TAKING FLIGHT IN THE LATTER INNINGS, THE CARDINALS PREVAIL OVER TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS FOR THE EBA PEEWEE SELECT LOOP VICTORY AT CHRISTIE PITS
Under a veil of cool and tranquil skies, the Royal York Boys defeated the Toronto Playgrounds Peewee Selects 11-4 in five innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Peewee Select Loop action this evening at Christie Pits.
The proceeding was an entertaining affair that was contested between two talented teams. In the end, the Cardinals broke open a close game with a five run surge in the third frame to pull away for the victory.
In the top half of the first, Royal York jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. With two runners aboard, March (97) delivered a clutch two out RBI double to bring McGill (34) home with the opening run of the game. A TP defensive error on the play allowed Tran (2) to motor home with another run.
TP starter Vince (19A) pitched himself out the first frame with a pair of 1-3 defensive plays to end the Cardinals threat.
Vince received a huge defensive gem from his teammates during the inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Peterson (11) made a brazen bid to come homeward from third base on a passed ball. However, TP catcher Cooper (19B) quickly retrieved the baseball and chased the Cardinals baserunner back towards third in a rundown. As he dove back into the base, Cooper made a lightning throw to third baseman Dash (3), who adroitly applied the tag to Peterson to complete the sweet 2-5 putout and ring up the second out.
TP answered back with a run in the bottom of the first to trim the deficit to 2-1. After stroking a two out single, Luca (20) advanced to second on a steal. As he made a bid to swipe third, the Cardinals throw to nab Luca sailed down the third baseline and allowed him to hustle home with TP’s first run.
Royal York starter Lim (5) induced a groundout and struck out two to subdue the TP rally in the first.
The Cardinals tallied a pair in the top of the second to stretch their lead to 4-1. Following a pair of singles by Stec (23) and Sass (17) to open the frame, Thomas (00) delivered a sacrifice hit to bring Stec home. With one out and a runner at third, a dropped third strike during Rumble’s (12) at bat opened the portal for Sass to amble home with another run.
During the inning, the TP defence sparkled with another defensive gem. With two outs, Carr (12) of the Cards made a bold effort to come home on a wild pitch. However, TP catcher Cooper quickly retrieved the ball and made a quick toss to starting pitcher Vince, who slapped the tag on a sliding Carr to chalk up the third out.
Cardinals starter Lim struck out one in the bottom half of the second to keep TP off the scoring ledger.
Lim received a big defensive play from Royal York third baseman Peterson during the inning. With no outs and TP baserunners at third and second, Lucas (9) hit a ball into foul territory on the third base side of the infield. Battling the darkness of the night sky, Peterson squeezed the ball into the webbing of his glove on an eight mile high pop up near the TP home dugout to tally the first out. Noticing that the TP baserunner had wandered afar from third, Peterson hustled over to tag him and ring up a nifty unassisted double play.
Taking full advantage of six walks and a three key hits, the Cardinals exploded for five in the top of the third to widen their advantage to 9-1. With a Cardinal on the pond, Tran stroked a one out RBI single to get the party started. Subsequently, with the bases juiced to the gills, Stec drew a bases loaded RBI walk to bring in Royal York’s sixth run. Sass followed with a clutch two out two RBI single. Thomas iced the cake with a RBI single.
The TP defence shone again during the third frame. With no outs and Royal York runners at third and second, TP reliever Luca (20) combined with third baseman Fernando (33) to pickoff a wayfaring Cardinals base runner at third on a pretty 1-5 gem for the first out. Second baseman Camille (11) battled the darkness to catch an oh my oh my pop up off the bat of March for the second out.
Refusing to surrender, TP battled back with a run in the bottom portion of the third to cut the shortfall to 9-2. After drawing a one out walk, Camille swiped a pair of bases to advance to third. A subsequent balk call would allow Camille to mosey homeward with a run.
Royal York starter Lim would strike out two in the third to keep TP at bay. Lim also received a nice 2-5 putout play from his friends to bring the curtain down on the inning.
The Cards tacked on a run in the top portion of the fourth to increase their lead to 10-2. With one out and two aboard, Tran hit into a fielder’s choice to bring Zile (91) home from third.
With a never say die fortitude, the TP defence shone again in the fourth frame when shortstop Elliott (17) and first baseman Simon (10) combined on a nice pair of 6-3 putouts to erase the Cardinals.
Royal York reliever McGill (34) mowed down three in the 3K fashion to keep TP off the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth.
The Cardinals added an insurance run in the top of the fifth. Thomas stroked a two out RBI single that allowed Thomas to come home to roost.
TP reliever Luca would strike out two in the fifth to quell the Royal York offence. In a gritty foray on the hill, Luca struck out four Red Birds during his three innings of relief.
In the bottom half of the fifth, TP rallied for a pair to close the margin to 11-4. After drawing a back to back walks to lead off the inning, Cooper and Lucas utilized their speed on the basepaths to come home to crow on a wild pitch and a dropped third strike.
Shaken, but not stirred, Cardinals reliever McGill found the groove and struck out three TP batters in a row to seal the deal on the Royal York victory.
The TP Peewee Selects (0-2) continue their EBA Peewee Select Loop homestand next Wednesday (May 16) at Christie Pits Diamond 2 when they host the Annette A’s at 7:00 p.m. Tickets for this marquee game are still available at the TP Baseball Box Office.