IN A CRACKER JACK AFFAIR, THE GREEN BOMBERS PREVAIL OVER TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS IN AN ELECTRIFYING EBA 9U SELECT LOOP GAME AT CHRISTIE PITS
Beneath a genteel blanket of pristine midsummer skies, the Bloordale Green defeated the Toronto Playgrounds 9U Selects 11-6 in five innings of Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 9U Select Loop action tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
The dog days of summer proceeding was a highly entertaining and well played contest between two talented and well coached teams. It was a tooth and nail battle for the initial three innings with both sides refusing to concede an inch. In the end, the gritty Green Bombers capitalized on their opportunities in the latter innings to prevail for the victory over a pesky and never say die TP squad,
It was a quiet first inning as both teams went scoreless. The highlight was a solo double play effort turned in by TP second baseman Hank (77). With one out and a Bloordale runner on first, Hank scooped up a sharply hit ball off the bat of Owen (29) and tagged out Mark (13) as he headed towards second base. After Owen made an overextended turn at first, Hank seized the moment and tagged him out to ring up the Tim Horton’s double double.
Bloordale scored a pair in the top half of the second to jump out to an early 2-0 lead. Following a one out single by Aiden (11), Jacob (12) connected for a double that put two aboard. Jamie (5) followed with a RBI hit that advanced Jacob to third and brought Aiden to home with the opening run of the game.
With runners on third and first, Niko (25) hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Jacob to score.
Toronto Playgrounds quickly answered back with four in the bottom of the second to take a 4-2 lead, After a leadoff hit by Chase (9), Julian (13) stroked a single that put two ducks on the pond. Hank followed with a RBI hit that brought Chase home with TP’s first run.
With runners on second and first, Adrian (4) delivered a RBI single that allowed Julian to come home with the bacon. A Green Bombers error on the play allowed Hank and Adrian to advance respectively to third and second.
Taking the bull by the horns, Wyatt (1) followed with a RBI hit that brought Hank home with the go ahead run.
With runners on third and first, Bear hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Wyatt at second base and allowed Adrian to scoot homeward with TP’s fourth run.
Like a wounded prized fighter in a boxing ring, Bloordale counter punched with four of their own in the top of the third to retake the lead 6-4. After a leadoff single by Ivan (9), Cole (10) cranked a two RBI inside the park home run to tie the game.
With one out and a runner on base, Owen (29) hit a single that put two aboard. Liam (8) followed with a RBI hit that advanced Owen to third and brought Mark (13) home with the go ahead run.
Aiden followed suit with a RBI single that allowed Owen to shuffle home with the Green Bombers sixth run.
With two runners on base and Bloordale threatening to blow the game wide open, TP shortstop Julian threw caution to the wind and made a spectacular diving catch in the shoestrings of his trusty mitt to rob Jacob of a sure fire hit and ring up a highlight reel second out.
In the bottom portion of the third, Bloordale stymied TP in 1-2-3 fashion with some solid defensive play. After the Green Bombers chalked up two quick groundouts, Julian powered a scorching fly ball to left field that fell in for a hit. As Julian charged towards second base in a brazen bid for extra bases, Bloordale infielder Jamie (5) took receipt of the throw from the outfield and tagged Julian out in a chitty chitty bang bang play that brought the curtain down on the inning.
The Green Bombers added three to their tally in the top of the fourth to extend their advantage to 9-4. After a one out hit by Connor (6), Ivan stroked a single that put two mallards on the pond. With two outs, Markus (99) delivered a clutch two RBI double to bring Connor and Ivan home.
With a runner on second, Mark followed with a RBI single to bring Markus home with Bloordale’s ninth run.
Playing air tight defence, the Green Bombers retired TP with 1-2-3 efficiency in the bottom of the fourth.
Bloordale tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the fifth to stretch their upper hand to 11-4. After a leadoff hit by Liam, Aiden stroked a single that put two aboard. Jacob followed with a RBI hit that moved Aiden to third brought Liam home.
With one out and runners at third and first, Niko delivered a RBI single that allowed Aiden to score.
Refusing to quietly into the night, TP donned their rally caps in the bottom half of the fifth as they made a valiant comeback bid.
After a one out single by Elliot (27), Asher (22) launched a two out double that put two swans on the lake, Chase followed with a grace under pressure two RBI double that trimmed the shortfall to five.
But the TP rally came to an end as the Bloordale defence rang up a groundout to seal the deal on the win.
EXTRA INNINGS
