Dawgs come back for walk-off win over Bulls

August 11, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs rebounded from a four-run rally by the Lethbridge Bulls in the eighth inning to earn a walk-off win in the bottom of the ninth in Game 1 of the Western Canadian Baseball League Divisional Final at Seaman Stadium on Sunday.

Academy of Art left-hander Galen Manhard performed well in his first start of the year for the Dawgs, allowing four runs (just two earned) on four hits, while striking out 11, in 7 1/3 innings.

The Dawgs opened the scoring when after loading the bases in the first inning, Gavin Logan walked to give his club a 1-0 lead.

After the Bulls tied the contest on a solo home run by Dylan Borman the following inning, the bats on both sides were silent until the sixth inning when the Dawgs restored their lead on an RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of 18-year-old Dawgs Academy product Richardo Sanchez.

The Dawgs added to their lead in the seventh when Oregon State prospect Jacob Melton belted a two-run homer. Melton would finish the contest with four hits.

The Bulls, however, would rally in the eighth and force Dawgs starter Manhard out of the game after he gave up an RBI double to left-fielder Nicholas Ankermann which made the score 4-2.

Andrew Yates replaced Manhard but walked first baseman Riley Jepson to load the bases. The Dawgs then summoned Bellevue University hurler Brandon Desjardins from the pen. Bulls DH Kaleb Warden then hit a potential double play grounder, but after recording the out at second, Sanchez’s throw to first base sailed in the dugout, which allowed two Bulls runners to score to tie the game.

Bulls second baseman Ashton Roy then followed with an RBI single that brought in Warden to give the Bulls a 5-4 lead.

Desjardins would strike out Borman to end the frame and then toss a 1-2-3 ninth inning for the Dawgs.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Dawgs would load the bases on two Bulls’ errors and a bunt single. Davis Todosichuk would come in to score the tying run on an error by Bulls shortstop Dylan Borman.

Two batters later NCAA Divison-II St. Leo commit Brett Esau (Meadow Lake, Sask.) singled to score Melton to give the Dawgs 6-5 walk-off win and a 1-0 series lead.

The Dawgs will now travel to Lethbridge for the second game of the series on Monday night.