DEADLOCKED IN A SCORELESS TIE, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS EXPLODES FOR SEVEN RUNS IN THE FOURTH INNING TO PREVAIL OVER THE A’s AT CHRISTIE PITS
Game Post composed with file from Paul Ungerman.
Beneath a serene blanket of sunny and cloudy skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 12U Minor Peewee Selects defeated the Annette A’s 7-0 in four innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) Select action tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Youth community baseball returned to the green pastures of Christie Pits in grand fashion with a stellar tooth and nail battle between two talented and well coached teams. The proceeding was a well played and scoreless affair for 3½ nail biting innings. In the end, a gritty TP squad made the most of its opportunities in the final frame to prevail over the pesky Athletics for the victory.
Following a one out double by Charlie (8) in the bottom of the fourth, Cooper (3) stroked a single that put two ducks on the pond. An Annette error on the play would allow Cooper to advance to second and bring Charlie home with the first run of the game.
Milo followed with an outta mind, outta site, wooly mammoth RBI triple that brought Cooper home to roost at the chicken coop.
Following a walk and a steal of second by Rocco (99) that put two aboard, William (33) connected for hot tamale two RBI double that brought Milo and Rocco home to give TP a 4-0 lead.
After Evan (55) reached base on a hit by pitch and Aron (14) garnered a walk to load the bases, Julian (20) stroked a RBI single that allowed William to come homeward with another run.
With the bases still juiced to the gills, Dylan (10) patiently worked the count in his favour to draw a RBI walk that delivered Evan home with TP’s sixth run.
TP finished off their scoring parade when Charlie hit into a fielder’s choice with the bases still loaded, allowing Aron to come home from third and do the Gangnam Style.
In the top of the first inning, TP starter Aron tallied two strikeouts to keep Annette off the scoring ledger.
Aron also received a big defensive play from his friends during the frame. After hitting a leadoff single, Annette batter Jack Y. (4) made a brazen attempt to steal second base. However, TP catcher Charlie made a laser throw to second baseman Rocco, who tagged out Jack Y. for the chitty, chitty, bang, bang, 2-4 putout.
Annette starter Jack Y. would return the favour in the bottom half of the first when he bookended a groundout with two strikeouts to retire the TP batting order in 1-2-3 fashion.
After issuing a leadoff walk, TP reliever Cooper would find the groove and tally a strikeout, fielder’s choice and lineout to keep the A’s off the scoreboard.
With 1-2-3 efficiency, Annette starter Jack Y. coaxed a fly out and rung up a pair of K’s to stymie TP in the bottom portion of the second frame.
In the top half of the third, TP reliever Milo tallied two strikeouts and a lineout to preserve the goose egg versus the A’s.
Toronto Playgrounds would threaten in the bottom of the third when they put two swans on the lake courtesy of a single by William and a walk by Aron. However, Annette reliever Aiden (21) dug into his handy dandy bag of tricks to strike out three to vanquish the TP threat.
Annette threatened in the top portion of the fourth inning when they loaded the bases on respective singles from Milo (1) and Jack P. (14), and a walk by Miles (91). With grace under pressure, TP reliever William rang up two strikeouts to improve the odds of extricating his team out of a sticky wicket.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Jayden (00) of the A’s hit a sharp grounder to TP shortstop Cooper, who made a rocket toss to catcher Charlie at home plate to erase the potential Annette go ahead run and bring the curtain down on the inning.
And it was at this juncture in the proceedings where TP came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth and came face to face with their rendezvous with destiny.
EXTRA INNINGS:
Four TP 12U pitchers combined to shutout the potent Annette batting order. Aron (14), Cooper (3), Milo (27) and William (33) combined to limit the A’s to three hits and two walks, while striking out seven.
In a stellar outing, Annette starter Jack Y. (4) pitched two scoreless frames where he struck out four TP batters, while issuing no walks.
William (33) went 2-for-2 at the plate, with two RBI’s to lead the TP attack.
Kudos to TP Select 12U player Charles (11) for his sportsmanship. With the Annette only having eight players available for the game, Charles volunteered to play for the A’s in order for them to have a full nine player squad for the proceedings.
