THE BLUEBIRDS TAME THE PANTHERA TIGRIS AT CHRISTIE PITS TO EARN THEIR FIRST MOSQUITO DIVISION ‘SEPTEMBER MADNESS’ ROUND ROBIN TOURNAMENT VICTORY
Game Post composed with file from Sadie Whitfield-Smith
Beneath a ceiling of genteel late summer skies, the Jays defeated the Tigers 6-2 in a four inning Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball Tournament Mosquito Division round robin game this evening at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
The proceeding was a crisp and well played contest between two talented teams. In the end, the Jays used an elixir of nitty gritty pitching, solid defence, and making the most of their offensive opportunities, to tame the pesky Tigers and take home the victory prize.
In the top half of the first inning, the Tigers threatened when Jacob (10) and Liam T. (4) garnered respective walks that put two ducks on the pond. Unfazed, Jays starter Jackson B. (10) found his mojo and struck out three to vanquish the Tigers threat.
The Jays staked themselves to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when leadoff batter Kingston (7) drew a leadoff walk and subsequently came home to roost.
In the top of the second frame, the Tigers threatened after Cooper (3) garnered a leadoff walk to put one aboard. However, Jays reliever Julian (5) struck out the next three batters to keep the Tigers in their cages and off the scoring ledger.
The Bluebirds added another two their nest in bottom portion of the second to extend their advantage to 3-0. After drawing back to back walks to leadoff the inning, Vaughan (2) and Ollie (5) subsequently came homeward to do the shimmy, shimmy, shake.
Jays reliever Kingston reached into his magical bag of tricks in the top of the third to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard. After coaxing the leadoff batter to pop out to tally the first out, Kingston subsequently rang up a strikeout for the third out and leave a pair of Panthera Tigris stranded. Kingston was also assisted by a nice putout play from catcher Liam N. (2) at home for the second out of the frame.
The Jays tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom of the third to stretch their lead to 6-0. After leadoff batter Kingston came home with a run, both Kobe (8) and Sean (14) pounced upon a Tigers error to motor homeward with a pair.
Refusing to go quietly into the night, the Tigers made a bold comeback bid in the top of the fourth. After Jacob and Boaz (9) reached base to leadoff the inning, Rocco (12) crushed a two RBI triple to bring them home and trim the deficit to four.
As the Tigers baserunners crossed the plate, Rocco made the turn at third base in a brazen move to stretch his triple into an inside the park home run. However, in a chitty, chitty, bang, bang play, Jays catcher Jackson B. caught the relay throw and chased Rocco back up the third baseline and tagged him out to thwart his bid to come home.
Shaken, but not stirred, Jays reliever Lucas (1) tallied a pair of groundouts to end the Tigers rally.
In the bottom of the fourth, Tigers reliever Rocco rang up two strikeouts and a groundout to bring the curtain down on the proceedings.
