July 7, 2021

By Tyler Milton

Okotoks Dawgs

Canada Day is always a special place in Okotoks, Alta.

Every year the WCBL Okotoks Dawgs take the field in front of a packed house to celebrate Canada’s birthday in style. This year was no different.

The province of Alberta lifted many regulations, which enabled the ecstatic Dawgs fanbase to return to Seaman Stadium. Dawgs Black took the field in front of 3,500+ fans, while special guest Jason Kenney (Premier of Alberta) took in the special night.

For baseball fans, having the WCBL back to full capacity in Okotoks is something many were excited about but just across the road at Tourmaline and Conrad Field, excitement inhabited both parks over four days as the 15U Dawgs (Black and Red) host their annual Canada Day Classic.

The tournament is a staple for many in the 15U circuit across the prairies and western Canada, seeing many future Canada Cup, Junior National team, and pro prospects take part in the event. Each year teams from Saskatchewan, Alberta, BC and Montana make the trek to Okotoks. This year though, due to COVID-19 the number of teams were limited but still had exciting baseball throughout the tournament.

15U Dawgs Black started the tournament off with a bang with a 22-10 victory over the Sherwood Park A’s. The A’s were led by Joe Young, former third round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993. Young played for the Medicine Hat Blue Jays, where he was teammates with Mike Johnson (Edmonton) and former NL Cy Young award winner, Chris Carpenter.

Both of the Dawgs 15U teams would advance to the play-off round following their five-game round robin play. Dawgs Black would lose a heartbreaker in the semi-finals, while Dawgs Red would advance to the finals defeating the St. Albert Cardinals before coming up short in the championship game.

Bodie Bazillion would help lead the Dawgs Black offence, tallying nine hits over his five games in the tournament. Leo Cote, Turner Zdunich and Ty Gertner would all chip in with eight hits each. Cote had the boom stick, tallying a round-tripper and driving in 10 in tournament play. Bazillion was also dominant on the bump, tossing four innings giving up three hits while punching out seven in his outing. Jack Mitchell threw three scoreless innings, punching out three and not allowing a baserunner to reach in his outing.

For Dawgs Red, Demetrio Garcia was effective on the mound, scattering three runs (one earned) over his four innings of work. Matt Diebert led the Red offense, tallying multiple hits including a big fly over the weekend.

To wrap up the Canada Day weekend festivities, saw the Dawgs 13U team travel to Calgary to take on both the Calgary Bucks and the Calgary Cubs. This weekend would be a bounce back effort from the Dawgs going 4-0 on the weekend, after splitting on the previous weekend. All facets of the game were played well by the Dawgs, seeing the offence put up 56 runs over their four games while the pitching staff limited their opponents to 13 runs in those four games.

Tyson Dyck and Grady Suba were electric on the mound for the Dawgs. Dyck punched out 10 in his four innings of work, while Suba sent seven Bucks hitters back to the bench with a K next to their name. Taye Thierman also joined in on the fun, punching out seven in his three innings of work. Offensively, Dyck and Suba led the way as well, tallying 15 hits between the two of them. Both Suba and Owen Swennumson each hit a home-run on the weekend. Malik Robbins drove in six RBI’s on the weekend, while Suba (8) and Thierman (6) also contributed to the offensive onslaught.

This coming weekend sees all four Academy teams in action. 16U is back at Tourmaline Field hosting the visiting Edmonton Padres. 15U Black travels to Calgary to take on the Calgary Bucks Yellow. 15U Red is at home, seeing Lethbridge Academy come to town. While the 13U Dawgs are on the road in Cochrane.