The Cinderella season of the Okotoks Dawgs (4-5) came to an end at the hand of the 2014 Western Divison Champion Medicine Hat Mavericks (6-2) in a 7-5 loss.
The Dawgs led for most of the game and it looked like they would force a deciding game five on the road, just like in the previous series, but four unanswered Mavericks’ runs in the seventh and eighth innings would be enough for the Mavericks to advance to the WMBL Finals.
One night after a 21-run outburst, the Dawgs managed five runs, but couldn’t suppress the Medicine Hat bats well enough. In 6.2 innings, Tyrell King (Paradise Valley Community College) struck out eight while allowing five runs. Travis McDonald (University of Arkansas – Little Rock) couldn’t hold down the fort as he allowed two runs, but both came off a bloop single that was inches away from being caught by the Dawgs’ shortstop Ellis Kelly.
Zach Johnson’s (Porterville College) brilliant playoffs ended with another hit – his 16th of the playoffs. He recorded a hit in every post-season game. Jerod Bartnik (University of British Columbia) had a two-run double in the second to stake the Dawgs an early lead. Coming in as a pinch-hitter, Scott Hoyt (Colorado State University – Pueblo) was 2-3 with a run scored and two RBIs, and he also added a single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Dawgs hope of a comeback.
The Medicine Hat Mavericks advance to the WMBL Finals for the second year in a row and will face the Eastern Champion Swift Current Indians. The Dawgs season is now over and the team would like to thank everyone for their tremendous support and dedication in a year that included 14 sell-outs at home.
(Source: Okotoks Dawgs Baseball Club)