WITH A RAZOR THIN LOSS TO THE CARDINALS AT PELMO PARK, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS JOURNEY AT THE TOURNEY COMES TO AN END. DESPITE FALLING SHORT OF THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL, THE TP 11U BLUE SELECTS EXPERIENCED A FUN AND REWARDING SUMMER OF BASEBALL ON THE FIELD OF DREAMS.
Tournament Game Post composed with file from Jamie Nguyen–Lam.
Beneath a ceiling of hot and muggy skies, the Royal York Cardinals edged the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Blue Selects 6-5 in a nail biting five inning 2021 Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 11U Select elimination playoff game this afternoon at Pelmo Park.
Here is a brief recap of the proceedings:
- With the game deadlocked 1-1 after 2½ innings, Royal York took advantage of some key hits and a TP error to score four runs in the bottom of the third and take a 5-1 lead.
- TP centre fielder Dante (36) made an amazing throw to home plate in the third inning for a potential out. As TP catcher Alex (13) caught the laser throw from Dante and turned to apply the tag, the ball was knocked out his mitt by the Royal York baserunner at the dish and the run scored.
- TP threatened with a couple of bases loaded innings, but was unable to capitalize on their opportunities.
- TP reliever Simon (10) entered the fray in the fourth and pitched a scoreless inning.
- Donning their rally caps, TP delivered a delectable array of clutch hitting in the top of the fifth as they rallied with four runs to tie the affair 5-5.
- Exercising patience at the dish, the Cardinals loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth and brought home the winning run with a bases loaded RBI walk.
With their second playoff loss, the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Blue Selects (1-2) are now officially eliminated from further playoff tournament play. (Each team participating in the EBA 11U Select playoff tourney is working under the double knockout formula, whereby a team is eliminated from further contention once they have lost two playoff elimination games.)
Toronto Playgrounds journey at the tourney began on Friday afternoon with an 8-6 elimination playoff game defeat at the hands of the Martingrove White Sox.
In a TP family affair, the TP 11U Blue Selects stayed alive at the tourney with a 7-4 elimination playoff game victory over the TP Red Selects yesterday evening.
With a 3-2-2 regular season record and a respectable showing at the EBA playoffs, the TP 11U Blue Selects had a fun filled and enormously rewarding season of baseball during the compressed 2021 EBA Select campaign.
The TP Baseball Committee wishes to express their thanks to TP 11U Blue Select Head Coach Jamie Nguyen-Lam and Assistant Coaches Jeff Cohen; Francis Cronier-Thériault; Ben Goldstein and Mark Steinberg for their fortitude and patience in steering these talented 11U Blue Selects through the highs and lows of the 2021 season.
And a special kudos goes out to TP 11U Blue Select Manager Jill Kolla for her dedication and hard work behind the scenes keeping the team organized and game ready during the 2021 campaign.
The Committee also wishes to commend all the 11U Blue Select coaches, players, parents and family members for representing the core values of Toronto Playgrounds Baseball program with honour, dignity and professionalism both on and off the diamond during the course of the 2021 season.
WAY TO GO, TP!
