DEADLOCKED 4-4, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS SCORE SIX RUNS IN THE FOURTH INNING TO PREVAIL OVER THE RIVERDOGS AT CHRISTIE PITS AND EARN THEIR FOURTH EBA PEEWEE SELECT LOOP VICTORY OF THE SEASON
Beneath a serene blanket of cool and genteel skies, the Toronto Playgrounds Major Peewee Selects defeated the York Green 10-4 in 4 ½ taut innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Select Loop action tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Tied 4-4, TP took the bull by the horns in the bottom of the fourth as they exploded for six runs to take a 10-6 lead. Following back to back walks by Aaron (7) and Simon S.J. (3) to begin the inning, Joshua (42) followed with a RBI single that brought Aaron home with the go ahead run.
With two otters on the pond, Will (21) delivered a two RBI single that allowed Simon S.J. and Joshua to come homeward with the peameal bacon.
After Will swiped his way around the horn to third base with Grand Theft aplomb, Nathan (9) launched a RBI double that brought Will home with the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
With one out and a runner on base, Dash (27) delivered a RBI triple that allowed Nathan to come home and do the boogie woogie. A subsequent error by the York defence would allow Dash to motor home with a run.
TP reliever Dash would strikeout three York Green batters in the top of the fifth to seal the deal.
The proceeding was a tightly contested affair between two talented teams for 3 ½ frames. In the end, a gritty TP squad rebounded from an 18-0 thrashing by the Royal York Girls last week to prevail over the pesky Riverdogs and take home the prize.
In the top half of the first, the Riverdogs showed their bite as they jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. After reaching base on a TP defensive faux pas, York Green leadoff batter Lucas (34) swiped a pair of bases to advance to third. Luca T. (42) followed with a one out RBI single to bring Lucas home with the opening run of the game.
Shaken, but not stirred, TP starter Jakub (11) found his mojo and proceeded to strikeout three to subdue the Riverdogs insurgency.
TP threatened in the bottom of the first after Julia (18) and Dash garnered back to back walks to open the inning and put two ducks on the lake. Finding his groove, York starter Michael (41) struck out the next three to leave them stranded.
Not to be outdone, TP starter Jakub returned the favour in the top of the second when he retired the Riverdogs batting order in 1-2-3 fashion with a pair of strikeouts and a pop out back to the mound.
Toronto Playgrounds answered back with a run in the bottom portion of the second frame to tie the game 1-1. Following a one out single, Aaron (7) swiped a pair of bases to move over to third. Sensing his moment of opportunity, Aaron blazed down the line and scored TP’s first run on a brazen steal of home.
Unfazed, York starter Michael tallied a strikeout and a pair of groundouts in the second to end the TP uprising.
The Riverdogs quickly replied with two runs in the top of the third to retake the lead 3-1. After back to back walks by Michael and Liam (45) to begin the inning, Lucas hit into a two out fielder’s choice that brought Michael home with the go ahead score. On the play, a TP error opened the portal for Liam to hustle home with another run.
Digging into his reserve tank, TP starter Jakub struck out three in the third to vanquish the York insurrection.
Refusing to surrender, TP answered back with three in the bottom half of the third to take a 4-3 lead. After a leadoff single, Nathan (9) proceeded to steal two bases to advance to third. Julia followed with a RBI single to bring Nathan home and trim the deficit to one.
Subsequently, as Julia stole third, the Riverdogs defence committed an error that allowed her come home with the tying run.
After Dash and Jakub garnered back to back walks that put two mallards on the pond, York committed a mondo faux pas that allowed Jakub to take second and brought Dash home with the go ahead run.
Riverdogs reliever Shane (44) rung up a strike out in the third to bring the curtain down on the TP rebellion.
Shane was helped out mightily during the inning with a sweet defensive play from his friends. With no outs and a TP baserunner on second, Shael (5) hit a deep flyball directly to York leftfielder George (40) for the first out. Noticing that Jakub had wandered afar from second without tagging up, George made a rocket throw to second baseman Lucas, who tagged out Jakub to chalk up the 7-4 double play.
Donning their rally caps, the Riverdogs refused to go quietly into the night in the top of the fourth as they charged back to deadlock the proceeding 4-4.
After stroking a leadoff single, Luca T. proceeded to steal his way around the horn to third. As Luca T. slid safely into third base, TP committed an error on the play that allowed him to stride homeward with York’s tying run.
Following a pair of walks, TP reliever Dash found the mojo jojo to ring up a pair of strikeouts and a 1-3 groundout in the fourth to extinguish the Riverdogs disobedience.
And it was at this juncture where TP came face to face with their moment with destiny in the bottom of the fourth.
The TP Major Peewee Selects (4-1) resume play on the EBA Peewee Select Loop circuit when they face the TP Minor Peewee Selects (0-2) next Wednesday (June 8) night in an all TP affair at Christie Pits Diamond 2 at 7:30 p.m.
