TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS TOPPLE THE TWINS TO TAKE THE CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZE
Tournament Game Post composed with files from Dora Parks and Paul Ungerman. Tournament Photos courtesy of Dora Parks.
Under an immaculate warm blanket of blue and cloudy skies, the Toronto Playgrounds Major Mosquito Selects defeated the Midland Twins 18-1 in 3 ½ innings this afternoon at the Innisfil Recreation Facility to take home the 2019 Innisfil Minor Baseball Association (IMBA) Mosquito Select Tournament Championship.
In a total team effort from the first pitch to the final out, TP utilized a combination of solid pitching and a merciless sixteen hit fusillade to pacify the Twins and take home the championship prize.
Midland jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top half of the first. After stroking a one out single, Julian (11) advanced to third base on a steal and a passed ball. Piper (15) followed with a RBI single to bring Julian home with the first run of the game.
Unfazed, TP starter Milo (27) found his mojo and proceeded to ring up three strikeouts in the first frame to subdue the Twins insurgency.
In the bottom of the first, Toronto Playgrounds answered in posthaste fashion to Midland’s opening salvo by tallying four runs to take a 4-1 lead. After garnering a leadoff walk, Momo (18) moved his way quickly around the horn to third courtesy of defensive indifference and a wild pitch by the Twins defence. With two outs, Momo blazed home on a wild pitch to score a dramatic tying run.
After hitting a single, Milo proceeded to advance to third on a steal and defensive indifference. Dylan (10) followed with a clutch RBI single to bring Milo home with the go ahead run.
With a runner on base, William followed with a grace under pressure deep dish pizza RBI triple to centre field to bring Dylan home. Subsequently, a passed ball would allow William to come home with another run.
In a workmanlike effort, Midland starter Bierworth (5) chalked up a fly out and two strikeouts in the first to quell the TP uprising.
TP starter Milo mowed down the Twins with 1-2-3 finesse in the top of the second to keep them off the scoring ledger.
Going for the jugular, TP added another five to their tally in the bottom portion of the second to stretch their advantage to 9-1. After a leadoff single by Aron (14), Rocco (99) drew a walk that put two mallards on the lake. Sean (13) followed with a groundout to first that moved Rocco to third and brought Aron home. A Midland defensive error would allow Rocco to come home to roost.
After a one out single, Momo utilized his speed to advance to third. Charlie (8) followed and hustled down the line like a barracuda on a dropped third strike to reach base safely. On the play, Momo pounced upon the Twins defensive lapse to motor homeward with another run.
With a duckling on the pond, Cooper (8) hit a double that put two aboard. Charlie would subsequently blaze home from third base on a passed ball.
Milo followed with a RBI double that brought Cooper home with the peameal bacon.
With 1-2-3 precision, TP starter Milo struck out three in the top of the third to keep Midland off the scoreboard.
Toronto Playgrounds tacked on nine insurance runs in the bottom half of the third to increase their lead to 18-1. Following a leadoff double by Julian (20), Rocco stroked a one out RBI single to bring him home with the Reese’s Peanut Buttercups.
After Rocco advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches, Sean delivered a RBI single to bring him home with the Oreo Double Stuffed Cookies.
Following a single by Momo that put two ducks on the pond, a subsequent Twins faux pas allowed Momo to reach third and brought Sean home with the Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream.
With a runner on base, Cooper stroked a two out RBI single that allowed Momo to come home with the Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
Milo followed with a RBI double to left field that brought Cooper homeward with the Lou Malnati’s Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza.
With a capybara on the diamond, Dylan delivered a RBI double to left field that brought Milo home with the Montana’s South of the Border Pork Back Ribs.
Following a single by Julian that put two otters on the lake, Aron hit a two RBI line drive to left that allowed Dylan and Julian to come home and do the shimmy, shimmy, shake.
Milo tallied a groundout and a pair of strikeouts in the top of the fourth to seal the deal on TP’s championship victory.
In a stellar complete game four inning tour de force, Milo surrendered only one run to Midland while allowing two hits, no walks, while striking out ten Twins.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Playgrounds offence sizzled with a sixteen hit parade that overwhelmed Midland. Aron, Cooper, Dylan, Julian, Milo, Momo and William each collected two hits to power the TP attack.
On the defensive side of the ledger, TP was rock solid with no errors (the Twins defence tallied three errors). Charlie led the TP defence with ten plays.
In a five inning affair early this morning, TP advanced to the championship round after a 15-5 semi-final win over the Innisfil #1 Cardinals.
After TP staked itself to an early 7-1 lead in the first inning, a pesky Innisfil squad continued to chip away at the deficit and trimmed the gap to three after 3 ½ innings. The highlight of the Cardinals rally bid was a dramatic solo inside the park home run by Aiden (16) in the top half of the fourth.
Not to be outdone, a gritty TP offence churned out seven insurance runs in the latter two frames to pull away and leave the Red Birds in the dust.
TP starter Momo pitched two strong innings against Innisfil #1. Momo surrendered three runs and four hits while striking out two Cardinals.
In a workmanlike one and two-third inning foray on the hill, TP reliever Cooper chalked up two strikeouts against the Midland batting order.
On the offensive abacus, TP collected twelve hits against the Innisfil #1 pitching brigade. Aron, Julian, Milo and William each tallied multiple hits against the Cardinals. Milo powered the TP attack by going 3 for 3 at the dish.
Toronto Playgrounds used their Grand Theft skills to rattle the Red Birds defence as they racked up eleven stolen bases. Milo led TP with four steals.
TP qualified for the IMBA playoffs after finishing the round robin phase of the tournament with a sparkling 3-0 record.
The TP Major Mosquito Selects began their journey at tourney on Friday afternoon with a blowout 33-1 victory over the Uxbridge Grizzlies.
In a three inning proceeding, TP used a massive sixteen hit attack to tame the Grizzlies. Aron powered the TP machine by going 3 for 3 at the dish with four RBI’s. Aron, Julian, Milo, Momo and William each had multiple hits to stir the TP offensive cauldron.
Over the course of three frames, TP starter Milo allowed one run and two hits while striking out five to pick up the win.
With the wind in their sails, TP shutout Mississauga 14-0 on Saturday morning in a 2 ½ inning contest to earn their second round robin game victory.
In a rock steady performance, TP starter Dylan blanked Mississauga over two frames while striking out a pair.
TP reliever Cooper tallied a strikeout, pop out and groundout in the top of the third to seal the deal.
The TP offence used ten hit attack to pacify Mississauga. Milo powered TP with a pair of triples that scored three runs.
In a Saturday afternoon affair, TP defeated Innisfil # 2 to earn their third round robin victory.
The Toronto Playgrounds Baseball Committee wishes to congratulate TP Major Mosquito Head Coach Garth Nichols and Assistant Coaches Eugene Winer, John Zilcosky and Lubo Brezina for their fortitude and patience in steering these talented Major Mosquito Selects to championship glory at the Innisfil Tournament.
The Committee also wishes to commend all the Major Mosquito Select players, coaches and parents for representing the core values of the Toronto Playgrounds Baseball program with honour, dignity and professionalism both on and off the diamond at the tournament and throughout the 2019 season.
Way to go, TP!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Additional photographs from the Innisfil Tournament will be added as they become available. Please check back for updates.