BY TRUMAN BARTMAN ON JULY 2ND, 2024. THE MAVERICKS.CA

The final game of the Mavs three-game home stand comes to a close tonight as they cap it off against the Sylvan Lake Gulls.

The Mavericks have begun to catch fire as of late, winning 3 out of their last 4 games, and their only loss in that stretch came in extra innings against the 1st-place Okotoks Dawgs. This is a team that no one wants to face right now, as they have scored 28 runs in their last two games.

Sylvan Lake currently leads the WCBL wins so far with 22, but they still sit a game behind the Okotoks in the West Division. With Okotoks having a day off, the Gulls can move into 1st with a win tonight.

Keys for Medicine Hat

Let’s talk about the Mavericks hitting, shall we? More specifically, the resurgence of Micah Dvorak lately. Dvorak torched the Beavers offence last night, going 3-3 with 3 walks—a perfect night for the Tabor College fielder. From afar, it looks like 

Dvorak has slowed down his process and approach, which has helped him slow down the game. His patience has paid off as he has started to creep up the Maverick’s batting order and boost his average. 

Dvorak also hasn’t struck out in two games, an impressive run of the ball that he will look to replicate once again tonight. 

This will be the biggest test in a while for the Mavericks’s bats, as they face arguably the best pitching staff in the league on paper. The Gulls have a truckload of guys with ERAs under 3.00 and will make the Mavericks work for their runs.

Keys for Sylvan Lake

This game is so important for the Gulls, as keeping pace with the Dawgs is their #1 priority for now. Nothing is better than having a home-field advantage all playoffs long, and the Gulls have an opportunity to do exactly that if they keep this rolling.

The duo of Cooper Ciesielski and Gavin Roy have been leading the charge, with both players batting just under .400 on the year. Ciesielski has also barrelled 8 home runs this season and 36 RBIs, which puts him second in the WCBL in each category. 

Ciesielski is currently on Triple Crown Watch and has a real shot at winning MVP if he keeps it up.

It wouldn’t be fair to the Gulls if I didn’t dedicate a section to their pitching staff. They have a combined team ERA under 4.00 so far and have three regular starters with perfect records for the year. 

Out of the bullpen, pitchers like Olemedo Quezada have done their part, as he has yet to surrender an extra-base hit in his seven appearances. 

There aren’t a whole lot of holes within this Gulls lineup, and Medicine Hat will have to try and expose the smallest of them if they want to have a fighting chance.

Bottom Line

The weather remains a question mark for the third consecutive game, with showers projected to hit Medicine Hat around the first pitch. Lightning is also a possibility, but both teams will be hoping that the only strikes they see are those coming from their pitchers. 

This one will get underway at 7:05 from Athletic Park, with plenty of superstars ready to showcase their skills in a battle of two giants.