SELECT > TP Major Rookie Ball Selects Advance to 2017 EBA Rookie Ball Select Semi-Final Round

This entry was posted in GameReports on by

WITH THREE PRELIMINARY ROUND PLAYOFF VICTORIES, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS PUNCHES A TICKET INTO THE ELIMINATION ROUND AT NEILSON PARK

With two more playoff victories today, the Toronto Playgrounds Major Rookie Ball Selects have finished the preliminary phase of the 2017 Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Rookie Ball Select Tournament with a stellar 3-0 record.

As such, TP has qualified for the playoff elimination portion of the tournament. The TP Major Rookie Ball Selects will face the Annette A’s in an 11:15 a.m. semi-final game tomorrow morning (Sunday, August 20) at Neilson Park.

[Teams participating in this year’s EBA playoffs are operating under the double knockout formula, whereby a team with two losses would be eliminated from further contention in the tournament.]

After opening the tourney on Friday evening at Pelmo Park with a dominating 22-0 victory over the York Gold Riverdogs. TP carried its momentum into Saturday afternoon with a 16-6 win over the Royal York Cardinals, and an 11-7 victory over the Bloordale Green.

Here is a recap of Saturday’s proceedings courtesy of Anaud Ganpaul:

TP Major 16  Royal York 6

  • TP continued its journey in the playoff tournament by beating an undefeated Royal York team 16-5.
  • After Momo (18) led off the top of the first with a double, Dylan P. (9) sparked a two out surge with a RBI single to drive home Momo. Following Dylan S.’s (10) single, Cooper (3) delivered a triple down the third base line to bring home two. When the dust settled, TP held an early 4-0 lead.
  • The Cardinals came out as strong in the bottom of the first, but the TP defence was focused and held them to two runs.
  • After a scoreless second frame, TP exploded for three runs in the top of the third tp widen their lead to 7-2. After Duncan (14) started off a two out rally with a single, Dylan P. singled to put two otters on the pond. Dylan S. cracked a RBI double to drive in Duncan. And Cooper came up big again with a two RBI double to drive in both the Dylan’s.
  • Royal York replied with a run in the bottom of the third to inch closer at 7-3.
  • TP put another run on the board in the top of the fourth to stretch its advantage to 8-3. Following leadoff double by Keith (21), Troy (2) advanced him to third, and Milo (5) drove in Keith with a RBI single.
  • After the Cards were blanked in the bottom of the fourth, TP exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth to increase its lead to 12-3. After Charlie C. (11) and Momo led off the frame with respective singles, Charlie Z. (8) kept the hit parade going with another single to load the bases. Duncan followed and smashed a two run double. Dylan S. singled and Arlo drove in a RBI.
  • The Red Birds tallied a run in the bottom of the sixth to trim the deficit to 12-4.
  • TP put up three insurance runs in the sixth. After Troy and Will (6) singled, Adam (20) drove them both in with a single.
  • After Royal York got another run back in the bottom portion of the sixth,TP closed out their scoring with a run in the top of the seventh. After Dylan P. singled, he was advanced on a single from Dylan S., and Cooper drove him home.
  • TP shutout the Cardinals in the top of the seventh to seal the deal on their second preliminary round playoff victory.

TP Major 11 Bloordale Green 7

  • The victory over the Cards set up a match immediately afterwards against the Bloordale Green Bombers – the only EBA Rookie Ball Select team that has defeated TP during the regular season. In fact, the Green has beaten TP twice during the 2017 campaign. As such, TP knew they had to play flawlessly earn a win against such a quality opponent.
  • Bloordale came out strong in the top of the first, but TP held them to two runs.
  • In the bottom of the first, TP rallied to take a 3-2 lead. After Duncan started off a two out rally with a single, Dylan P. followed with another single that put two ducks on the pond. Dylan S. stepped up and smashed a double that drove them both home. Following a single by Cooper, Arlo singled to bring Dylan S. home with the go ahead run in what was sure to be a tight game.
  • After a scoreless second frame, Bloordale scored a pair in the top of the third to pull ahead 4-3 and make the rabid TP fans at Neilson Park nervous.
  • But TP had everything in control when they answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third to retake the lead 5-4. Following singles by Charlie C. and Momo, Duncan stepped up to the plate with two mallards on the lake and smashed a double that drove them both homeward.
  • After TP kept the potent Bloordale offence off the scoreboard the top of the fourth, TP exploded for four in the bottom half of the inning to widen their lead to 9-4. Following a single by Dylan S., Cooper deliverd a double that put two aboard. Then Arlo cracked a double that drove them both in. Keith followed with another double. Troy hit an RBI to drive in Arlo. Will singled and Milo smashed a double to drive in two runs.
  • Refusing to surrender, the Green put the TP fans on edge again in the top of the fifth when they tallied a pair to trim the margin to 9-6.
  • However, TP answered with two of their own in the bottom of the fifth to jack their lead to 11-6. After Momo and Duncan singled to put two runners on base, and both were driven home on a huge double form Dylan P.
  • Bloordale rallied with a run in the top of the sixth to close the gap to 11-7.
  • After holding TP off the scoresheet in the bottom of the sixth, Bloordale had one last chance for a comeback in the top of the seventh. But TP shut them out once again to seal the deal on an inspirational 11-7 victory and advance to Day 3 the playoffs as the only undefeated team.