Medicine Hat Mavericks clinch playoff spot even with a three-game losing streak

If the Beavers had won the second game, they could have matched the Mavs’ record, but did not have the tie-breaker, with the Mavs winning six of eight in the season series. The Beavers lost 5-1, and the tie-breaker wasn’t needed.

The Mavs could have punched their spot with a win on Wednesday over the Swift Current 57s, but dropped an 8-7 decision.

The 57s jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, scoring two runs on a Mace Wheeler home run off of Davin Hinote.

In the top of the third inning, the Mavs would get on the board with a solo home run from Jalen King, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

The bulk of the game’s runs came in the fifth inning for both teams.

In the top of the inning, the Mavs scored five. Nate King would lead things off with a single, and Adam Vulcano reached base after being hit by a pitch. A Jalen King single would score Nate King and move Adam Vulcano to second.

Carter Roth would hit a single to load the bases. This helped set up a grand slam home run from Evan Morrison.

The next three batters would fly out, giving the 57s their chance to produce five runs of their own and bring the Mavs’ lead to a quick end.

A walk to Jake Roggensack would end the night for Hinote and bring Jackson Miller to the mound for the Mavs.

Two throwing errors on the next two batters would allow them to reach and lead to two runs.

A Jake Hiromoto double would drive in another run. Hudson Unger would later single to drive in Hiromoto. Unger would later come in when Jake Steffes grounded out.

The 7-6 lead for the 57s would remain until the top of the eighth inning, when a Jalen King sacrifice fly scored Nate King to tie the game at seven.

A Hunter Fujimoto single in the bottom half of the inning would score Zach Clow, giving the 57s an 8-7 lead.

In the top of the ninth, the Mavs would get the tying and winning runs on the basepaths, as Frankie Giacalone hit a double to advance Dale Heppner to third, but Keegan Kristmanson would retire the next two batters to give himself and the 57s the win.

David Heinen, who pitched the eighth inning, was given the loss for the Mavs.

The Mavs 22-34 record was one win above both the 57s and the Beavers.

Medicine Hat heads into the playoffs having lost three straight games, two to the 57s and one to the Lethbridge Bulls.

The Miller Express finished the regular season with a 41-15 record, giving them the top spot in the East, and only one win behind the Okotoks Dawgs for the best record in the WCBL.

In the 10 regular-season meetings between the Mavs and the Miller Express, the Mavs have won twice.

The first round of the playoffs will start in Moose Jaw on Friday, before game two goes in Medicine Hat on Saturday. A third game would take place in Moose Jaw on Sunday, if necessary.

The Mavericks have now reached the playoffs five years in a row, having last missed in 2021 during a modified season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They last reached the league finals in 2023.

Medicine Hat has won the league title three times: 2003, 2014, and 2018.

by Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat Mavericks clinch playoff spot even with a three-game losing streak

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