Dawgs rally to beat Giants in extra innings

July 4, 2018

By Tyler Lowey

Okotoks Dawgs

Fort McMurray, AB — The Okotoks Dawgs completed an incredible comeback in the ninth and clipped the Fort McMurray Giants 6-5 in 11 innings at Shell Place on Wednesday.

The Dawgs (16-10) were held in check for most of the night by Tyler Hodder, who went 7 1/3 innings for the Giants (9-18) and was three outs away from picking up his first win of the season. He only allowed three hits and one earned run.

The bullpen couldn’t hold Hodder’s 5-1 lead in the ninth, as Allan Brown gave up a two-run double to Nate DeChaine (Morningside College) that scored Will Hollis (Cisco Community College) and Collin Ridout (Tennessee Wesleyan University). Pinch hitter J.T. Patterson (Bellevue University) then cranked two-run home run off David Craft to tie it 5-5.

Patterson wasn’t done there, as he drove in Richard Mascarenas (Linn-Benton Community College) in the 11th for the game-winning run off of Matt Vonderschmidt, who is now 2-2.

The Giants led 5-1 for majority of the evening after Hodder was given early run support when Liam Rihela’s second double of the evening scored Josh Iannetti.

The Dawgs tied it in the top of the fourth when Abdiel Alicea (Tabor College) drove in Ridout on a base hit to right field.

The Giants broke the deadlock in the sixth when Zach Koroneos scored Rihela on a blooper down the left field line.

Carter Robinson (Mesa Community College) never received great run support and struggled in the seventh inning.

After a leadoff single by Tristan Richardson in the bottom of the seventh, the Dawgs gambled on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Iannetti and tried to get the lead runner at second. Robinson’s throw sailed wide and runners ended up on second and third with none out. Then with one out, John Loschiavo ripped a two-RBI double down the first base line. Chris Panzarella singled in Loschiavo, which made it 5-1 and ended Robinson’s night.

Robinson went 6 2/3 innings, allowed three earned runs and struck out six.

Dustin Schorie (Mesa Community College), Cole Jenkins (Lyon College), Jesse Coleman (Weber International University) and Craig Smith (Columbia College) teamed up to pitch 4 1/3 innings of shutout relief work for the Dawgs. Coleman registered his first win and Smith earned his sixth save of the season.

The Dawgs are now 1-2 in extra innings this year.