SELECT > TP Mosquito Selects Thwart Royal York 17-7

TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS CAGE THE GIRL CARDINALS AT CHRISTIE PITS TO WIN THEIR EIGHTH EBA SELECT GAME OF THE SEASON

ARMED FORCES > A trio of wily TP pitchers combined to limit the Royal York (Girl) Cardinals to only seven runs over the course of six innings at Christie Pits Diamond 2. TP starter Julian (20) [top] pitched 2 1/3 stellar innings where he allowed three runs [one earned] while striking out six. TP reliever Tavaris (55) [bottom right] threw 1 2/3 strong frames where he allowed two runs while striking out three. TP reliever Cooper (2) [bottom left] closed out the game by tossing two solid innings where he surrendered two runs while striking out four Cardinals.

After taking the throw from catcher Vincent (19) , TP second baseman Charlie (7) stretches all out to tag out Kaitlyn (1) of the Cardinals to thwart her bid to steal second base in the second inning.

Beneath a ceiling of genteel midsummer skies, our Toronto Playgrounds Mosquito Selects defeated the Royal York (Girl) Cardinals 17-7 in 5 ½ innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Select action this evening at Christie Pits Diamond 2 to win their eighth game of the season and remain undefeated.

TP starter Julian (20) struck out two in the top of the first to keep the Cardinals off the scoring ledger and in the nest.

Julian also received a helping hand from his defense during the inning. After drawing a lead off walk and stealing second, Emma H (9) of the Cards made a brazen bid to steal third. However, TP catcher Vincent (19) made a laser throw to third baseman Tavaris (55), who adroitly applied the tag on a sliding Emma H to complete the 2-5 putout and ring up the first out of the frame.

In the bottom of the first, TP would stake themselves to an early 1-0 lead. After reaching base on a fielder’s choice, Theo (17) would advance to third on a stolen base and passed ball. Solly (27) followed with a RBI single that allowed Theo to come home with the opening run of the game.

Jordan (1) delivers a 2 RBI single in the second inning. In three at bats, Jordan went 2 for 2 [two singles, sacrifice] to spark the TP attack with two runs scored and 4 RBI’s.

The Cardinals would answer with a run in the top of the second to deadlock the proceedings 1-1. Following a one out walk, Alexa (37) would advance to third on a stolen base and wild pitch. A TP error would allow her to come motoring home with the tying run.

Finding the groove, TP starter Julian would strike out two in the second to quell the Cardinals rebellion.

Once again, Julian got a little defensive help from his friends during the second to stem the Cards momentum. After a two out walk, Kaitlyn (1) made a bid to steal second. However, TP catcher Vincent made a rocket throw to second baseman Charlie (7), who dived head first to tag out a hard charging Kaitlyn to chalk up the 2-4 putout and the third out of the inning.

The TP offense would explode for five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 6-1 lead. After Cooper (2) reached base on a dropped third strike to lead off the frame, Tavaris drew a one out walk to put two ducks on the pond. Julian followed with a RBI single that brought Cooper home with the go ahead run.

Theo (17) delivers a single in the second inning. In four at bats, Theo went 1 for 2 [fielder’s choice, single, two walks] to score four runs against the Redbirds.

After Theo reached base on a two out single to put two TP runners on base, Solly delivered a RBI single to plate Jordan. A subsequent Cardinals faux pas would allow Theo to blaze home with the fifth run of the inning.

The gritty Cardinals would tally two in the top of the third to trim the deficit to three. Following consecutive walks to Taylor (4), Mackenzie (10) and Emma H that loaded the bases to begin the inning, Emma M (27) hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Taylor to come homeward. On the play, a TP error would open the door for Mackenzie to blaze home with another run.

With two outs and the bases loaded, TP reliever Tavaris (55) would leave them stranded by ringing up a strike out to quell the Royal York revolt.

In four at bats, Solly (27) powered the TP offense by going 3 for 3 [three singles, sacrifice] with one run scored and 4 RBI’s.

Cardinals starter Paige would strike out two in the third to extinguish the TP uprising.

In the top of the fourth, Royal York would add two to trim the shortfall to 7-5. After Kaitlyn singled to lead off the inning, Taylor and Emma H would garner respective walks to load the bases. Paige followed with a one out RBI single to plate Taylor. With the bases still juiced to the gills, Emma M would hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Taylor to come home to roost.

TP reliever Tavaris would strike out two in the fourth to quell the Cardinals dissent.

Noah (23) delivers a single in the fourth inning. In four at bats, Noah went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and a RBI.

Taking no prisoners, the TP offense would rack up five in the bottom of the fourth to increase their advantage to 12-5. After Julian drew a lead off walk and stole a pair to reach third, Jordan delivered a RBI sacrifice hit to bring him home.

With one out, Charlie and Theo drew back to back walks to put two mallards on the lake. A subsequent Royal York error would allow Charlie to hustle home with a run.

Solly would follow with a RBI single that brought Theo home to rock ‘n’ roll.

Following a single by Noah and a walk by Cassius (5) that loaded the bases, a wild pitch by the Cardinals would allow Solly to bolt homeward to do the jitterbug.

With two aboard, Cooper stroked a RBI single to bring Noah home to do the watusi.

TP reliever Cooper (2) would strike out two in the top of the fifth to keep the Cardinals off the scoresheet and in the birdbath.

LIKE A ROCK > TP catcher Vincent (19) runs a Royal York player back to third base in the fourth inning. In six solid innings behind the dish, Vincent initiated three stellar defensive plays where he thwarted two Cardinal base stealers and got another Redbird in a 2-5-6 rundown.

Cooper also got some nice defensive help from his teammates during the inning. After drawing a lead off walk and stealing second, Alexa made a bid to steal third. However, the TP defense erased her in a pretty 2-5-6 [catcher Vincent; third baseman Solly and shortstop Theo] rundown to chalk up the first out of the frame.

In the bottom of the fifth, TP would tack on five insurance runs to widen their lead to 17-5. After leading off the inning with a single, Vincent would swipe two bases to reach third. Tavaris would bring Vincent home with a RBI single.

With one out and one aboard, Jordan would stroke a RBI single that allowed Tavaris to come homeward.

Following a double by Charlie, Theo drew a walk that loaded the bases. Solly would deliver a RBI sacrifice hit to centre field to bring home Jordan. On the play, Royal York centre fielder Mackenzie stretched high into the air to make a nice shoestring catch to deny Solly a hit that was destined for extra bases.

With two outs and two on base, Noah delivered a RBI single to bring Charlie home. Cassius would follow with a RBI single that allowed Theo to come homeward.

Refusing to go quietly into the night, the pesky Cardinals scored a pair in the top of the sixth to trim the deficit to ten. With two runners on base, Paige stroked a RBI single to plate Taylor. Emma M followed with a RBI sacrifice hit to bring Emma H home.

Finding his mojo, TP reliever Cooper would strike out two to close out the sixth and bring the curtain down upon the proceedings.

The TP Mosquito Selects [8-0-1] will travel to Millwood Park on Tuesday (August 2) evening to play their next EBA Select circuit game against the Bloordale Gold at 6:30 p.m.