Monday, June 27, 2016

Dawgs Take Double Header

The Okotoks Dawgs won a pair of Sunday defeating the Edmonton Prospects 9-3 and then Fort McMurray Giants 8-4 at Telus Field in Edmonton. 

Sam Wong (Treasure Valley, OR) was outstanding in earning the win against the Prospects. Offensively former Academy Dawg, Brendan Rose had two hits and two RBIs. All of Daniel Frederickson (Gonzaga) newcomer Blake Rowlett (East Tennesseee) Josh McIntyre (WSU), Kellen Marruffo (Utah) and Michael Gretler (OSU) also had two hits each. 

The Dawgs earned the split in the series after losing 3-0 Saturday. Prospects starter Jordan Parranto was gone after only 1 and 1/3 innings 4-0. The Prospects bullpen faced one batter over the limit until the eighth -- thanks to catcher Logan Wedgewood throwing out a runner at second base in the fifth and a nice 6-4-3 double-play in the sixth. 

Edmonton cut the lead to 4-2 cashing in a leadoff Wedgewood single in the sixth inning and using a Kyle McComb triple in the seventh to score Tony Olson. The Dawgs built up a 9-2 lead going into the bottom of the ninth before the Prospects made it 9-3 on a two-out RBI double by Olson.

In the nightcap against the Giants, Anthony Baldaras (LC State) earned the win with former Dawgs Academy lefty, Nick Vickers (Northeast Coloradio) continued to shine pitching 2 1/3 scoreless for the win. Rose stayed hot with two more hits as did McIntyre, Marruffo and Rowlett. Gretler hit a two-run bomb.

RHP Brendan Kawaja, of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., started for the Dawgs and allowed four unearned runs on four hits and one walk in 3 2/3 innings.

Brendan is the son of John Kawaja. John played second on the Ed Werenich rink winning the Ontario championship the Brier and the World Curling Championship in 1983.

He was the youngest to ever win the Brier (21). A year later the foursome repeated but lost the Brier to Michael Riley.

With Werenich, Kawaja won again in 1990, 1994 and 1994. Kawaja was named to the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in 1991 and in 2009 the Werenich rink was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.

Brandan Kawaja, a teammate of the Philadelphia Phillies No. 1 choice in North America this past June, OF Mickey Moniak, heads to Loyola Marymount University in the fall.  

Dallas DeVrieze, who took a no-decision from Sunday’s 8-4 loss to the Okotoks Dawgs, has also become one of the team’s dependable starting pitchers for a club that ranks second in runs and earned runs allowed. He leads the Giants in innings pitched, games started and strikeouts.  

Fort McMurray was leading 4-3 when DeVrieze departed after six strong innings only to see the Dawgs put up five runs in the seventh.

Lead-off man Joel Bropy reached on an error and was forced at second on a Drake Kirkwood grounder. After an out, Rose walked, McIntyre doubled in a pair of runs, Marruffo singled and Gretler went deep facing Brandon Desjardins. 

The Giants finished playing in Edmonton Monday with their 22nd game returning to Fort McMurray. Their first game at Shell Place is Wednesday against the Regina Red Sox.

Giants interim head coach Kellen Camus is expecting a large crowd.

Coach Ray McIntire of the Arizona Wildcats began play in the College World Series Monday.