jaw rallied for four runs to trim the deficit back down to two in its next opportunity with a statement third inning on Nate Mensik’s two-run double followed by Ryan Gouldin’s RBI double.
The damage was largely done at the plate by both teams at that point with just one more run added through the final five innings of play on Rose’s third RBI of the night in the seventh.
Okotoks’ stellar bullpen relieved starter Garrett Maloney with Aaron Hammer, Zane Morrison, Gavin Wuschke, Cade Herrmann and Ashton Luera producing 6.1 scoreless innings.
“It’s always super important,” added Rose, a two-time champion with the Dawgs. “The team who wins Game 1 is way ahead, it’s a huge advantage.”
The teams make the 700km trek east to Moose Jaw’s Ross Wells Stadium for Game 2 on Friday night. Okotoks will look to make the return leg with the Harry Hallis Trophy in hand.
If necessary, Game 3 is Saturday, Aug. 17 at Seaman Stadium.
“Moose Jaw is a tough place to play, tough place to win,” Rose added. “They have to travel too so both of us have to take care of ourselves and be ready to go for seven o’clock tomorrow.”
Of note, Okotoks won the 2023, 2022 and 2019 championships at home.
For more information, go to dawgsbaseball.ca.
WCBL Final Schedule
Game 1: Aug. 15. Moose Jaw at Okotoks. Dawgs win 7-4
Game 2: Aug 16. Okotoks at Moose Jaw.
*Game 3: Aug. 17. Moose Jaw at Okotoks. (If necessary)
