Dawgs Black stun the Bulls

By Dale Woodard on July 9, 2021.

The Lethbridge Bulls were one out away from the win.

But with one walk, the Okotoks Dawgs Black conjured up one last rally on their way to a 6-3 win over Lethbridge in Western Canadian Baseball League play Thursday night at Spitz Stadium.

Up 3-2 on the Dawgs with two out and Bulls reliever John Vulcano poised to close it out, Okotoks Nicolas Fortin drew a walk, Kobe Laevens singled to put runners on second and third and Ben Hoshizaki was hit by the first pitch he faced to load the bases.

With the Spitz Stadium home crowd fidgeting, Okotoks Kaden Zarowny completed the stunning comeback with a no-doubter grand slam over the left field wall for his second round-tripper of the game to hand the Bulls a loss which drops them to 6-5.

With the win the Dawgs Black pull to an even 7-7 as both teams put up seven hits on the night.

The Bulls had taken their first lead of the night, 3-2, in the seventh inning on a balk before the Dawgs ninth inning comeback

After two scoreless innings, the Dawgs struck first when Zarowny reached first on an error to third base and scored on a passed ball.

The Bulls answered right back in their half of the third when Nick Gravel singled to shortstop and eventually scored.

Okotoks grabbed the lead back in the fifth when Zarowny hit his first home run of the night, bouncing a towering drive off the centre field wall for a 2-1 lead.

Lethbridge pulled even for the second time of the night in the sixth inning when Brad Goodwin singled to right field to score to score Mike Fitzsimmons, who had drawn a one-out walk.

The Bulls loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning and took their first lead of the game when Gravel scored on a balk for a 3-2 lead.

Lethbridge tried to double their lead one batter later when Demers tried to score from third on a flyout to centre from Fitzsimmons, but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

After a scoreless eighth inning, the Dawgs set the stage for their two-out comeback with Zarowny’s fifth home run of the season.

The Dawgs Black centre fielder went 2-for-5 with three runs scored and five RBI, giving him 22 on the year.

Gravel batted 2-for-4 for the Bulls with two runs scored, while Demers was 2-for-2.

Goodwin’s RBI gives him 10 on the season.

Vulcano took the loss for Lethbridge after coming on for Bulls starter Flynn Ridley, going two and two-thirds innings, allowing four runs on two hits, walking one and striking out four.

Francis earned the win for Okotoks, tossing one and two-thirds innings and surrendering one run.

The Bulls look to rebound tonight as they host the Sylvan Lake Gulls at Spitz Stadium. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

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