Early struggles send Bulls to second loss — Mavericks stake out 6-0 lead to cruise to WMBL win

By Lethbridge Herald on June 10, 2015.

Nick Kuhl
Lethbridge Herald
nkuhl@lethbridgeherald.com
Medicine Hat scored six runs before Lethbridge could earn six outs.
And the visiting Mavericks didn’t look back on their way to a 7-2 win over the host Bulls Tuesday night at Spitz Stadium.
The Mavs, who improve to 4-5, capitalized on three key errors by the Bulls, who drop to a 7-2 record on the 2015 Western Major Baseball League season.
“I thought we swung it pretty good,” said Bulls head coach Ryan MacDonald.
“We hit some balls hard, but didn’t get any love. Down 6-0 to start with, it’s pretty hard to come back. It just wasn’t our night tonight.”
“It’s a good win tonight,” said Mavs assistant coach Garrett Wiese. “When you can get out to a six-run lead after two, that’s big, especially for the starting pitcher.”
The Bulls, under starting pitcher Luc Hebert, gave up three runs in the first inning, including one on a walk with the bases loaded, and one on a RBI single by Mavs DH Bryan Arthur.
Blake Rowlett scored on an Aaron Green double in the second to extend the Mavs’ lead. Green then scored on a single by left fielder Devin Johnson.
Arthur hit another RBI single, which chased Hebert from the game after he only recorded five outs. He allowed three earned runs on six hits, while three runs were unearned.
An attempted Bulls’ rally in the bottom half of the second ended with a unusual 7-2 double play involving first baseman Mitch Dornblut being thrown out at the plate.
The Bulls did score one run in the bottom of the third, however. Centrefielder Cody Stewart hit a leadoff double off Mavs starting pitcher Landon Russo, then later scored on a double steal attempt when Brandon Bufton took second.
Medicine Hat went up 7-1 in the top of the fifth when Arthur had a leadoff single, stole second, and scored on the second error of the night by Bulls’ third baseman Ryan Pidhaichuk.
“Basically, it’s move on,” MacDonald said of the message to his team. “We’ve got five in a row here and don’t really have time to dwell on that game.”
Lethbridge added its second run, in the sixth inning, when an RBI double by Mason Shiflett brought Trace Hansen in. That hit also chased Russo, who threw 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits.
Bulls’ pitcher Cole Slamko threw two outs in the ninth in relief of Ben Kennedy, who came on to pitch for Hebert during the second inning. Kennedy allowed seven hits and struck out six in 6 2/3 innings, with one unearned run.
Michael Bucci and Dylan Bell came on to pitch for the Mavs. Neither allowed any runs.
Medicine Hat left 11 runners on base, while Lethbridge left eight.
The Bulls head to Saskatchewan to face Swift Current tonight, followed by games in Regina Thursday and Friday. Lethbridge’s next home game is Saturday against the Edmonton Prospects. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at Spitz Stadium.

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