History will show that the Okotoks Dawgs swept the Moose Jaw Miller Express in the Western Major Baseball League playoffs.
Those that saw it know it was a lot closer than it appears.
The Dawgs completed their three-game sweep of the Express with a 5-4 win at Ross Wells Park Sunday. The Dawgs won Game 2 at home 10-5 Saturday night.
"We didn't leave anything on the field," said Express outfielder Jordan Smith. "We came out for three games and put it to them. The way they played, Okotoks should go and win (the title). These were the three best games we played."
A bang-bang play at home ended up producing the series-winning run for the Dawgs in the eighth inning. In the bottom of the ninth a similarly close play at third went against the Express and ultimately cost them the tying run.
"You can go crazy doing the 'what if' game," said Express coach Michael Hunt. "There were several calls both ways . . . I don't want to do that. It takes away from the product on the field today."
What took place on the field was a highly entertaining series that saw the Express take a lead into the bottom of the seventh in the first two games in Okotoks and also lead a back-and-forth Game 3.
"We didn't take anything for granted and they battled us hard," said Dawgs head coach A.J. Fistro. "They played us close in the regular season at home and we knew they could pitch."
Though the regular season standings told another story, the difference between the teams wasn't that large in the playoffs. The difference in experience, however, was sizable and it was the difference in the series.
"A team that's been there before knows that there's no need to panic in the fifth or sixth inning," said Hunt. "Anybody that was watching this series knows that they weren't in panic mode at all. I'm not saying that we were either, but it's just a different demeanor."
The Dawgs scored the winning run in the final two innings in each game.
"They come out in the seventh and eighth innings and they just know when to get runs," added Smith, who felt the young Express could take some positives out of their season despite the three-game sweep.
"It was successful, the way we ended," he said. "Maybe it doesn't show, but if we come back with this team and keep a full roster . . . we'll make some noise next year."
Dawgs 5 Express 4
The two-time defending champions from Okotoks scored on a close play at the plate in the eighth inning to take the lead for good. Manny Kumar scored on a passed ball after a Marshall MacDonald double advanced him to third base.
For the third straight game, the Express took a lead on the heavily favoured Dawgs. Smith, Luke Hardcastle and Jon Cotter hit RBI singles in the second inning to put the Express ahead 3-1.
Sammie Starr and Mac Sullivan hit solo home runs to tie the game before Kumar put the Dawgs ahead on a throwing error.
The Express tied the game in the seventh when Smith doubled and Cotter cashed him in.
Express starter Sean Lydon gave his team a chance to win. He allowed nine hits in seven innings, but struck out seven. Bradshaw Perry took the loss despite only allowing one hit in two innings of work. Perry struck out four batters.
The Dawgs used five pitchers to earn the win. Wally Goodline earned the win with an 1 1/3 innings of work and Lee Ingram pitched 1 1/3 to earn the save.
Dawgs 10 Express 5
Saturday the Dawgs jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Express scored three runs in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead as Bradshaw Perry hit a two-run single. That was enough to chase Dawgs starting pitcher Jake Bottari.
Express starter Sean Buford left the game with a 5-4 lead after six complete innings, but the bullpen couldn't hold the lead.
Jeremy Shelby delivered the big blow for the Dawgs as he hit a three-run triple in the seventh off of Wil Thomas. Shelby was 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of runs. Brandon Kaye pitched 2 1/3 innings for the Dawgs and earned the win. Sullivan also added a home run in the eighth for the Dawgs.
Matthew Gourlie can be reached at 691-1261
