Wednesday July 26, 2017

Prospects walk-off the Dawgs

By Dustin Saracini

Edmonton, AB -  The (31-13) Okotoks Dawgs couldn't hold on to a 3-2 lead in the ninth as the (24-20) Edmonton Prospects walked it off, sweeping the two-game series.

The offence from Edmonton plated two off a trio of singles to earn their second win of the day.

For the Dawgs, starter Justin Vernia (Gonzaga University) settled in nicely after the first frame, throwing seven innings of two-run baseball in the no-decision. At one point on Wednesday night, the Gonzaga product retired 13 straight Prospects.

Matt Lloyd (Indiana University - Okotoks, AB) stretched his hitting streak to 24 games in the loss, going 1-4 on the night. Justin King (Indian Hills - Okotoks, AB) collected his first multi-hit game of 2017, finishing the contest 2-for-3.

But it was the bats of Edmonton who cracked the scoreboard early in game two, scoring a run off a botched 3-6-1 double play before an RBI single up the middle handed the Prospects a 2-0 lead.

The high-flying offence of Okotoks was no-hit after five innings, but the red and white were able to scratch across a run via the free pass. Zach Hanna (Uinversity of Missouri) was hit by a 1-2 pitch, stole second and moved to third on a balk. A passed ball brought him home to cut the deficit to just one.

In the sixth, the Dawgs not only found their first hits of the game, but also chased starter Marion McLean. A pair of singles from Greg Cullen (Niagara University) and Lloyd set the stage for former Prospect, Kody Funderburk (Dallas Baptist). With the count in his favour and the crowd serenading him with “boos,” the Dallas Baptist product scorched a double down the right field line to make it a 3-2 Okotoks advantage.

Funderburk took over for Vernia in the eighth, continuing his stellar season on the mound with a three up, three down frame -- he has yet to allow a run this season.

Okotoks looks to bounce back on Thursday in Medicine Hat as they take on the Mavericks for their final away game of the season.