IN A TOOTH AND NAIL RED LETTER DAY BATTLE, THE RED A’s PREVAIL OVER TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS RED FOR THE EBA 13U SELECT LOOP VICTORY AT CHRISTIE PITS
Beneath a nectareous ceiling of warm summer skies, the Annette 13U Red A’s prevailed 11-7 over the Toronto Playgrounds 13U Red Selects in a Cracker Jack six inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 13U Select Loop proceeding tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Taking care of business, Annette Red staked themselves to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first.
After a dramatic leadoff triple by Carter (7), Elliot (27) stroked a one out RBI hit that allowed Carter to come home with the opening run of the game.
Finn (12) followed with a walk that put two ducks on the pond, With runners on third and second, Jace (33) delivered a RBI double that advanced Finn to third and bring Elliot home with a run.
On the play, Finn decided to make a brazen manoeuvre to score. As Finn charged homeward down the third baseline, TP shortstop Tyler (26) made a rocket throw to TP catcher Jacob (4), who tagged out Finn in a chitty, chitty, bang, bang 6-2 play at the dish to ring up the second out,
Following a single by Elaina (11) that put runners on the corners, Annette executed a double steal that advanced Elaina to second and allowed Jace to motor home with another A’s run.
After back to back walks by Angus (88) and Xavier (3) that loaded the bases, Seb (32) garnered a RBI bases loaded walk that brought Elaina home with a run.
TP 13U Red starter Mike (9) tallied a flyout and a groundout in the first frame to pacify the Red A’s rebellion.
In the bottom half of the first, TP threatened after Tyler (26) singled and stole a pair of bases to get into scoring position at third base.
However, Annette Red starter Jace vanquished the rally bid with two strikeouts sandwiched around a pop out [caught by first baseman Sawyer D. (13)] to keep TP off the scoring abacus in the first frame.
Putting the pedal to the metal, Annette Red added four more to their treasure trove in the top of the second as they extended their upper hand to 8-0.
After back to back one out singles by Dakin (19) and Carter, Sawyer D. drew a walk that loaded the bases. Elliot followed and reached base on a fielder’s choice that advanced Carter to third, erased Sawyer D. at second, and brought Dakin home with a run.
Following a walk by Finn that reloaded the bases, Jace garnered a bases loaded RBI walk that allowed Carter to shuffle home with a run.
With two outs the bases still jammed tighter than can of sardines, Elaina delivered a grace under pressure two RBI double that brought Elliot and Finn homeward with two more runs for the A’s,
In a stouthearted effort on the hill, TP 13U Red starter Mike rang up a flyout, groundout and a strikeout in the second inning to subdue the Annette insurgency.
Kudos to TP centre fielder Vincenzo (29) for battling the glare of the setting sun to reel in a searing fly ball off the bat of Evan (09) to chalk up the first out in the top of the second.
Taking umbrage at their predicament, TP 13U Blue answered back with pair in the bottom of the second as they trimmed the margin to 8-2.
After a leadoff single by Julian (77), Milo (21) delivered a scorching RBI triple that brought Julian home with TP’s first run of the game.
With no outs and a runner on third, Henry (14) hit into a groundout that allowed Milo to hustle homeward with another TP run.
Nonplussed, Annette Red starter Jace found his mojo and chalked up a groundout and two strikeouts to diffuse the TP disobedience in the second frame.
In the top of the third, TP 13U Red reliever Henry kept the potent A’s batting off the scoring ledger with a dash of guile and a little help from his friends.
Henry was the beneficiary of two sweet TP defensive plays in the third frame. After Xavier reached base on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning, Seb hit a sharp cheddar cheese grounder to TP shortstop Oliver (35). After sucking up the ball like a Kirby vacuum cleaner, Oliver hooked up with second baseman Vincenzo and first baseman Milo to turn a stellar 6-4-3 double play!
Subsequently, after reaching base on a single, Sawyer P. (43) wandered afar from first base. Noticing his wayfaring ways, TP 13U Red catcher Jacob (4) made an intercontinental ballistic missile (a.k.a. ICBM) throw to first baseman Milo, who slapped an emphatic Say Hey tag on a sliding Sawyer P. to ring up a pretty 2-3 play for the third out.
With the wind in their sails, Toronto Playgrounds scored two in the bottom of the third to slice the gap to 8-4.
After a one out walk, Vincenzo exerted pressure on the A’s defence with a savoir faire theft of second base. On the play, Annette committed an error that allowed Vincenzo to advance to third.
Tyler stepped up to the plate and slashed a groundout between second and first base that allowed Vincenzo to motor home with a run.
Following back to back walks by Oliver and Jacob with two outs, Julian garnered a walk to load the bases. Subsequently, Oliver seized the moment and scored a run with a brazen steal of home.
Unfazed, Annette Red reliever Sawyer D. tallied a strikeout, groundout and a pop out to extinguish the TP jacquerie in the third frame.
With the debonair coolness of a garden cucumber, TP 13U Red reliever Henry utilized a groundout, strikeout and a nice play from his D to keep Annette off the scoreboard in the top half of the fourth.
With two outs and an A’s baserunner Carter on first base, Sawyer D. stroked a fly ball to centre field. As Carter hustled towards second, TP centre fielder Vincenzo retrieved the ball and made a lightning throw to second baseman Oliver to tally a nifty 8-4 putout for the third out.
Not to be outdone, Annette Red reliever Sawyer D. and his D returned the favour in the bottom of the fourth as he chalked up a groundout, flyout and pop out to stymie TP and keep them off the scoring abacus.
With TP whittling the A’s lead down like a Wallenstein BXTR5224 hydraulic feed electric wood chipper, the Annette Red offence stirred back to life as they replied with a two spot in the top of the fifth to widen their plurality to 10-4.
After a leadoff single, Elliot took advantage of a wild pitch to advance to second base. Finn stepped up to the dish and delivered a RBI double that brought Elliot home.
Following a wild pitch that allowed Finn to move over to third, Jace stroked a RBI hit that allowed Finn to come home to roost.
Unruffled, TP 13U Red reliever Henry found his inner abracadabra as he induced a sweet double play and rang up a strikeout to extinguish the A’s mutiny in the fifth frame.
With no outs and an Annette runner on third base, TP third baseman Oliver hooked up with first baseman Julian and catcher Jacob to turn an exquisite 5-3-2 double play!
Refusing to go quietly into the night, Toronto Playgrounds struck back with a pair in the bottom vector of the fifth to cut the margin to 10-6.
After a one out triple by Tyler, Oliver followed suit with a majestic RBI triple that brought Tyler home with a run.
Subsequently, with two outs and a runner on third, Julian delivered a clutch RBI hit that allowed Oliver to come home with another TP run.
Unperturbed, Annette reliever Angus would find the groove and tally a pair of groundouts sandwiched around a strikeout to put a kibosh on the TP rally in the fifth.
For good measure, Annette Red tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth to extend their upper hand to 11-6.
After a one out single by Seb, Evan (09) delivered a clutch two out RBI double to bring Seb home.
On the play, Evan made a brazen move to advance to third base. After taking receipt of the throw from shortstop Oliver, TP catcher Jacob made a smokestack lightning toss to third baseman Mike, who tagged out Evan to quash his Grand Thievery aspirations on a succulent 6-2-5 gem to ring up the third out!
In a sturdy outing, TP 13U Red reliever Julian rang up a flyout and strikeout in the sixth prior to the TP’s sweet 6-2-5 defensive tour de force.
Donning their rally caps, TP made one final charge to change their fortunes in the bottom of the sixth.
After a leadoff single, Mike swiped his way around the horn into scoring position at third base with a pair of Jumpin’ Jack Flash steals.
With two outs, Vincenzo stroked a clutch RBI single to bring Mike home with a run that trimmed the gap to 11-7.
Shaken, but not stirred, Annette reliever Angus brought the curtain down on the proceedings with two strikeouts and a groundout to vanquish the TP rally and seal the deal on the A’s victory.
EXTRA INNINGS
