Dawgs edge Bulls, advance to WCBL finals

The Okotoks Dawgs edged the Lethbridge Bulls 4-3 on Tuesday night at Seaman Stadium. With the win, they advanced to the Western Canadian Baseball League finals for the first time since 2011. Photo: Okotoks Dawgs

August 13, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

The Okotoks Dawgs edged the Lethbridge Bulls 4-3 to take the third and deciding game of their Western Canadian Baseball League divisional series on Tuesday night at Seaman Stadium.

With the win, the Dawgs advance to the WCBL finals for the first time since 2011.

The Dawgs opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning when leadoff man Tristan Peters doubled and was driven in on a single by Oregon State prospect Jacob Melton.

The Dawgs added two more runs in the third inning when Melton doubled and Indiana State product Dane Tofteland followed with a two-base hit off the wall. Texas State DH Will Hollis then rapped out an RBI single that drove in Tofteland to give the Dawgs a 3-0 lead.

The Bulls countered with a run in the fourth inning when DH Kaleb Warden’s double knocked in Riley Jepson to break the early shutout bid of Dawgs starter Brandon Desjardins.

The Bulls added two more runs in the fifth to tie the ballgame, with the key blow being a triple by right fielder Hank Forrest.

Desjardins, who was used exclusively as a reliever by the Dawgs during the regular season, would exit after five strong innings in which he allowed three hits and three runs (two earned), while fanning four batters.

The Dawgs retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Peters hit an RBI single that cashed in JT Patterson.

Lewis-Clark State senior Justin Hammergren took over for Desjardins on the mound for the Dawgs in the sixth and proceeded to hurl four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out seven. He retired the final six batters he faced in order to pick up the win.

The Dawgs will now wait to see if they will face the Swift Current 57s or the Regina Red Sox in the finals. The 57s and Red Sox will play the deciding game of their divisional series tonight.