Mavericks fall 9-4 Monday in Sylvan Lake

By James Tubb on June 5, 2023.

The Medicine Hat Mavericks had a rocky start to their four-game road trip.

The Mavericks lost 9-4 Monday in Sylvan Lake against the Gulls. The contest is the first of four road games for Medicine Hat and first of nine straight games.

Medicine Hat was first on the board, scoring in the first inning with a RBI double from third baseman Nathan Tarver, driving in centre fielder Jackson Woolwine after his leadoff double. Sylvan Lake added two runs in the bottom of the opening frame to take a lead that the Mavericks quickly tied up in the top of the second. A two out, RBI single from Woolwine knocked in shortstop Johnny Vulcano from second base.

Woolwine ended Monday’s game with three hits, a RBI and a run scored. He had the walkoff hit in the Mavericks 4-3 ninth inning victory on Friday at Athletic Park against the Swift Current 57’s.

A leadoff walk by the Gulls in the bottom of the fourth kicked off a four-run frame by Sylvan Lake as they jumped ahead 6-2 on Medicine Hat.

The Mavericks clawed back in the top of the fifth inning, scoring two runs to make the game 6-4. Second baseman Brady Bean was hit by a pitch and two pitches later scored on a double from Tarver, his second RBI of the game. After moving to third base on a wild pitch, Tarver scored on a sacrifice fly from first baseman Tyler Vanneste.

Medicine Hat starter Bryce Libke worked five innings with two strikeouts while allowing five earned runs on eight hits and three walks. Lucas Teel took over in the bottom of the sixth after a Gulls’s single, pitching two innings of four-hit, two run baseball. Evan Bilter pitched the eighth frame for the Mavericks, picking up a strikeout while walking three.

The Gulls outhit Medicine Hat 12-11, putting on a show for the 1,337 Sylvan Lake fans in attendance.

The Mavericks (3-4) are back in action Tuesday with a rematch in Sylvan Lake against the Gulls before hitting the road for a two-game set in Fort McMurray against the Giants.

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