For the first time in team history, the University of Calgary Dinos baseball team will be playing in the CCBC league championship final. The Dinos qualified for the finals as the top team at the championship going 3 - 0 in round robin play. Format for the championship is two loss elimination so the Dinos have a game in hand as they face the Victoria Golden Tide in the championship final.
Following the Dinos initial win of the championship, a 14 - 9 victory over the Thompson Rivers University Wolfpack, the Dinos took on their provincial rival, host and #1 seed PBA Dawgs. Dinos have not fared well against the Dawgs with a 14 - 46 record since 2015.
Despite the past history with the Dawgs the Dinos emerged with a convincing 8 - 2 victory.
Dinos opened the game by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning, with
Marcus Coderre's double advancing a lead off walk by
Cale Yuzdepski. With men at second and third, Aidan Szautner cashed in Yuzdepski from third base for an RBI on a putout. Coderre moved to third and would soon score on a sacrifice fly and RBI by
Zach Delaquis.
Starting pitcher
Dylan Soch pitched strong for the Dinos as he gave up one earned run on 5 hits, 2 walks and 1 strikeout as he faced 20 Dawgs batters over 4.1 innings. Soch left the game with a 3 - 1 lead as they scored in the top of the fifth inning on a
Bauer Sewell leadoff single, wild pitch and sacrifice, with
Marcus Coderre cashing in Sewell from third base for his second RBI of the game.
Dylan McCuaig came in relief for Soch, in the bottom of the fifth with men at the corners and one out. McCuaig promptly recorded a strikeout and putout 6-3 to end the inning and preserve the Dinos 3 - 1 lead. McCuiag went a combined 2.1 innings as he faced 10 Dawgs batters giving up only one earned run with three hits and two strikeouts to record the win for the Dinos.
Alex Lanigan pitched the remainder of the game as he faced 10 batters over 2.1 innings giving up 0 runs on three hits and recording two strikeouts.
Dinos put the game out of reach in the 8th inning as they took advantage of two wild pitches and two errors by the Dawgs to score 5 runs. With the victory the Dinos advanced to the semi-finals where they would face the Victoria Golden Tide.
Against the Tide, head coach Cam Williams would stick primarily with his previous starting lineups which had been producing quality at bats and strong defence in the first two wins for the Dinos.
Victoria would strike first in the game in the second inning as they scored 1 run off of Dinos starter
Riley Young. Young would go 4 innings facing 23 batters as he gave up 5 earned runs on 4 hits and 4 walks and two strikeouts, but he did not figure in the final decision.
Dinos got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 2 inning as they scored 3 runs, again taking advantage of an opposition error, with
Kalli Einarson with an RBI and
Cale Yuzdepski with a double to score two more in the inning.
Victoria led 6 - 4 in the 6th inning when the Dinos scored two to the game as
Marcus Coderre scores two runners on a single with the bases loaded. With the score tied Dinos would score the go ahead winning run in the bottom of the 8th inning as
Bauer Sewell leads off with a triple and is cashed in on a
Cale Yuzdepski sacrifice fly.
Zach Bryksa would get the win in relief and
Alex Lanigan would get the save as he pitched the scoreless 9th recording 2 strikeouts.
Liam McAusland came in relief tor Young as he pitched 4 innings, facing 16 batters, giving up one unearned run on 3 hits and 2 strikeouts to hold the Dinos in the game and allow for the comeback victory.
Great team effort as the Dinos advance to their first championship final.
Victoria would face the PBA Dawgs in the elimination final with Victoria emerging victorious by a 11 - 10 score, setting up the rematch with the Dinos on Monday.
