July 9, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, AB – The Okotoks Dawgs pulled off an incredible ninth-inning comeback to shock the Medicine Hat Mavericks 6-5 on Tuesday night.

With the Dawgs trailing 5-4 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Bellevue University outfielder Kory Longaker slapped a single up the middle to score two runs and a walk-off hit for the home squad.

In the ninth inning, Mavericks closer Jon Guardado recorded two quick outs before walking Okanagan College’s Davis Todosichuk and Tristan Peters back to back. Following a double-steal, Guardado walked Oregon State commit Richard Mascarenas to load the bases setting the stage for Longaker.

"I felt like I had it. It was coming down to me... I had a rough night but every at-bat is different. I just knew in my head he wasn't going to beat me and I knew I just wasn't going to lose," said Longaker after the game.

Dawgs head coach Mitch Schmidt praised his team’s late-inning efforts.

"The crowd got behind the guys. Going into the ninth, the guys knew he (Guardado) pitched seven innings with eight strikeouts but had seven walks with around a 7.00 ERA. We watched him like a hawk in the bullpen and everything followed suit," said Schmidt.

The Dawgs opened the scoring in the game, taking a 3-0 lead in the first two innings on sacrifice-plays from Longaker and Texas State’s Will Hollis and an RBI single from Peters.

The Mavs tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth inning before the Dawgs went ahead again on a Todosichuk RBI double in the bottom of the frame.

Medicine Hat put up a two-spot in the sixth to take a 5-4 lead, forcing Dawgs starter Nolan Ruff out of the game. The Dawgs’ bullpen, however, kept the Mavs off the scoreboard in the final three innings.

Academy of Arts pitcher Galen Manhard was particularly strong in relief for the Dawgs. He entered the game in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and no one out and allowed just one run to score.

The two-game sets shifts to Medicine Hat where the Dawgs will look to close out the home-and-home series starting Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.