THE WOLVERINES PREVAIL OVER TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS IN A CARNIVOROUS EBA 11U SELECT LOOP AFFAIR AT CHRISTIE PITS
Under a blanket of hot and humid skies, the Weston Wolverines defeated the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Red Selects 10-4 in five innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 11U Select Loop action this afternoon at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
The proceeding was an entertaining and well played contest between two gifted and well coached teams. When the dust settled, the Wolverines had utilized a combination of strong pitching and making the most of their offensive opportunities to prevail over TP.
In the top half of the first, Weston staked itself to an early 4-0 lead. After Javier (2) and Lucas (28) led off the inning with back to back walks, Skyler (67) hit a one out single that loaded the bases. Alex (11) followed with a two RBI double that brought Javier and Lucas home with the opening runs of the game.
After Ethan (84) garnered a walk to reload the bases, Matthew (87) stroked a RBI hit that allowed Skyler to score.
With the bases still juiced to the gills, Evin (1) drew a bases loaded RBI walk that brought Alex home with the Wolverines fourth run.
In a gritty foray on the hill, TP starter Grover (93) tallied one strikeout in the first frame.
Weston starter Lucas retired TP in 1-2-3 fashion in the bottom of the first with a pair of strikeouts wrapped around a pop out.
The Wolverines added a pair to their haul in the top of the second to increase their advantage to 6-0. After Josiah (85) reached base on a hit by pitch to begin the inning, Javier and Lucas hit back to back singles to load the bases. With one out, Skyler drew a RBI walk to bring Josiah home with a run.
With the bases still loaded, Alex hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Skyler at second base and allowed Javier to score from third.
With a dash of relish and a dollop of mustard, TP reliever Tristan (19) chalked up two strikeouts and a groundout to end the Weston insurgency in the second inning.
Toronto Playgrounds replied with a run in the bottom portion of the second to close the gap to 6-1. After stroking a leadoff single, Grover turned on the afterburners and swiped his way around the horn to third base with a pair of steals. With one out, Brayden (9) delivered a RBI hit that brought Grover home with TP’s first run.
Cool as a cucumber, Weston starter Lucas rung up three strikeouts in the second frame to terminate the TP uprising.
However, the pugnacious Wolverines answered back with three in the top of the third frame to extend their lead to 9-1. After Matthew led off the inning with a double, Evin and Darius (88) garnered back to back walks to load the bases. With the sacks full, Josiah hit into a groundout that allowed Matthew to score.
With runners on third and second, Javier stroked a RBI single that moved Darius to third and brought Evin home with a run.
Following a one out walk by Lucas that reloaded the bases, Kelvin drew a RBI walk that brought Darius home with the Wolverines ninth run.
With the bases still full, Skyler slashed a sharp hit ball between second and first base. As Javier charged homeward from third, TP second baseman Jack (12) sucked up the ball like a Kirby vacuum and made a rocket toss to catcher Ethan (80), who performed an acrobatic split of Olympian proportions to reel in the throw and ring up a highlight reel 4-2 force out play for the second out.
With resolve, TP reliever Tristan struck out the next batter to extinguish the Weston insurrection and leave the bases loaded.
Refusing to go quietly into the sweltering afternoon sun, TP rallied with three in the bottom half of the third to trim the margin to 9-4. After a leadoff walk, Ethan advanced to third base courtesy of a steal and a Weston error. Sidney (14) followed with a RBI hit that brought Ethan home.
Following a walk by Max (65) that put runners at second and first, Grover delivered a RBI hit that allowed Sidney to score.
With two ducks on the pond, Jack hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Grover at second base and brought Max home with TP’s fourth run.
Shaken, but not stirred, Weston reliever Matthew struck out next two batters to extinguish the TP insurrection in the third inning.
The Wolverines tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fourth to stretch their upper hand to 10-4. Following a one out single by Matthew, Evin drew a walk to put two aboard. Darius followed with a RBI hit that brought Matthew home to roost.
TP reliever Jack rung up two strikeouts in the fourth frame to quell the Weston mutiny. Jack also helped his cause with a heads up defensive play. With two outs and Wolverines at third and first, Jack caught a hard hit ball off the bat of Javier and made a quick throw back to TP catcher Ethan, who tagged out Evin for the sweet 1-2 putout at the plate.
Toronto Playgrounds threatened in the bottom of the fourth when they put two runners on base courtesy of a walk and derring-do steal of second base by Brady (91), and a double by Sidney.
Unfazed, Weston reliever Matthew chalked up a groundout and two strikeouts in the fourth to terminate the TP rally bid and keep them off the scoring ledger.
Weston threatened in the top of the fifth after Kelvin drew a walk and moved into scoring position with a brazen theft of second base, With one out, Skyler delivered a single into centre field. As Kelvin blazed homeward, TP centre fielder Max retrieved the ball and made a lightning toss to second baseman Grover, Grover pivoted and made a cannon throw to TP catcher Sidney, who tagged Kelvin out at the dish to complete a stellar 8-4-2 defensive gem for the second out.
With two outs and a runner on second, TP reliever Jack struck out the next batter to end the Wolverines threat in the fifth.
Donning their rally caps, TP refused to surrender in the bottom vector of the fifth frame as they put two runners on base courtesy of back to back walks by Jack and Brayden.
However, Weston reliever Matthew kiboshed the TP comeback bid with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to seal the deal on the Wolverines victory.
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