NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Medicine Hat Mavericks’ pitcher Adam Golby is greeted by his teammates after recording the final out of the Mavs 5-4 win Friday at Moose Jaw to take Game 1 of their East finals series against the Miller Express.
The Medicine Hat Mavericks didn’t hear a bell Friday night.
After falling behind 2-0 in the first inning, the Mavs came back to win 5-4 at Moose Jaw against the Miller Express to take Game 1 of the East finals. The series returns to Medicine Hat on Saturday for what could be a deciding Game 2.
Head coach Kevin Mitchell says the game felt unbelievable and says he felt they would make the comeback.
“These guys are so tough man and I told them they’re like a bunch of gnats, they just never went away,” Mitchell said. We had pressure in every inning, guys just grinding out at bats. We didn’t tear the cover off the ball tonight but we didn’t have to. We did enough to win sometimes, especially this time of year. This it what takes, it’s going to be a battle mentally and physically and we did just enough to come out on top tonight.”
Moose Jaw jumped ahead in the first inning, scoring two runs for the early lead. The Mavs answered back in the top of the third on an RBI single from centre fielder Brody Gardner. They tied it up an inning later on an RBI single from right fielder Tory Nelson.
The Mavs tied it up but Moose Jaw quickly regained a lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth to regain their 4-2 lead.
Bryce Libke started the contest for the Mavs and worked four innings with strikeouts while allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks.
Adam Golby took over on the Mavs mound to start the fifth inning and held Moose Jaw to one hit and three walks in five innings pitched. He struck out five batters, including two of the last three batters for the win.
“I was just throwing the ball where Dom told me too, Golby said. “I’m just doing what he asked.”
The Mavs slowly clawed back with a run in the sixth inning. Catcher Dominic VanDoorne scored on a wild pitch to cut Moose Jaw’s lead to 4-3. An inning later VanDoorne drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game up at 4-4.
While Golby held Moose Jaw at bay, the Mavs kept getting runners on base.
Shortstop Tyler Vanneste was hit by a pitch with one out in the ninth to bring VanDoorne to the plate. The catcher roped a double to centre field to put runners on second and third with one out. After an infield out, Vanneste scored on a wild pitch to put the Mavs ahead 5-4.
That was all of a lead they needed, holding on for the win and stranglehold on the best-of-three series.
With the series returning to Athletic Park, if needed a Game 3 would be back at Moose Jaw on Sunday. Mitchell says the message to the group is an easy one, let’s not go back to Moose Jaw.
“Let’s take care of business at home tomorrow,” Mitchell said. “If we lean on them early, they might pack it in. Dylan Esquival is on the mound, he’s going to go out there and do his thing. If we can get the bats going early on, It’ll be a good day for us.”
