There continues to be no place like home for the Okotoks Dawgs. Okotoks (9-4) extended its unbeaten start to the Western Major Baseball League season at Seaman Stadium to five games on Father’s Day after holding off a late surge from the Brooks Bombers in a 7-6 triumph in front of 4,888 fans. “I’ve played at some of the biggest baseball stadiums in America and honestly nowhere compares to here,” said Dawgs catcher Cole MacLaren, who wears the tools of ignorance at the University of Pittsburgh. “It’s crazy. Everything from the playing surface, how you prepare for games, how you’re treated before games, the fans afterwards, all of it makes a world of difference.” Ditto for getting on the sticks early and often. The Dawgs scored four on five hits while batting around in a dominant second inning to get the jump on the Bombers. MacLaren opened the floodgates with a two RBI knock to centre followed up by leadoff hitter Eddie Sanchez’s sharp liner to left field, scoring two more. Designated hitter Jacob Bouzide made it a six-run cushion in the third inning, lining a looper over second base to drive in a pair. “I’m one of the younger guys and not getting that many at-bats right now and hitting in the eight-hole,” Bouzide said. “I was thinking he would throw me a fastball, he threw me a fastball and I just didn’t miss it.” Brooks chipped away at the lead, but were held to just two runs over six innings as Dawgs flame-throwing righty Cody Ebert picked up the quality start and his second win of the season. The Bombers got back in striking distance in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs on four Dawgs errors in the inning alone. “After that inning you’ve got to come back into the dugout and regroup,” added MacLaren, a PEI native. “That’s the thing about coach (Mitch Schmidt) is he’s all about having fun, but when it comes down to it he’s all about business. He wants to win and we’re all the same way.” The Dawgs got some insurance in the bottom of the inning when MacLaren was walked with the bases loaded, in what proved to be the difference in the contest. Brooks’ Logan Haring launched a home run to right field in the eighth inning, to cut the lead back down to one. Craig Smith closed the deal for Okotoks in the ninth, earning his fourth save. “It’s the fans, everything, good atmosphere, we like being at home,” Bouzide said. “It’s a fun place to play.” Bouzide would know. The infielder played five seasons with the Dawgs Academy after moving from Ontario to the area to ply his trade with the juniors. “I grew up playing here it feels like home,” he said. “It’s like a dream almost. I always wanted to play for the college team growing up, it’s pretty cool to finally step on the field and play for the college team I’ve been watching for six, seven years.” The June 16 tilt with the division leading Medicine Hat Mavericks was postponed due to persistent showers. Academy product Graham Brunner powered the Dawgs to the 9-3 victory over Brooks on June 15 to kick-off the three game stand. “We’re clicking on all cylinders and getting great starts out of basically all of our pitchers,” MacLaren said. “Ebert gave us a great start, Brunner gave us a great start Friday. Now, we’re all starting to come together and perform as a team.” Okotoks puts its perfect home record on the line this week when it kicks off a season long five-game homestand on June 21 versus Lethbridge followed by a three-game set with Fort McMurray from the 23-25 and another date with the Bulls on June 26. “Everybody gets along, there are no bad bumps in the log, everyone likes everyone, we all gel,” Bouzide added. “It’s a good vibe we have going and that helps with the coaching staff too because they keep it loose. It’s just fun to be here.” For full schedule information go to dawgsbaseball.ca News and Notes: What’s in a name? We’ll soon find out. The WMBL is rebranding and as of the 2019 season will be named the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL), the league announced in a June 16 press release. Also announced, the league will feature an all-star game at Edmonton’s RE/MAX Field in the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
