Dawgs win sixth WCBL title
Okotoks Dawgs players pose for a team photo after securing the Western Canadian Baseball League championship on Thursday night. Photo: Ian Wilson, WCBL
August 18, 2022
Official Okotoks Dawgs News Release
The Okotoks Dawgs defeated the Moose Jaw Miller Express 4-1 in front of more than 5,000 fans at Seaman Stadium on Thursday to claim their sixth Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) championship.
WCBL president Kevin Kvame (left) presenting the championship trophy to Okotoks Dawgs head coach Mitch Schmidt on Thursday night. Photo: Ian Wilson, WCBL
The Dawgs’ offence was led by Alex Stufft who went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, while Canadians McCoy Pearce (Kamloops, B.C.) and Caleb Lumbard (Regina, Sask.) added an RBI each. Alejandro Cazorla (Okotoks, Alta.), Brendan Luther (Mississauga, Ont.) and Micah McDowell (Kentville, N.S.) also had a hit and a run each for the Dawgs.
On the mound, Brady Baltus put together his best performance of the season, striking out nine batters in six innings while only allowing one earned run to secure the win. He was backed by solid work out of the bullpen from Rylan Penner (Blumenort, Man.) and Cade Herrmann who combined for a scoreless seventh inning before big lefty Matt Wilkinson (Okotoks, Alta.) struck out four and kept the Miller Express off the scoreboard in the final two frames to record the save.
The championship caps a historic season for the Dawgs in which they set a new franchise record with 43 regular season wins and lost just one game in the playoffs.
The Dawgs last won the WCBL championship in 2019. They also captured league titles in 2004 and for three consecutive seasons from 2007 to 2009.