A late ninth-inning rally cost the Sylvan Lake Gulls a chance to even their record in the Western Canadian Baseball League.
Squaring off against the Okotoks Dawgs Black Tuesday, the Gulls gave up one run in the top of the ninth on the way to a 7-6 loss. The Gulls’ record dropped to 12-14 with the defeat.
Sylvan Lake fell behind 4-0 after two innings but scored once in the third and four times in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead.
After the Dawgs grabbed a 6-5 advantage in the top of the seventh, Sylvan Lake tied it at six in the bottom half.
Gulls pitcher Hayden Knoll had a game-high six strikeouts over three and a third innings while giving up five hits but no runs. Most of the damage came against starter Evan Wilde, who allowed four runs on three hits, with three walks and two strikeouts.
Kyle Froelich had a two-RBI double for the Gulls and Red Deer’s Cleary Simpson had two hits and a stolen base on the night while cashing in one RBI.
Cooper Jones, Ty McWillie and Jake Lanferman all also had an RBI.
Matt Grabbman earned the win for Okotoks with four strikeouts over two innings and Ethan Francis picked up the save, striking out the side in the ninth. Connor Crowson had three RBI in the win for the Dawgs, while Alejandro Cazorla knocked in a pair.
The Gulls have 13 games left in the WCBL regular season. They will host the Lethbridge Bulls on Thursday and Friday, with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.
