By Ryan van Keulen
OKOTOKS, Alta. _ With their 5-2 win over Medicine Hat before 4,228 fans at Seaman Stadium on “Fan Appreciation” Day, the Dawgs not only took first place in the Western Division but the club passed Eastern Division leaders, the Swift Current Indians, for first place in the Western Major Baseball League overall. 

The Dawgs finished with a 34-14 record earning home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Dawgs also were the winners of the 2016 “President’s Cup”. As per the statement issued by the President’s Office of the WMBL:

“Okotoks is the President’s Cup Regular Season pennant winners in 2016 and, providing they advance, [earned them] home field advantage in all rounds of the playoffs ... Congratulations to Okotoks on this award.”
_ Kevin L. Kvame, President
Western Major Baseball League

In addition, the Dawgs were prominently featured among players selected to the first and second WMBL All Star Teams. Dawgs named First Team All Stars were:

Outfield: Brendan Rose (UBC) Dawgs;
Third Base: Michael Gretler (Oregon State) Dawgs;
1st Base: Kellen Murruffo (Utah) Dawgs;
Starting Pitcher: CJ Lewington (Arkansas Pine Bluff) Dawgs; and
Relief Pitcher: Anthony Baldaras (Lewis Clark State) Dawgs.

Named to the 2nd WMBL All Star Team was Dawgs relief pitcher Taylor Davis (Lower Columbia College, WA.)

Liam Stroud (Maple Ridge, BC/Niagara University) earned his second consecutive win throwing a 3 hit 

The WMBL Western Playoffs are now set. The first-place Dawgs will host the fourth place Edmonton Prospects while the Mavericks will host the third place Lethbridge Bulls, both best of 5 series. Game times are 7:05 PM Sunday, July 31 and Monday, Aug. 1 at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks. Game 3 and, if necessary, Game 4 will move to Telus Field in Edmonton with Game 5 (if necessary) returning to Seaman Stadium in Okotoks.

Dawgs head into the playoffs with several players swinging a hot bat. Daniel Fredrickson (Gonzaga) with a .287 average and .424 on base marks, including 21 RBIs leads off for the club, followed by Oregon State’s Elliot Cary. Cary, who is coming off an injury, joined the Dawgs late in the regular season but found his stroke of late to raise his average to .293 with three home runs. 

The middle of the Dawgs order features Brendan Rose (Calgary, Alta./UBC) who sits at .356 with an on base % of .453 and a team leading 58 hits, Michael Gretler (Oregon State) who leads the club with 36 RBIs and is hitting .331 with 4 home runs and cleanup hitter, Kellen Marruffo (Utah) who leads the club with a .378 average including 6 home runs, 14 doubles and 32 RBIs.

Also contributing to the Dawgs 1st place finish were Dawgs Academy call up, Justin King, who in just 13 games has six doubles and a .367 average, Blake Rowlett (East Tenn) batting .330, Josh McIntyre (WSU) .306 with a team leading 14 doubles and JT Patterson (Calgary, Alta./Northeast Colorado) .299 with two homers. Catcher, Joel Brophy (Burlington, Ont/Niagara) enters the playoffs on fire as he batted .500 over the final four games of the regular season with a homer.

Dawgs feature a deep rotation and bullpen led by CJ Lewington (Calgary, Alta./Arkansas Pine Bluff) who led the team with six wins and Liam Stroud (Maple Ridge, BC/Niagara) who with the shut out win over Ft. McMurray lowered his ERA to .337 with a team leading 45 strikeouts. Lefty starters, Ian Scott (Lewis Clark, ID) and Garrett Cuik (Mission, CA) have also given the Dawgs stalwart performances with 4-0 and 3-2 records respectively.

A major part of the Dawgs pitching success has been an outstanding bullpen led by Lewis Clark State’s, Anthony Baldaras. In 20 innings, Baldaras has struck out 26 batters with a minuscule 0.90 ETA. Tyler Burdett (Dixie State) has also been lights out out of the pen with a 2.45 ERA in 20 innings pitched. Newcomer, Taylor Davis (Lower Columbia, OR) with an ERA just over 3.00 and Nick Vickers (Calgary, Alta./Northeast Colorado), with five shutout scoreless in his last outing, have also been excellent of late. Christian Parsons (Lower Columbia) leads the Dawgs with seven saves.