NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
The Medicine Hat Mavericks celebrate their 4-3 walkoff win over the Swift Current 57's at Athletic Park on Friday.
The Medicine Hat Mavericks created a new entry in the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of a comeback story.
The Mavericks scored four runs in the final two innings Friday night in a 4-3 walkoff win over the Swift Current 57’s at Athletic Park. A victory that marks three in a row for Medicine Hat, coming off a two-win road trip in Weyburn against the Beavers.
” It was such a good time and I’m so glad it happened in front of the hometown fans,” Mavericks head coach Mark Goodman said.”These ways don’t give up and it was a great Friday night here in the Hat.”
After scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth the Mavericks entered the ninth inning and quickly registered an out. Shortstop Johnny Vulcano was hit by a pitch before catcher Dominic VanDoorne drew a walk. Noah Adams came into the game as a pinch hitter and hit a ground ball to the Swift Current third baseman who stepped on his base for the force second out but ultimately over threw first base, allowing Van Doorne to score the tying run from first base.
With Zach Stark standing on second base, pinch running for Adams, centre fielder Jackson Woolwine stepped up to the plate with two outs and the chance to send Medicine Hat fans home happy. After a first pitch ball the Swift Current pitcher balked, sending Stark to third base and one pitch later, Woolwine called game with a single to right field.
The Boulder, Colorado product credited his teammates for getting on base and giving him the walkoff opportunity.
“I got enough of it where it fell in,” Woolwine said. “The team did a great job on getting guys on first and we needed a little spark in the ninth inning and the guys who lead off the inning did a great job with that. I just happened to be the the guy who drove it in.”
Goodman coaches at the same school Woolwine plays at, Colorado School of Mines. He wasn’t surprised at all to see his centre fielder play hero in front of the 1,263 Medicine Hat faithful in attendance.
“I know when Jackson’s up, I have full confidence in him,” Goodman said. “He is a gamer and he doesn’t let the big time spots affect him. I have nothing but confidence and that’s why he’s been with me for three summers now, I love that kid.”
After being shutout for seven innings and trailing 3-0 the Mavericks got on the board in the eighth inning with a succession of hits. First baseman Tory Nelson and Woolwine had back-to-back singles to start the frame off. After a fielders choice play on a hit from right fielder Brent Cota, Medicine Hat put their first runs up on a two-RBI triple from left fielder Brody Gardner.
The Mavericks pitchers continued a three-game trend of only needing two guys to get through a game. Starter Adam Golby pitched six innings of two-run baseball on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Kyle Calzadiaz took over in the seventh, allowing a run to score in that inning before throwing two clean frames for the win with three strikeouts.
“Golby did a great job he gave us a great chance to win,” Goodman said.
The Mavericks look to continue their winning ways as they host the Moose Jaw Miller Express on Saturday at Athletic Park. Goodman says they just have to keep rolling what they are doing into that game as they look to extend the streak.
“We’re just going to try to continue this winning streak and have fun and play the ball,” Goodman said. “We know we can get better each day, our errors were down today from previous games. We’re just trying to clean up that part of the game and I just have a complete ball club here and we’re getting better everyday. Hopefully we get the complete package together.
“Go Mavs.”
