Mavericks score 13 runs in four innings, win big in Moose Jaw

By James Tubb on May 28, 2022.

The offence was flowing for the Medicine Hat Mavericks Saturday night.

After falling behind 1-0 in the second inning, the Mavericks piled on 13 runs in four innings to pick up the road win, beating the Moose Jaw Miller Express 13-8. The two clubs met Friday in the season opener, a 3-2 win for the Mavericks.

Mavs shortstop Adrian Salazar led the way offensively Saturday with three hits, three RBIs and two walks. The Mavericks capitalized on 11 walks from Moose Jaw pitchers and five errors by Miller Express defenders.

Moose Jaw opened the scoring on Nate Mensik’s home run in the bottom of the second inning, his first home run of the young season.

Jack Suhai started the game for the Mavericks and was only able to throw two and a third innings. The Medicine Hat product struck out three, walked three while only allowing one hit and run on Mensik’s home run.

Bryce Libke came into the game in relief and threw two and two thirds innings with four strikeouts while only allowing one hit. The Saskatoon product was credited the win Saturday night.

The Mavericks jumped on the offensive in the top of the fifth putting up three runs on the Miller Express.

With runners on first and second base, Medicine Hat product Zachary Stark hit the ball right to the Moose Jaw pitcher who botched the throw sending designated hitter Deon Reese home on the error.

Third basemen Nathan Ade drove in a run with a single and Salazar roped a double past the diving Moose Jaw left fielder to cap off the Mavericks three run inning.

Moose Jaw answered back in the bottom of the fifth when a run scored on a throwing error by Ade.

Mavs third basemen Ade from Davis, Calif made up for the error with a RBI single in the top of the sixth inning that capped off a four run side for Medicine Hat.

Right fielder Kellan Williamson and centre fielder Braden Desonia both scored on separate wild pitches in the inning. Tory Nelson also notched a RBI single in the frame putting the Mavs up 7-2 in the sixth.

Medicine Hat ran into some trouble in the bottom of the sixth as Moose Jaw had the bases loaded with one out. Mavs pitcher Hunter Cooper was able to navigate his way through the inning while only allowing one run on a bloops single that could have been two runs but Williamson threw out the second runner with a take applied by Stark behind the dish.

The Mavericks kept piling on the runs in the seventh and eighth. Medicine Hat put up a four spot in the seventh with two run RBI singles from both first basemen Hunter Boylan and Salazar. In the eighth, Resse and Stark picked up an RBI each driving in runs back to back hits. Moose Jaw added one run of their own in the eighth to cut the Mavs lead to 13-6 heading into the ninth.

All four of Ade, Desonia, Reese and Boylan finished the night with two hits, with Ade and Boylan knocking in two RBIs each. Jacob Prosch threw and inning and a third, striking out two while only allowing one hit and one run to score.

Medicine Hat did not score in the top of the ninth inning but local product Josh Stark made his WCBL and Mavs debut when he pinch hit for Desonia and he made full use of his first at bat, picking up his first hit donning the Mavericks red.

His brother Nathan Stark came out of the bullpen to close out the game pitching to his brother behind the plate. Moose Jaw scored two runs in the inning but Stark struck out three batters to seal the win for the Mavericks.

They’ll carry the two game winning streak into Medicine Hat Sunday for their home opener at Athletic Park. That game gets underway at 2:05 p.m.