Okotoks is home to the top Dawgs in the west.
The Okotoks Dawgs clinched first-place in the Western Division of the WMBL with a 10-0 rain-shortened victory over the Fort McMurray Giants last night in front of 2,276 fans at Seaman Stadium.
Okotoks started the season losing the first three games of the year and were sitting at 6-4 after 10 games as of June 12. Since that time they have gone 26-10 to give them a 32-14 record going into tonight’s final game of the season.
“We had some players who were late coming up and that just made us better,” said Dawgs coach Tyler Graham.
Those players included hard-hitting Kellen Marruffo, who arrived on June 10. Marruffo is leading the team with a .378 average and six homers. Michael Gretler, with a team-leading 36 RBI didn’t play his first game until June 17. Elliott Cary has provided steady defence in the outfield since getting in the line-up on Canada Day. As well Anthony Balderas arrived on June 11 and solidified the Dawgs’ bullpen.
The Dawgs showed their bite in the West Division clincher over Fort Mac.
The rain-shortened game after five complete was practically a mercy ruling as the Okotoks built up a 10-0 lead over the Giants when it was called.
Dawgs centre-fielder Cary continued to carry a hot bat going in the playoffs. He went 2 for 3 and scored a pair of runs.
Gretler, Cary’s teammate with the Dawgs and the Oregon State University Beavers, had three RBI in the game.
Catcher Joel Brophy contributed on the offensive side of the plate with a solo blast, his first of the season.
Okotoks’ Liam Stroud improved his record to 2-2 with the five-inning shutout.
The victory put the Dawgs in first-place two games ahead of the Medicine Hat Mavericks with only one game to play for each team.
That one game will go tonight when the Mavs and Dawgs square off at Seaman Stadium and it is more than playing out the string. The Dawgs are a half game ahead of the East Division leading Swift Current Indians who sit at 32-15.
With any combination of a Dawgs’ victory or Swift Current loss tonight the Regina Red Sox, Okotoks will finish with the best record in the league and home field throughout the playoffs.
Junior Academy grad Nick Vickers, 2-0, will get the start tonight for Okotoks.
Okotoks will open their best-of-five games first-round playoff series Sunday at 7 p.m. against the Edmonton Prospects at Seaman Stadium.
The Dawgs were 7-1 against the Prospects this year.
However, the regular season run is about as important as Calgary-born Ted Cruz’s U.S. presidential run.
Graham said those results can be thrown out the window.
“The Prospects have a lot of good players and are a good team,” he said. “It’s a new season.”
Marruffo, who has missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, will be back in the line-up. The hard-hitting lefty is expected to rest for tonight’s game against the Hat.
The Dawgs will start CJ Lewington, 6-0, on Sunday. Ian Scott, 4-0, will be given the ball for Game 2 on Monday.
