DOWN 8-5, THE BUCKEYES STAGE A FOUR RUN RALLY IN THE FINAL INNING TO OVERTAKE THE WOLVES AT DOMINICO FIELD AT CHRISTIE PITS
Game photos from the TP House League Baseball Bantam Division Game between the Buckeyes and Wolves at Dominico Field at Christie Pits.
Under a duvet of warm and hazy skies, the Buckeyes edged the Wolves 9-8 in four innings of Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball Bantam Division action this afternoon at Dominico Field at Christie Pits.
The proceeding was a fun and entertaining affair that was contested between two talented teams.
In the top of the first, the Wolves jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Following a leadoff walk and a pair of stolen bases by Max (11) to advance to third, Maggie (1) delivered a clutch two out RBI single to bring Max home with the opening run of the game.
Subsequently, with the bases loaded with Wolves, Buckeyes starter Teddy (14) would strike out one in the first frame to leave them stranded.
Teddy also helped himself out mightily with a nice defensive play. With no outs and runners at second and first, Teddy fielded a hot tamale line drive off the bat of Thomas (9) to ring up the first out. Noticing that the Wolves baserunner had wandered afar from first base, Teddy threw over to first to chalk up the 1-3 double play.
Jamie (10) connects for a single in the second inning. In two at bats, Jamie sparked the Wolves offence by going 2 for 2 [single, double] with two runs scored.
Hungry with Duran Duran fervour, the Wolves added a pair in the top of the second to widen their lead to 3-0. Following a leadoff walk and a theft of second, Han (2) would move over to third via a groundout by Parker (14). A subsequent Buckeyes error would allow Han to motor home and do the shimmy, shimmy, shake.
After a two out single, Jamie (10) would brazenly steal his way to third. Daniel (8) followed with a clutch RBI single to bring Jamie home.
Buckeyes reliever Nick (5) would coax a groundout and tally a pair of strikeouts in the second to quell the Wolves uprising.
The Buckeyes would score a run in the bottom of the second to trim the gap to 3-1. After a leadoff single, Jack (15) stole second to position himself in scoring position. An errant Wolves pickoff attempt allowed Jack to scamper home with the Buckeyes first run of the game.
Unfazed, Wolves reliever Jamie (10) found the mojo and recorded a line out, strikeout and a groundout in the second inning to extinguish the Buckeyes insurgency.
Daniel (8) delivers a RBI single during the Wolves two run uprising in the second inning.
Feasting upon a Buckeyes buffet serving of seven walks, the Wolves answered back with three more runs in the top half of the third to increase their advantage to 6-1. Max set the tone for the Wolves during the inning when he drew a leadoff walk, stole a pair of bases to reach third, and came blazing homeward on a wild pitch.
Exercising patience at the (buffet) dish [bad pun] with two outs, Joey, Maggie and Matthew (12) garnered consecutive walks to load the bases. Alberto (4) and Han followed with back to back RBI walks to bring Joey and Maggie homeward.
With grit and determination, Buckeyes reliever Raffi (9) induced a groundout and a strikeout in the third frame to extinguish the Wolves insurrection. Raffi also himself out with a nice pickoff of a Wolves baserunner at first base to ring up the first out.
Refusing to surrender, the Buckeyes offence surged to life in the bottom of the third as they scored four to trim the deficit to one. Following a pair of walks and stolen bases by Thomas (16) and Jeremy (4) to open the inning, Will (12) hustled down the line on a dropped third strike by the Wolves to reach first base safely. The dropped K allowed Jeremy to move over to third and brought Thomas home to roost.
Nick and Jack followed with back to back sacrifice hits to bring Jeremy and Will home and trim the margin to 6-4.
With the game deadlocked 8-8, Jack (15) delivers a RBI single to bring home the Buckeyes winning run in the bottom of the fourth.
With two outs, Kyle (8) drew a walk and used his Grand Theft skills to advance to third. On his steal of third, the Wolves defence would commit a faux pas that allowed Kyle to zoom home and make it a one run game.
Not to be outdone, the Wolves replied with a pair in the top of the fourth to widen their lead to 8-5. Following a leadoff double by Jamie and a walk by Daniel that put two ducks on the pond, Rory (5) delivered a sacrifice hit that moved Daniel to second and brought Jamie home. A subsequent pair of wild pitches by the Buckeyes allowed Daniel to bolt home with a run.
Down 8-5, the never say die Buckeyes regrouped in the bottom half of the fourth to stage a miracle comeback. Following back to back walks to leadoff the inning, Duncan (11) and Raffi moved up to third and second respectively on a wild pitch. A subsequent Wolves error would allow Raffi to advance to third and bring Duncan home.
After a pair of one out walks by Thomas and Jeremy loaded the bases, Will delivered a two RBI single to bring Raffi and Thomas home with the game tying runs.
Following a walk to Nick that reloaded the bases, Jack stroked a RBI single that allowed Jeremy to zoom home with the Buckeyes winning run.