IN A TOOTH AND NAIL BATTLE, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS FENDS OFF A TENACIOUS WOLVERINES RALLY IN THE FINAL INNING TO PREVAIL FOR THE 2021 EBA 15U SELECT LOOP SEASON OPENING VICTORY AT CHRISTIE PITS
Under an immaculate blue blanket of warm and sunny summer skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 15U Selects prevailed 12-9 over the Weston Wolverines in 4 ½ innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 15U Select Loop action this afternoon at Dominico Field at Christie Pits.
The active periphrastic proceeding was a well played and highly entertaining contest between two talented and well coached teams. TP utilized a formula of solid pitching and an opportunistic offence to build a nine run advantage over Weston. However, the pesky Wolverines chipped away at the shortfall in the latter innings and clawed back with a pertinacious comeback bid in the final frame that closed the gap to three. With two outs, the bases loaded, and the game on the line, TP was able to chalk up the final out to snuff out the valiant Weston rally and take home the victory prize.
In the top portion of the first inning, TP starter Dash (22) mowed down the Weston batting order in electrifying 1-2-3 fashion with three emphatic strikeouts.
Toronto Playgrounds jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After Saeed (9) garnered a leadoff walk and Graham (12) stroked a single that put two runners aboard, Dash followed with a RBI single that allowed Saeed to come home with the opening run of the game.
Following a walk by Liam (1) that loaded the bases, Lucas (19) delivered a RBI single that brought Graham homeward. A Wolverines defensive error on the play allowed Dash to motor home with TP’s third run.
With runners at third and first, Jakub (11) hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Lucas at second base and allowed Liam to hustle home with another TP run.
After Guillermo (14) reached base on a hit by pitch that put two ducks on the pond, Saeed followed with a clutch two out RBI hit that brought Jakub home to roost. Following a walk by Graham that reloaded the bases, Dash drew a RBI walk that brought Guillermo home with TP’s sixth run.
Shaken, but not stirred, Weston starter Joad (23) found the groove and tallied a groundout and two strikeouts in the first frame to subdue the TP insurgency.
Taking care of business, TP starter Dash pacified the Wolverines in the top of the second inning with another 1-2-3 strikeout tour de force.
TP added another run to their ledger in the bottom half of the second to increase their advantage to 7-0. After a leadoff double, Lucas came home with a run after Jack (4) reached base on two out Weston error.
Wolverines starter Joad chalked up a pair of groundouts and a strikeout in the second inning to quell the TP attack.
Refusing to surrender, the Weston offence stirred to life in the top of the third frame as they struck back with a run to trim the margin to 7-1. After a two out single by David (53), Joad and Josh (66) followed with back to back walks to load the bases. Pouncing on a wild pitch, David seized the moment and blazed home from third base with a dramatic head first slide at home to score the Wolverines first run.
Cool as a cucumber TP reliever Jakub (11) struck out two and coaxed a pop out to end the Weston rebellion.
In the bottom of the third, Toronto Playgrounds answered back with two runs to widen their tally to 9-1. Following a leadoff single and advancement to second base on a Wolverines faux pas, Graham subsequently came home from third base with a run on a one out groundout by Liam.
After Lucas garnered a two out walk, Jakub and Guillermo hit back to back singles that loaded the bases. Jack followed with a RBI walk that brought Lucas home to crow.
With nitty gritty resolve, Weston starter Joad subdued the TP insurrection with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout.
The Wolverines immediately replied with a pair in the top half of the fourth to close the shortfall to six. After a leadoff single by Srigan (42), Max (6) stroked a one out single that put two runners on base. Tristan (49) followed with a groundout that allowed Max to advance to third and brought Srigan homeward with a run. A subsequent TP wild pitch with two outs would open the portal for Max to come home with Weston’s third run.
Unfazed, TP reliever Jack (4) tallied a strikeout and two groundouts in the fourth to extinguish the Wolverines mutiny.
TP tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom portion of the fourth to increase their cushion to 12-3. After stroking a leadoff single, Graham hustled around the horn to third base courtesy of a stolen base and wild pitch. Dash followed with a RBI groundout that brought Graham home.
After Liam reached base on a dropped third strike, Lucas powered a one out double that put two otters on the lake. With two outs, Guillermo delivered a grace under pressure two RBI single that allowed Liam and Lucas to motor homeward and do the shimmy, shimmy, shake.
Weston reliever David (53) rang up two groundouts and a strikeout in the fourth to subdue the TP outburst.
Donning their rally caps, the never say die Wolverines initiated a feverish comeback bid in the top half of the fifth inning as they sent twelve batters to the plate. After a leadoff single by Joad and a walk drawn by Josh, both players would take advantage of a series of TP wild pitches to score a pair of runs.
Following back to back walks by Andreas (54) and Srigan that put two aboard, Rashad (92) delivered a RBI double that brought Andreas home. Max followed and reached base on a TP error that allowed Rashad to move over to third base and brought Srigan homeward with a run that sliced the margin to 12-7.
With runners at third and first, Tristan hit a RBI groundout that allowed Rashad to score. Following a wild pitch that moved Max to third base, Joseph (8) reached base on another TP faux pas which brought Max home with Weston’s ninth run.
Subsequently, with two outs, the vexatious Wolverines continued to threaten as Joad reached base on a hit by pitch and Josh garnered a walk to load the bases. With the game on the line, Dash made a return to the mound from the bullpen to ring up a strikeout to quash the Weston uprising and secure the TP victory.
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