Bulls bounce back to split home-and-home set with Mavericks

By Ryan McCracken on July 24, 2017.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

After flying away with an 8-1 win over the Lethbridge Bulls on Saturday’s Superhero Night at Athletic Park, the Medicine Hat Mavericks had a chance to secure a spot in the post-season by sweeping the home-and-home set Sunday at Spitz Field.

But the Bulls — still fighting for the top of the Western Major Baseball League’s Western Division —had different plans.

“Today was a big game for us. Unfortunately we didn’t get the outcome we wanted but we showed a little fight,”said infielder Blake Rowlett, whose Mavs dropped an 11-6 contest Sunday and sit at 22-21 on the season. “After the intensity of (Saturday’s) game this is what we expected. It was good to get these guys ready for kind of a playoff atmosphere and that’s what today was.”

Brady Tedesco went the distance in Saturday’s win to push Medicine Hat within one game of a playoff spot. The Colorado product held Lethbridge to a single run on six hits through nine complete innings while his offence put on a show for the crowd.

Rowlett led the Mavericks with 3 RBI in a 4-for-5 effort in Saturday’s landslide win over the rival Bulls, while Colton Wright had a solo shot and David Salgueiro added a double and a triple.

But the Bulls got to Mavs starter Tanner Skinner early on Sunday, chasing him from the mound in the fifth after cashing six runs on five hits to erase a 3-0 deficit and secure a lead they wouldn’t give up.

Ryan Pouwells had two home runs for 5 RBI in Sunday’s bounce-back win, while Dylan Flash added another 2 RBI in a 2-for-4 effort. Brady Moxham took the win after holding Medicine Hat to five runs on nine hits through 6 and 1/3 innings to keep the Bulls in the hunt for a division title at 25-19.

The Mavericks will return to Athletic Park tonight for another chance at clinching the post-season against the Brooks Bombers. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

“That’s our first step in the goal of winning a championship here, is to clinch a playoff spot so tomorrow will be a big night for us,” said Rowlett. “It’s always nice to play at home. Idon’t know what the stats say but I feel like we play a bit better at home.”