July 30, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs were defeated 13-8 by the underdog Brooks Bombers on Tuesday night at Seaman Stadium.

This was the second time that the Bombers have downed the Dawgs this season and the first time they have ever won at Seaman Stadium.

Dawgs 18U Black Academy left-hander Matt Wilkinson got the nod for the final regular season meeting between the two clubs. The 16-year-old last started a game for the senior squad on June 2 when he threw seven scoreless innings against the Fort McMurray Giants.

Wilkinson found himself in trouble in the second inning after loading the bases with no outs. He nearly got out of the jam by striking out two batters but then surrendered a bases-clearing RBI double to third baseman Albert Vargas which put the Bombers up 3-0.

The Dawgs would respond in the bottom half of inning when Jacob Melton cashed in Shay Shanaman with an RBI double. Melton then advanced to third and scored on a dropped third strike to cut the deficit to 3-2.

A two-run fifth inning by the Bombers forced Wilkinson out of the game. In all, the young lefty allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings, but he also struck out an impressive eight batters.

The Dawgs scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 5-3 before Virginia Tech product Nick Vickers entered the contest in the sixth and surrendered four runs, all with two outs.

The Dawgs got one back in the bottom of the inning on a RBI double from Texas State's Will Hollis and then added three more in the seventh thanks to an RBI single by Indiana State University product Dane Tofteland and a two-run single from Melton.

After a scoreless eighth inning from both sides, with the score now 9-7 for the Bombers, Brooks ended the Dawgs’ comeback hopes with four runs in the ninth inning.

Tofteland clubbed a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to bring the Dawgs to within five, but that was all the offence the Dawgs could muster.

The Dawgs will now regroup and face the second-placed Medicine Hat Mavericks at home on Wednesday night.