Dakota Dean has an endearing southern demeanor.
But an angry swing.
The native of Crestview, Florida, delivered two doubles, a single and four RBIs to lead the Victoria HarbourCats (3-3) to a 6-4 West Coast League victory over the Wenatchee AppleSox (0-6) on Thursday to sweep the home-opening three-game set before 927 fans at Royal Athletic Park.
鈥淭his is definitely a change of scenery,鈥� said Dean, an NCAA Div. 1 junior with the University of New Orleans Privateers.
鈥淚 love Victoria but it鈥檚 a little cooler than I鈥檓 used to.鈥�
Then it got even colder when Dean鈥檚 teammates doused him with the Gatorade shower following the game.
Dean broke out of a slump, and in a big way, with a little help from family. His dad Mike, who was up from Florida for the series, watched batting practice and recommended some alterations to his son鈥檚 swing. Whatever he did, it worked.
鈥淚 feel I bring energy to the team,鈥� said Dakota Dean, who was also playing in front of his mom, Georgina. 鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely jelling as a team.鈥�
Wenatchee, meanwhile, took a 3-0 lead by the second inning on two Victoria errors. Matt Warkentin鈥檚 solo homer in the bottom of the second inning got Victoria on the board. A two-run double by Dean tied it 3-3 in the fourth inning and yet another two-run double by Dean made it 5-4 in the sixth inning.
Victoria starter James Kannenberg got out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth inning with three consecutive strikeouts. The University of San Francisco Dons thrower finished with six-hits allowed, with four walks, five strikeouts and a hard-luck three unearned runs. Ethan Skuija pitched only an inning and allowed a hit, walk and run but took the win. Holden Lyons from Edmond, Oklahoma, got the save by allowing one hit and no runs over the final three innings.
The HarbourCats are in Kelowna for a three-game set against the Falcons beginning tonight.
