August 14, 2024

By Ian Wilson

Alberta Dugout Stories

The Okotoks Dawgs are looking to repeat the three-peat and the Moose Jaw Miller Express are ready for a do over.

The Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) championship series - a best-of-three running from Aug. 15-17 - is a mismatch on paper, but the Miller Express have proved doubters wrong all postseason.

Okotoks went 42-14 during the regular season and ended up second overall in the WCBL, while Moose Jaw had a record of 26 wins and 29 losses to finish as the fourth seed in the East Division.

The Dawgs led the league in runs batted in (398), walks (303) and on-base percentage (.416), and were second on the circuit in runs (473) and home runs (58).

The Miller Express had the most homers (56) in the East Division and placed middle of the pack in most other offensive categories.

On the mound, the Dawgs collected the most strikeouts of any team, with 510 Ks in their 56 regular-season games. They also posted a team earned run average of 3.69, compared to the 6.63 ERA of Moose Jaw's pitching staff. Okotoks allowed the fewest number of home runs (27) this season, while the Miller Express surrendered more long balls (66) than any other club in the East Division.

The 2024 postseason numbers paint a closer picture of the two division champs. The Millers lead all playoff teams in RBIs (32), which is slightly ahead of the 29 RBIs produced by the Dawgs, and the two teams have similar on-base percentages (.390 for Moose Jaw and .380 for Okotoks). The clubs are tied in stolen bases, with five each, but the Miller Express have launched seven round trippers while the Dawgs only have two homers this postseason.

PLAYOFF PATHS

Both squads have faced adversity to get to this stage of the postseason.

Despite being back-to-back reigning champs, the Dawgs have been pushed to the limit in both of their playoff series. Okotoks went the distance against the Lethbridge Bulls and narrowly survived a 13-inning marathon in Game 3 of the opening round. The Dawgs emerged with a 4-3 win in that game, setting up a heavyweight tilt against the Sylvan Lake Gulls. The Gulls - who set a regular-season wins record with 44 victories - delivered a 5-3 walkoff win in Game 1, thanks to the homer heroics of Sylvan Lake second baseman Marques Abulhosn. That put the Dawgs in must-win territory for the remainder of the series. Okotoks got the job done with a 3-2 victory at Seaman Stadium in Game 2 and their offence broke out in the deciding Game 3 at Gulls Field, a 10-4 knockout blow that saw the bats of the Dawgs come alive.

Meanwhile, the Miller Express shocked the Regina Red Sox, the top team in the East Division, by sweeping them in the first round. Both Moose Jaw triumphs were one-run victories: a 4-3 win in Game 1 and a 7-6 win in Game 2. When the Millers dropped the first game of the East Division championship series - a 14-1 drubbing at the hands of Carter Beck and the Saskatoon Berries - it looked as though Moose Jaw could be in line for a second-round exit. But Moose Jaw responded with a whooping of their own, a 17-6 thrashing of the Berries at Ross Wells Park in Game 2. When the high-scoring action shifted back to NexGen Patch at Cairns Field, all bets were off. Unlike the previous matchups, Game 3 was a relatively low-scoring affair. The Miller Express came out on top with a 5-3 win thanks in large part to the complete-game pitching effort of Westin Walls.

CLUTCH PERFORMERS

The offence of the Miller Express has been led in the playoffs by veteran hitters Nate Mensik, Austin Gurney and Nathan Houston. Houston leads the team in hits, with nine, and he's also collected four runs and four RBIs over five games. Mensik has three homers, seven runs, seven RBIs, five walks and two stolen bases, while Gurney has seven RBIs, six runs and three doubles.

Westin Walls has been the top pitcher on the Miller Express, going 2-0 with 15 strikeouts and a 3.85 ERA in his 14 postseason innings. Starting pitcher Adam Christopher was also impressive in picking up a win and registering five Ks in 6 2/3 innings, while Drew Sorrentino and Takao Cookson both picked up saves out of the bullpen.

Closer Ashton Luera has been phenomenal for the Dawgs all summer, including the playoffs. He picked up a key win during his 5 1/3 innings of relief work during a Game 3 victory over the Bulls and he leads all postseason pitchers in strikeouts with 16 in his eight-plus innings. Luera also has a pair of saves.

Veteran southpaw Graham Brunner has also been dependable in his two starts, picking up a win, 12 strikeouts and a 4.65 ERA in his 9 2/3 innings.

At the plate, middle infielders Brendan Luther and Ricardo Sanchez have been clutch for the Dawgs. Luther leads the club in hits (12) and runs (7) over his six games this postseason. Sanchez has risen to every big moment presented to him in the playoffs, delivering the series-winning RBI on a walkoff bunt in Game 3 against Lethbridge, following that up with a game-winning RBI on a triple in Game 2 against Sylvan Lake and then sparking the offence again with four RBIs in a Game 3 win over the Gulls. Sanchez is the team leader in RBIs (7) and walks (9).

CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH

The Dawgs and Miller Express met twice during the regular season at Seaman Stadium, with Okotoks claiming a pair of wins, including a 4-3 victory and a 16-3 triumph.

The WCBL final is a rematch of the 2022 championship between Okotoks and Moose Jaw. That series went the distance, with the Dawgs winning 12-3 at home before the Miller Express countered with a 3-1 win in Game 2. The Dawgs ultimately prevailed with a 4-1 victory in Game 3.

Okotoks are seeking their third straight title and the Dawgs have won seven championships in franchise history. They first accomplished a three-peat between 2007 and 2009.

The Moose Jaw Miller Express won the Harry Hallis Memorial Trophy in 2002.

Game 1 of the WCBL championship series goes at 7:05 p.m. on Thursday at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks. The second game will take place on Friday at Ross Wells Park in Moose Jaw at 7:05 p.m. If necessary, Game 3 will take place in Okotoks on Saturday at 7:05 p.m.