Dawgs blast their way past 57's

July 20, 2018

By Tyler Lowey

Okotoks Dawgs

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — The Okotoks Dawgs concluded their five-game road trip through the Eastern Division with a 9-6 victory over the Swift Current 57’s tonight at Mitchell Field.

With the win, Craig Smith (Columbia College) tied a club record with his 13th save of the season. It was also his third save in as many games, as the Dawgs wrapped up their road trip with a 3-2 record.

Abdiel Alicea (Tabor College) stole his 11th base of the year and came around to score on Riley Baasch’s (Bellevue University) single to centre in the second.

The fireworks began in the bottom of the second when Ben Komonosky cranked a solo home run off Mason Swegarden (Mayville State University). He later got to Swegarden again in the fourth, when he connected on a three-run home run.

The Dawgs (27-12) dabbled in some long ball of their own in the third, when Nate DeChaine (Morningside College) swatted a two-run shot for his first of two home runs on the evening. Alicea made it back-to-back when he lifted a solo shot for his second home run of the season.

DeChaine also connected on a 0-2 pitch in the fifth for his 11th home run of the campaign. This one was a solo shot.

Jack Ferguson was lifted after the third inning for the 57’s (23-18), but the Dawgs kept the pressure on Tommy Steier, when Collin Ridout (Tennessee Wesleyan University) doubled to centre to score Baasch. Cole MacLaren (University of Pittsburgh) later scored on a fielder’s choice by Eddie Sanchez (Central Arkansas University).

Ferguson is now 2-2 this season.

The 57’s got one back in the fifth when Nick Canas drove in Blake Adams on a single to centre to cut the Dawgs lead to 7-5.

Brandon Sparks (Bellevue University) added to the home run tally in the sixth when he led the inning off with his first home run of the season.

In Swegarden’s final inning of work, he allowed Jeard Dokey to score on a double to centre by Anthony Stewart. In total, Swegarden went seven innings, gave up seven hits and six earned runs and struck out eight, as he improves to 6-0.