Stark, Mavs grind out 11-8 victory in Okotoks

OKOTOKS, AB — Among what was a chaotic night on the mound, the local kid shined.

Medicine Hat’s Nathan Stark tore apart an offensively-potent Okotoks Dawgs team, tossing three hitless innings deep in relief to help the Medicine Hat Mavericks earn an 11-8 victory on Wednesday night.

It’s a token of revenge for the Mavs, having given up a four-run lead entering the bottom of the seventh to lose 7-4 in Okotoks the previous night.

In a game lasting nearly four hours, Medicine Hat returns to a record above .500, reaching the 20-win plateau with a 20-19 clip.

All but one inning went scoreless; that being the seventh, which saw a combined eight runs between the two teams on Tuesday.

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Colton Wright continued his surging month of July, racking up four hits and three runs. After a less-than-desirable first half of the season, the three-year Maverick has hits in seven straight games.

Nolan Rattai matched Wright’s run count, and Russell Strilchuck collected a pair of runs.

Medicine Hat maintained its position in the West Division, sitting in the fourth and final playoff spot. They’re one game back of Lethbridge in second, and just half a game back of the Fort Mac Giants, according to the WCBL’s website.

Stark, a former Medicine Hat Monarch also struck out six Dawgs batters and allowed just a single walk in his stand-out performance.

He entered the game after starter Garrett Nicholson, Hunter Cooper, and Bryce Libke rotated through the first four innings. He’s now allowed just one hit over five innings in two appearances this season.

Nicholson, who was coming off commanding back-to-back victories in his most recent starts, was taken out in the second inning after allowing two earned runs and three walks.

Stark was the fourth of seven Mavericks arms to take the mound. He was followed by Jon Guardado, Flynn Ridley, and closer Austin Oulds.

The final play of the game came with the bases loaded with two out and Jacob Melton at the plate. The previous night, Melton rocked a three-run homer in the seventh inning to tie the game. Holding the game winning run, Melton couldn’t find a similar spark and instead was struck-out on a full-count.

Despite allowing seven runs, Medicine Hat’s pitchers only sacrificed eight hits compared to the 13 collected. However, the Mavs were given three errors compared to one handed to the Dawgs.

For the complete box score and game-log, click here.

These two teams will square off in the rubber-match on Thursday night at Athletic Park in Medicine Hat at 7:05 p.m.