Dawgs take season series over Giants

Danny Donnelly hit a home run for the Okotoks Dawgs on Friday. Photo Credit: Amanda Fewer (FILE PHOTO).

July 6, 2018

By Tyler Lowey

Okotoks Dawgs

Fort McMurray, Alta. — The Okotoks Dawgs swept the season series over the Fort McMurray Giants with a 7-2 victory at Shell Place on Friday.

On the strength of a great start from Brock Townsend (Linn-Benton Community College), the Dawgs (18-10) took the sixth and final matchup with the Giants (9-20) this season. It marked the first time in the Giants’ three years of existence that they didn’t win a game against the Dawgs.

Townsend was brilliant in his fourth start of the season. Townsend is now 3-0 after he didn’t allow an earned run or walk a batter. He also only allowed three hits through six innings.

A run did score on his watch during some sloppy play in the first few innings.

The Giants grabbed the first lead when Marcus Skundrich (Mesa Community College) committed his first error of the season when his throw down to second sailed high and Liam Rihela advanced to third. He later scored on a fielder’s choice by Mike Bowes.

The Dawgs answered in the top of the fourth when Collin Ridout (Tennessee Wesleyan University) reached on a bunt base hit. He advanced to second on a throwing error by Chase Partain and scored on another throwing error by third basemen B.J. Minarcin.

After loading the bases in the fifth with a pair of infield singles and hit batsmen, Ridout picked up his third hit of the game and drove in Danny Donnelly (Chandler-Gilbert College). Next batter was Will Hollis (Cisco Community College) and he cranked an automatic double to right field to score Eddie Sanchez (Central Arkansas University) and Richard Mascarenas (Linn-Benton Community College). Abdiel Alicea (Tabor College) tacked on a sacrifice fly to score Ridout, as the Dawgs plated four runs.

Giants starter Partain didn’t come out for the sixth after he gave up four earned runs and eight hits in five innings. His record dropped to 0-4.

Donnelly greeted reliever Nate McKendrick with his second solo home run of the season.

Jacob Bouzide (Colby Community College) drove in his third run of the season in the ninth.

Alex Jones (Niagara University) threw two scoreless innings in relief and struck out three batters. Andrew Yates gave up an unearned run in the ninth.