May 31, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, AB- The long road of playoff revenge began for the Okotoks Dawgs in front of 3,875 fans inside a bouncing Seaman Stadium against rival Edmonton Prospects, picking up their first win at home Friday night 5-4.

The Dawgs improve to a 2-0 record while Edmonton suffers their first defeat of the season.

UBC T-Bird product Jared Spearing got the nod in front of his home crowd, pitching five innings while surrendering six hits and two earned runs meanwhile Prospect counterpart, Taran Oulton saw 20 batters in his five innings, giving up four hits and three earned runs.

Billy Brand secured the save for his Okotoks side.

Tristian Peters, coming off his strong 5-6 (2 RBI) game against Brooks, began the offensive run for Okotoks in the fourth inning.

He got on base with a single before advancing on a balk and then stealing third base that gave the first momentum swing of the game for the Dawgs.

Jaxon Valcke broke the dry deadlock with an RBI double for the first run of the game, setting the stage for Dawgs returnee Will Hollis.

After shrugging off a close strike by the ump, Willis absolutely turned into the next pitch.

“I thought it was a little off, but I didn’t like the pitch anyway. I stuck with it and connected on the next,” he says.

The second year Dawgs outfielder and Texas State product went yard in his first game of the season, just days after landing on a plane to make this game on time. His moonshot over the 400-foot fence to cap off a three-run inning for his home-side Dawgs.

Hollis says, “I was really excited to be back in front this Okotoks crowd.”

Acting bench boss Joe Sergent commented on the immediate contribution.

“That’s what we went… when returning guys come in and contribute, the way guys like Will do is great.”

Spearing pitched five scoreless innings before he loaded the bases and surrendered his first earned runs of the season on a Prospect double in the sixth.

Dawgs Academy Alumni Andrew Yates was called upon to settle the momentum stopped the returned call from the Prospects.

He got the first out on a pop fly against his first batter but couldn’t save the lead after a sac fly tied the game at three apiece.

Yates however, kept the game tied thanks to a huge pick-off that led to an inning ending run-down play that caught the third Prospect runner stealing a base in just six innings.

“He’s a proven guy. I know I can trust him and needed him at home before anything else. Brunner stepped in and trusted Billy at the end and we got it,” Sergent comments on the strong effort from the bullpen

Okotoks responded on a bunt single from Valcke with a runner on base that the Prospects infield made an error on, allowing for a run to get cashed in from second base. Valcke was counted for the fifth run of the game on a Gavin Logan fielders-choice that capped off the sixth inning.

A late game fielder-choice led to the Prospects fourth run of the game that forced relief pitcher Galan Manhard out of the game for closer Brand.

Brand held his own at the top of the ninth, having one runner on second base with no outs but the Point Univ. senior didn’t crack and retired his next three batters.