The WCBL Final is going the distance.
The Moose Jaw Miller Express battled off elimination at home to take Game 2 of the Western Canadian Baseball League championship series Wednesday night by a 3-1 count over the Okotoks Dawgs, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 back in Okotoks on Thursday.
Express slugger Nate Mensik opened the scoring for the home team with a solo home run off Dawgs lefty David Case in the bottom of the first inning.
That would be all the offence either team could muster for the first five innings as a pitcher’s duel developed.
Moose Jaw starter Cameron Dunn kept the potent Dawgs offence in check, throwing 5.1 scoreless innings while giving up just three hits on the night.
For the second straight game, Dawgs centrefielder Micah McDowell ignited the offence as his RBI double in the sixth off reliever Kellan Voggesser scored Brendan Luther to even the score 1-1.
The Express had a swift rebound in the bottom of the inning as Mensik reached on a single advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a botched pickoff.
A walk followed leading to Case being replaced by Cade Hermann out of the pen to get out of a runners on first and third with 0 outs jam. Moose Jaw pulled off the squeeze bunt play, executed flawlessly by Austin Gurney to score Mensik. The Express added another run on a fielder’s choice to take a 3-1 lead.
Case ended the evening with a solid five innings on the mound, allowing two runs on four hits.
The defeat snapped Okotoks’ five-game unbeaten run in the playoffs.
Okotoks won the series opener by a 12-3 count led by a strong start by Ryan McFarland on Tuesday and four-hit night from Brendan Luther as part of the offensive onslaught.
Game 3 is a 7:05 p.m. start on Aug. 18 at Seaman Stadium.
For more information go to dawgbaseball.ca.
