DawgsrallypastDinos
The Prairie Baseball Academy Dawgs had to play a little catch-up baseball in order to keep their winning streak intact.
They also had to put in a few extra innings of work as the Dawgs topped the Calgary Dinos 11-10 in 11 innings in Canadian College Baseball Conference play Thursday afternoon at Lloyd Nolan Yard for their seventh win in a row.
Finally getting the chance to enjoy prime baseball weather, the Dawgs opened up a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning, but were promptly rung up for nine runs as the Dinos sounded off in their half of the second for an early eight-run lead.
The hosts managed to chip away at the Dinos lead with two runs in the fifth and sixth innings, one more in the seventh and then a three-spot in the eighth to tie things up at 9-9 and force extra innings.
Then in the top of the 11th, Lethbridge’s Torrin Vaselenak came up clutch with a two-out shot to deep centre that scored a pair for an 11-9 lead.
The Dinos didn’t go quietly in the 11th, scoring to pull within one and putting runners on the corners, but Dawgs reliever Kai Poffenroth was able to get out of the jam and post the win that improves the Dawgs to 12-6.
As the Dawgs battled back, Graham Forrester held the Dinos bats at bay. The righthander from Saskatoon came on in the third inning and pitched five innings of shutout ball, allowing three hits and striking out four.
“We’ve been playing a little bit better lately and for whatever reason we decided to give up a nine-spot in the second inning,” said Dawgs head coach Todd Hubka, whose team is half a game back of the conference leading Okanagan College (13-6). “But our kids battled and found a way to come back.”
While they did, Forrester stemmed the tide.
“Forrester came in and gave us six innings of shutout baseball and only gave up a couple of hits,” said Hubka. “That’s a guy out of our bullpen and to step up like that was really big for us. We’re battling for first place in our league again and we’re a half game out from Okanagan right now, so that was a big one.”
After battling through a scoreless 10th inning, the Dawgs put runners on second and first with two out.
That’s when Vaselenak hit a deep shot that scored Kevin Floyd and Anthony Grouette.
“That was a low curve ball that I got the barrel through,” said Vaselenak. “I think they were playing a bit shallow and it ended up going over his head.”
The seven-game streak vaults the Dawgs near the top of the standings and right on Okanagan’s heels, but Hubka said there were some growing pains.
“We’re young this year and in our spring schedule down in the States we took some lumps,” he said. “(With) the competition we were playing against, there were some top25 junior colleges down there and it took us some time to get going.”
Once league play started, the Dawgs were dealt a few more tough losses.
“We started off in Okanagan and the first day of league (play) we got walked off in the ninth inning twice,” said Hubka. “And then the next weekend against Trinity Western University, the first game we played them we got walked off in the first game. It’s a mentally challenging year for the players and the coaching staff. But hopefully with the weather having turned and being able to be on our field a lot more we should be able to continue to get better every day.”
Vaselenak, who went 3-for-5 Wedneday with two runs scored and two RBI noted the progress.
“We’ve bonded more and just become better as a team and our compete level has been up there, we want to win. Our first two weekends we split when we could have done better. We just weren’t there as a team yet, but it’s coming together well.”
Dawgs designated hitter David Leblanc went 3-for-6 with three RBI, while right fielder Eric Davies was 2for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI.
Grouette was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Lethbridge pinch hitter Chris Ewanik chipped in with two RBI Thursday.
Poffenroth earned the win for the Dawgs, throwing three innings and allowing one run on three hits, striking out one.
On Wednesday, the Dawgs downed the Dinos 3-2 and 6-2 in a double header.
The Dawgs return to league play tonight when they host the Vancouver Island University Mariners, who are 10-7 and two games back of Okanagan, in a double-header starting at 7:30 p.m. at Spitz Stadium.
The Dawgs junior varsity team is also in action this weekend as the PBA hosts its annual Prairie Baseball Academy Showcase Tournament starting today and running until Sunday with games at Lloyd Nolan Yard and Spitz Stadium.
“We started that a few years ago and it’s built into a great recruiting tool for us,” said Hubka. “Coach (Jesse) Sawyer does a great job finding the teams to play in it and also manage everything. I’m proud of my assistant coaches and Jesse for what they have to do to get that tournament ready. It should be a good weekend of baseball in town.”
Eight teams in two pools of four will compete this weekend with games starting at noon at Lloyd Nolan Yard and Spitz Stadium.
The event, sponsored by the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College, also features a tour of both those facilities Saturday morning.
Follow @DWoodardHerald on Twitter