MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM -- It seems like when it rains, it pours when it comes to the Moose Jaw Miller Express as of late.
One night after dropping a hard-fought one-run game to the Okotoks Dawgs in Okotoks, the Miller Express fell behind early and were unable to get the bats going, eventually dropping a 16-3 decision in Western Canadian Baseball League action.
Moose Jaw has now dropped a game below .500 in the East Division standings at 21-22 and have a single win in their last 10. They’re now 8 ½ games back of the Regina Red Sox for first and a game back of the Saskatoon Berries for third in the division, while remaining eight games up on the final playoff spot.
Okotoks wasted little time getting going, taking a 4-1 lead out of the first inning and keeping the pressure on from there, going up 7-1 through three and 9-1 through five before tacking on seven more runs the next two innings. The Express got two back in the eighth but would get no closer.
Moose Jaw had only five hits on the night, with Thomas Soto getting a pair of them. Nate Mensik was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a run batted in.
As the score would indicate, It was a tough night on the mound for the Express pitchers. Ethan Merk got the start and allowed seven runs on six hits over 2 ⅓ before Westin Walls tossed the next three and gave up six runs on six hits. Drew Sorrentino went 1 ⅔ and allowed three runs and three hits before Jacob Quiles finished things off with a scoreless eighth.
Brock Townsend started for Okotoks and allowed a run on three hits over five innings before four relievers combined to shut things down the rest of the way.
Barry Eiseman, Connor Crowson and Lou Anderson all hit home runs for the Dawgs, with Anderson knocking in four runs and Crowson and Eiseman three apiece. Tucker Zdunich crossed the plate three times.
The WCBL All-Star Game is set for Saturday night in Okotoks, with the Miller Express back in action on Sunday night when the Regina Red Sox are in town. Game time is 7 p.m. at Ross Wells Park.
