Mavericks snap slump with big win Saturday

By James Tubb on June 25, 2022.

NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB Medicine Hat Mavericks catcher Zach Stark watches on as pitcher Bryce Libke celebrates after getting the final out of the Mavericks 10-2 win Saturday night over the Weyburn Beavers at Athletic Park.

The Medicine Hat Mavericks flexed all of their muscles Saturday.

The Mavs picked up an 10-2 win at Athletic Park against the Weyburn Beavers on the back of six shutout innings from starter Gerrit Erickson and three multi run innings.

With the victory, Medicine Hat snaps a four game losing streak and brings their record to 7-13 on the season. Mavericks head coach Tyler Jeske said it was a well played game from his team.

“I thought Erickson gave us a great start on the mound and the offence was clicking, the defense was solid,” Jeske said. “We didn’t have any errors that cost us runs or extra bases, so we took care of the baseball.”

Erickson picked up the win on the mound while only allowing four hits and notching six strikeouts in six innings of shutout baseball. The 19-year-old said it was fun picking up the win with his teammates.

“Just being with my teammates out here, the weather was beautiful today,” Erickson said. “My defence backed me up really nicely, the hitting came and everything just worked tonight, it was just fun to be out here.”

The Mavericks had 15 hits in the win, with three batters, third baseman Adrian Salazar, first basemen Hunter Boylan and right fielder David Dell each having multi hit days.

Medicine Hat scored the first run of the game after escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the first inning. Salazar drove in CF Braden Desonia from third base with a RBI single.

Salazar led the way offensively Saturday night, with five hits and two RBI’s, including a solo home run in the sixth. The Glendale, Ariz. product said getting the home run and win was nice to get on a Saturday.

“It makes it even better that it’s a Saturday night but it doesn’t mean anything unless we can come back do it again tomorrow,” Salazar said.

The Mavericks started their offensive run in the fourth inning, scoring the first three of nine unanswered runs. Left fielder Nate Ewing had a RBI single that was followed up by a two RBI single from Dell.

In the fifth, short stop Nate Ade had a sacrifice hit to drive in second basemen Kellan Williamson from third and Salazar crossed the plate two pitches later on a passed ball.

Medicine Hat capped off the day in the sixth inning with a RBI single from Dell before catcher Zach Stark hit his first home run of the season, a two run shot. Two batters later, Salazar also picked up his first home run of the campaign, with a solo shot.

Jeske said Stark’s home run was the biggest offensive moment of the game.

“He hasn’t played a ton up to this point in the season and if he gets an opportunity and ceases, I think that’s the kind of thing that gets you more opportunities,” Jeske said.

With a smile, the Medicine Hat product said he just got a pitch he wanted to hit and was able to put a drive into it.

“I wasn’t trying to think too big or too small, just you know, putting some barrel on ball and it paid off for me,” Stark said. “If I can do that to help the team win in any way and get the boys up a little bit, I’m willing to do that.

Isaiah Bartels took over on the mound in the seventh and pitched a clean inning with two strikeouts. Noah LeBleu was on the bump in the eighth and allowed the Beavers only runs of the game before Bryce Libke took the ball in the ninth and shut the door for the win with two strikeouts.

Jeske said the win was huge for his younger roster who are showing flashes of developing into being able to take the bigger roles asked of them.

“We’ve seen flashes of it across the entire roster, guys getting the chance to get in and showing what they can do and taking advantage of those opportunities,” Jeske said. “That’s how we’re gonna become the best version of ourselves.”

After the game Jeske said the Mavericks continued their trend of not discussing the game until the next day as an approach for the upcoming contest. He said the short message after the win was they have to come back and do it again because, “rent is due every day.”

“We have to come back and do this exact same thing, there’s no letting up because it’s about building from here, it’s about building every single day,” Jeske said. “To me, just the energy and the vibe the entire night was a lot more upbeat, a lot more because we’re 0-0. Every day you’re 0-0 and you have to go pay your rent, and you either pay it or you don’t.”

Jeske made a point to thank the 1,257 fans in attendance Saturday and also those who have been at any of their games this season for keeping the team level.

“It would be a lot easier to get more discouraged if we were playing in front of nobody and nobody’s coming out to support the guys. But as we’ve struggled and continued to try and piece it together day by day, the continued fan support to me is one of the biggest things,” Jeske said. “They drive the ship here and it’s something for the guys to feed off and keep them from getting down.”

The Mavericks are back in action Sunday at Athletic Park for a 2:05 p.m. rematch with the Beavers.

Before the Mavs game, the annual Battle of the Badges charity softball game will take place at AP starting at Noon. Tickets are $10 with proceeds going to the Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub. There will also be bins for any fans wanting to bring donations.

Stark paused before choosing which team he would be cheering for in the charity contest.

“I’m probably going to be rooting for the police, sorry firefighters.”