NEWS PHOTO RYAN MCCRACKEN - Medicine Hat Mavericks' Russell Strilchuck slides in safely to third base ahead of the tag from Melville's Chris Paruleski Friday at Athletic Park.
rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com@MHNMcCracken
Hot hitting spread through the Medicine Hat Mavericks batting order like wildfire on Friday night at Athletic Park.
After opening the game with a six-run, seven-hit first inning, Medicine Hat went on to blow the doors off the Melville Millionaires in a 21-0 victory that featured at least one RBI from 10 of the 12 Mavericks who stepped to the plate.
“They took advantage of the pitches that were there,” said head coach Tom Vessella, whose Mavs jumped to 25-21 with the win. “Today we actually had everything. We hit well, we pitched well, we fielded well. It was really fun to watch.”
Ten Mavericks also recorded hits in the game, while 11 reached base, but the bats weren’t the only highlight from Friday’s lopsided win. Starting pitcher Owen Steele mowed through the Millionaires (16-30) with eight innings of two-hit ball – facing just three over the minimum to collect the win and keep his Mavericks within half-a-game of the Lethbridge Bulls for second in the Western Canadian Baseball League’s Western Division.
“We’ve got four teams within like three games of each other, which is something you don’t see too often. Every win gives us a chance to stay in it,” said Steele, who struck out eight, adding the hot bats made his night a breeze. “It makes it really easy to throw. You don’t worry about spots as much, you just go get ahead of hitters, pound the zone and just let things go.”
Austin Sojka put Medicine Hat on the board with an RBI single in the first, following up base-knocks from Tito Jones and Cameron Pope to lead off the game. Taylor Wright kept things rolling with a 2-RBI double before scoring on a wild pitch, then Reed Odland connected for a 2-RBI single before Millionaires starter Tyler Price finally brought an end to the frame.
“We started off with back-to-back hits and it just kind of kept us going,” said shortstop PJ Garcia, who finished 4-for-7 with 3 RBI. “The first inning, putting up six is big, and then everyone keeping it going and not giving away at-bats is a big part of it.”
Collin Klingensmith put himself in the RBI column by cashing Russell Strilchuck on a double in the third, then Colton Wright scored on an error in the fourth – but they weren’t done. After adding two more runs in the fifth, the Mavericks broke the game wide open with nine more in a near never-ending sixth.
Freddy Walker and Klingensmith both walked in runs, then Garcia, Taylor Wright, Colton Wright and Tito Jones all added RBI singles. Pope walked in another run, then Zach Stark was beaned with the bases loaded and Walker rounded out the inning on an RBI fielder’s choice.
Garcia pushed Medicine Hat to 20 runs on the night with a solo home run to lead off the seventh before adding another on a fielder’s choice in the eighth.
Price took the loss after allowing 10 hits on 11 runs through five innings. Jake Green and Cameron Cooper were the only Millionaires to find the hit column in the loss.
Nolan Rattai took the mound in the ninth to close out the game for Medicine Hat, hitting one batter but earning a strikeout in the scoreless frame – his first since pitching for the Medicine Hat Moose Monarchs.
“It was so much fun,” he said. “It’s been so long that I just forgot how it felt – the adrenaline. It was definitely a good experience.”
The Mavericks and Millionaires return to Athletic Park Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 2:05 p.m. to close out a three-game set.
