TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS PREVAIL OVER THE CARDINALS AT CHRISTIE PITS TO EARN ITS EIGHTH EBA SELECT VICTORY OF THE SEASON
Photos from the EBA Rookie Ball Select game between the TP Major Rookie Ball Selects and the Royal York Cardinals at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
Beneath a duvet of warm and humid summer skies, the Toronto Playgrounds Major Rookie Ball Selects edged the Royal York Cardinals 11-10 in seven innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Select action this evening at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
The proceeding was an exciting back and forth tug of war between two talented and well coached squads. In the end, TP fended off the Cards to hang on for a slender victory.
Royal York jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first. After Ben (34) and Anderson (4) led off the frame with back to back singles to put two aboard, Rhys (44) delivered a two RBI double to bring them home with the opening runs of the game.
Subsequently, with two out and the bases loaded, Luke (16) stroked a RBI single that brought Dante (21) and Nathan (17) homeward.
In the bottom of the first, TP would reply with a pair to slice the deficit to two. Following a pair of one out singles by Adam (20) and Dylan S. (10) that put two runners on base, Milo (5) delivered a two RBI double to bring them home with TP’s first runs of the game.
After the TP defence stymied the Cardinals offence in the top of the second, TP scored two in the bottom half of the inning to deadlock the game 4-4. After Momo (18) connected for a leadoff single, Duncan (14) launched a double that put two ducks on the pond. Charlie C. (11) followed with a groundout that advanced Duncan to third and brought Momo home with a run.
With one out and one aboard, Dylan P. (9) stroked a RBI single to plate Duncan.
After the TP defence kept Royal York off the scoring ledger again in the top half of the third, the TP offence would unleash their speed and a six hit barrage in the bottom of the third to score four and take an 8-4 lead. Following a leadoff single by Adam, Dylan S. delivered a RBI single to bring him home with the go ahead run.
With one aboard, Milo stroked a RBI single to plate Dylan S. Charlie Z. (8) followed immediately with a RBI single that brought Milo home to crow.
Following a single by Arlo (32), Cooper (3) delivered a one out RBI single to bring him home to roost.
However, Royal York would uncork a five hit attack in the top of the fourth and answer back with four to tie the game 8-8. After Ben and Anderson led off the inning with respective singles that put two Cardinals on the birdbath, Rhys and Matthew (20) followed with a pair of RBI singles to bring them home to chirp.
With two aboard, Dante stroked a RBI single to plate Rhys. Still, with two runners on base, Nathan would groundout to bring home Matthew with the tying run.
With their backs reeling against the ropes, the TP defence would rise to the moment and subdue the Cardinals insurgency in the fourth frame with a pair of 1-3 putouts.
TP would reply with three in the bottom of the fourth to take an 11-8 lead. Following a leadoff single by Charlie C. and a double by Dylan P. that put two otters on the pond, Troy (2) stroked a RBI single that advanced Dylan P. to third and brought Charlie C. home with the go ahead run. Subsequently, with one out, Dylan P. would reach home on a steal.
With one out and one aboard Adam would hit into a 6-3 groundout that allowed Troy to motor home from third with a run.
In the top of the fifth, the Cardinals would load the bases and tally a run to trim the shortfall to two. With one out and the bases loaded, Dante stroked a RBI single to bring Anderson homeward.
Royal York could not score any more in the fifth as the TP defence solidified to terminate the threat.
It was a defensive battle by both Royal York and TP from the bottom of the fifth through the sixth inning as both team’s took turns vanquishing each other’s offensive volleys.
Down 11-9, the Cardinals would score a run in the top of the seventh to pull within one. With one out and two aboard, Nathan would hit into a fielder’s choice that allowed Rhys to score from third.
However, the TP defence would ring up three groundouts in the final frame to seal the deal.
The TP Major Rookie Ball Selects (8-2) hit the road for their next EBA Select game on Tuesday, July 25 when they travel to Neilson Park to battle the Bloordale (Gold) Bombers at 6:30 p.m.