June 9, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

EDMONTON, AB - For the first time this season, the Okotoks Dawgs (7-2) drop back-to-back games in the 2019 WCBL season while also falling for the second straight day to the Edmonton Prospects (8-4) on the road 4-2 Sunday afternoon.

Crowder College and Edmonton native Graham Brunner took the mound against his hometown team for his first start of the season.

He pitched four innings, surrendering four runs on four hits while striking out and walking four batters.

Prospect starter Matt Erikson picked up his first win of the season, pitching seven innings while giving up two runs on seven hits and striking out three batters.

The Dawgs seemed to get their red-hot offence back on track after not scoring until the ninth inning the night before, scoring their 14th first-inning run of the season on an RBI single from Linn Benton Community College outfielder Jacob Melton, who got the lone RBI for the Dawgs last night.

Okotoks doubled their lead in the top of the fourth inning off a bases-loaded situation in which catcher Riley Baasch grounded into a double play but cashed a runner in the process.

Edmonton responded with a four-spot on the board in the bottom half of the fifth inning and never looked back.

The Prospects tied the game with a bases-loaded situation of their own. With no outs, Tanner Roundy’s RBI single brought in two runs that ended Brunner’s outing.

Tanner Simpson entered the game in relief before stopping Edmonton’s run.

“We stopped having fun,” says Dawgs skipper Mitch Schmidt.

“We strung together some bit of momentum but as soon as we had one call go the other way, everything, for some reason, changed,” he commented post-game.

The Dawgs, like the game before, couldn’t string dangerous moments together and when they did, it was too late.

Prospects closer Jesse Poniewozik came in for the shut-down innings and closed the game out for Edmonton’s eight win of the season.

The Dawgs have the day off on Monday before they hit the road and continue their first of two seven-game road-trips. The next stop is a three-game set in Moose Jaw, Sask., starting on Tuesday, June 11 with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.