Medicine Hat Mavericks return to Athletic Park in exciting fashion

Mavs pitcher Ryan Dexter came into the game with runners on the corners and gave up a single to Connor Crowson, who drove in the go ahead run to make the score 11-10 for the Dawgs.

Dexter minimized the damage, striking out Jacob Wrubleski during the next at bat, to leave the Mavs down by one heading to the bottom of the ninth.

With the Mavs up to bat and needing two runs to win the game Yusei Uzawa took a walk after watching five pitches from the Dawgs Trey Mackwood.

Uzwawa would steal second base during Johnny Volcano’s at bat which ended with a fly out to left field.

Tyler Vanneste was next up to the plate and much like Uzawa watched five pitches to take a walk.

With runners at first and second and one away, Carter Roth took the plate for the Mavs.

A wild pitch during the at bat helped advance Uzawa the tying run to third base, and Vanneste the winning run to second base.

An additional wild pitch later in the at bat would send the Mavs and the crowd into a frenzy as both runners came in to score and secure the Mavs the come back victory.

Mavericks head coach Jonathon Thornhill got the win in his first game with the Mavericks. Eli Ridder/CHAT News

Mavericks head coach Jonathon Thornhill got the win in his coaching debut with the Mavs and said seeing what transpired was a first.

“Coach [Ryan] Reed sending them there recognizing the catcher is not paying attention. That’s good stuff there,” Thornhill said.

Thornhill, from California, said the energy throughout the day was great with the practices lead up to it outstanding.

“We’ll enjoy this one tonight. But we know that it’s no slouch here in the WCBL. Everybody told me back from where I’m from that it’s like Canada’s World Series,” Thornhill said.

“There’s a lot of good teams out here. We won’t take anyone lightly. I know that we’re not going to be taken lightly. But at the same time, I have no doubt that they’re going to turn things around,” he added.

“We got some things to clean up too. But nonetheless, very happy with how we came away with it.”

Early in the contest the Dawgs had jumped out to a 2-0 lead after scoring in each of the first two innings.

The Mavs took their first lead of the game off a three run third inning.

The teams exchanged runs in the fourth inning.

The Mavericks Evan Morrison celebrates with teammate Micah Dvorak after hitting a home run in the Mavericks Home Opener on Wednesday night. Jesse Gill/CHAT News

But in the fifth inning the crowd was sent into a frenzy as the lone hometown player on the Mavericks Evan Morrison hit a solo home run to make the score 5-3.

The first baseman who returned to the Mavs for another season said he was looking for a fastball during the at bat.

“I went up there, and I don’t know, in my brain, I was like, I’m going to look fastball, middle of the way, and like, I imagined in my head, he threw it exactly where I imagined it,” Morrison said.

“I just sat back, hit the fastball away, right where it was pitched, and that’s just how it goes. Guessed right, hit the bomb,” he added.

“I was doubting at first. I saw the guy running back.I’m like, don’t catch it, and then he just fell. It was gone. It was great. Amazing feeling. I think I blacked out.”

After going without a home run in 92 plate appearances with the Mavs last season, Morrison said he had been thinking about opening day for a long time.

“Last summer the season didn’t go how I wanted it to go, personally,” Morrison said.

“I’ve been thinking about this day, like I’m going to come out this year, I’m going to show them really the kind of ball player I am, because it wasn’t last summer,” he added.

“I’ve just been working, just been grinding, and want to put on a show for the hometown crowd.”

Morrison said the team has already formed a tight bond.

“We’ve been here four days, and it feels like a family already,” Morrison said.

“These guys are a great group of guys. We all got each other’s backs. Day one, like, everybody’s got each other,” he said.

“It’s just amazing so far. Everything feels pretty good.”

The sixth inning had the Dawgs strike back for one , while the Mavs struck back with two of their own to make it 7-4 going into the seventh inning stretch.

Trading off runs in the seventh, before the Mavs out scored the Dawgs 2-1 in the eight inning.

A large opening night crowd of 1,603 was in attendance for the first game of the WMBL season and home opener for the Mavericks.

All nine of the Mavericks batters got at least one hit during the game with the team getting 15 hits overall.

Pitcher Ryan Dexter credited with the win for the Mavs, while Trey Mackwood was saddled with the loss for the Dawgs.

by Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat Mavericks return to Athletic Park in exciting fashion

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