BY TRUMAN BARTMAN ON JUNE 16TH, 2024. THE MAVERICKS.CA

After what was more of a Disney movie than an actual game last night, both teams will have to refocus for this afternoon’s contest.

For those who missed the circus that was yesterday’s game, the Mavericks came back from being down by six runs on two separate occasions and then capped it off by winning via a Johnny Vulcano sacrifice fly in extra innings.

Today is a new day for both squads and once again, it is an important one as the Miller Express are a game and a half back of Med Hat in the East standings and need to stay within arms reach.

Keys for Medicine Hat

The Mavericks’s offense caught fire at times on Saturday and showed plenty of consistency on Saturday, with every starting player recording a hit. Marshall Burke extended his hitting streak with a clutch bases-clearing single in the bottom of the 7th that cued the rally. 

One area of struggle for the Mavs has been their placement of the ball. It seems at times they’re making good contact, but they are making it easy for opposing teams as they have hit the ball right to them. We saw sparks that suggested otherwise in the back half of last night’s battle, but consistency is key. 

If Medicine Hat can hit their spots, they will be a force to be reckoned with, as their power is already a major threat every time they hit the field.

Keys for Moose Jaw

Where do you even begin if you’re Moose Jaw? Everything looked promising for over half of Saturday’s game, but when it mattered, the team fell flat. You can’t fault the bats, as they produced 12 runs, which should win you most baseball games. Defensively, there were a couple of lapses late, which allowed the Mavs to stay afloat. But trying to diagnose a few problems probably won’t help the Millers in the short term.

The team needs to have a short memory and make a sharp mental turn to be able to recover for today’s game. Many of their players were also a part of last year’s team that lost to the Mavs in the playoffs, so there are plenty of outside narratives that the Express can’t let creep in. 

It’s going to be a gruelling mental test for them, but if they can conquer said task, it could be a spark for the squad as this season moves along. Today’s game is important for the identity of the Miller Express as they try to find a way back from a devastating night. 

Bottom Line

Medicine Hat will be more like Scottland this afternoon, with winds around the mid-30s and temperatures floating around 13. There is potential for a bit of rain as well, but as of now, both teams are prepared to duke it out. 

It’s also Father’s Day, so I am sure we will see a lot of kids and their Dads around the park celebrating the occasion. Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads out there!