Mavs drop final regular season game, shift to playoffs
By James Tubb on August 5, 2024.
The Medicine Hat Mavericks are onto the playoffs. The Mavs lost the final game of the WCBL regular season, falling 6-3 Monday at Swift Current to the 57’s. The loss gives the Mavs a 33-23 record, a three-win improvement from 2023. After three scoreless frames, the Mavs opened the scoring. Second baseman Blake Dale knocked an RBI single to put the Mavs ahead 1-0. The 57’s responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a wild pitch and knocking in another run with a sac fly to lead 2-1. Mavs’ catcher Nick Thibodeau notched an RBI with a single to left field, scoring right fielder Jordan Phillips to tie the game in the fifth. That stalemate didn’t last long as the 57’s scored three times in the bottom of the inning for a 5-2 lead. Medicine Hat scratched a little closer to a tie, scoring a run in the top of the seventh with a solo home run from third baseman Tyler Vanneste. His fourth long ball of the season made it a 5-3 game. The 57’s wrapped up the contest with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the 6-3 final. Brett Getz started the contest for the Mavs, working four innings with two hits, four walks and two runs against with three punch-outs. Ryan Dexter worked the fifth and sixth innings, allowing three runs on four this and two walks, with one punch-out. Wyatt Thompson pitched the last two innings of the game, allowing the solo home run and another hit, giving up a walk with four strikeouts. The Mavs shift the focus to the WCBL playoffs and the East semifinals that get underway Wednesday with Game 1 at Athletic Park against the Saskatoon Berries. Game 2 of the series heads to ‘Toon town on Thursday with a decisive Game 3, if necessary, in Medicine Hat on Friday. 9-8
