TAKING NO PRISONERS, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS PREVAIL OVER THE CARDINALS IN AN EBA 11U SELECT LOOP GAME AT CHRISTIE PITS
Under an embroidered duvet of sunny and cloudy skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Red Selects defeated the Royal York Girl Cardinals 13-5 in a five inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 11U Select Loop game tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
In the top half of the first, TP staked itself to an early 4-0 lead..
After a one out single by Tristan (19), Kale (6) was hit by pitch to put two ducklings on the pond. Liam (37) followed with a RBI hit that allowed Tristan to motor home with the opening run of the game.
With two runners on base, Charlie (20) stroked a RBI single to bring Kale homeward with a run.
Harrison (42) followed suit with a RBI hit that allowed Liam to score another TP run.
With two aboard, Billy (24) delivered a RBI double that advanced Harrison to third and brought Charlie home with a run.
Royal York answered back in lickety-split fashion with two in the bottom of the first to trim the shortfall to 4-2.
Exercising a keen eye at the plate, Adelaide (14), Bea (99) and Emily (2) garnered a trifecta combination of walks to open the inning and load the bases. Olivia (1) followed with a bases loaded RBI walk that allowed Adelaide to shuffle home with the Cardinals first run.
With the bases packed tighter than a can of Star-Kist tuna, Sofia (6) took one for team when she was hit by pitch, which brought Bea home from third with another Cardinals run.
Mired in a sticky wicket, TP 11U Red starter Tristan found his Mojo Jojo and rang up three consecutive strikeouts to leave the bases loaded, and bring the curtain down on the Cardinals insurgency in the first frame.
Toronto Playgrounds added a doubloon to its cauldron in the top of the second to extend its upper hand to 5-2.
After a leadoff single by Brayden (9), Gabriel K (13) brought him home with a seamless RBI double.
Nonplussed, Royal York Girls starter Adelaide chalked up three sparkling strikeouts in the second frame to subdue the TP mutiny.
The Cardinals replied with a run in the bottom of the second to nip the margin to 5-3.
After a one out walk and stolen base by Sophia (13), Adelaide stroked a RBI single that allowed Sophia to motor home with a run.
The Royal York Girls continued to ramp up the pressure after Bea reached base on a hit by pitch and Olivia drew a walk to load the bases.
However, TP 11U Red reliever Charlie vanquished the Cardinals second inning threat with a pair of honey suckled strikeouts and a 1-3 groundout back to the mound.
Putting the pedal to the metal, Toronto Playgrounds tallied four runs in the top of the third to expand their plurality to 9-3.
Following a leadoff double by Kale, Liam connected for a RBI double that brought Kale home with a run. A Royal York error on the play would allow Liam to advance to third.
After a one out walk by Harrison that put two runners on base, Billy stroked a RBI hit that allowed Liam to score.
With runners on third and first, Brayden hit into a groundout that advanced Billy to second and brought Harrison home with another TP run.
Following a two out steal of third by Billy, Gabriel K. stroked a RBI single that allowed Billy to zoom home with a run.
In a nitty, gritty effort on the mound, Royal York Girls starter Adelaide tallied a strikeout and groundout versus TP in the third frame,
In the bottom portion of the third, TP 11U reliever Billy rang up two quick strikeouts and a quirky 9-3 putout [TP right fielder Gabriel R. (2) to first baseman Liam] to keep the Cardinals off the scoring ledger.
Toronto Playgrounds added a four spot in the top of the fourth to widen their lead to 13-3.
Exercising patience at the dish, Gabriel R., Will (730 and Calvin (11) garnered consecutive walks to lead off the inning and load the bases. With Nash the Slash fervour, Tristan delivered a scorching hot tamale three RBI triple down the third baseline that cleared the bases.
After a single by Kale and a walk by Liam reloaded the bases, Harrison drew a one out bases loaded RBI walk that allowed Tristan to shuffle home with another TP run.
In a spirited foray on the hill, Royal York Girls reliever Olivia chalked a strikeout in the fourth.
Refusing to go quietly into the night, Royal York clawed back with two in the bottom of the fourth to close the gap to 13-5.
After a two out walk by Bea, Emily stroked a single that put two Cardinals in the bird bath. Olivia followed with a grace under pressure two RBI triple that allowed Bea and Emily to come home with a pair of runs.
Unfazed, TP 11U Red reliever Billy tallied two strikeouts and a groundout in the fourth frame to extinguish the Royal York rebellion.
TP would threaten again in the top of the fifth after a single by Brayden and a pair of walks by Gabriel R. and Will that loaded the bases.
However, Royal York Girls reliever Olivia chalked up a strikeout and two groundouts to terminate the threat and keep TP off the scoreboard in the fifth.
Donning their rally caps in the bottom of the fifth, the Cardinals refused to accept their circumstance as they made one final rally bid to change their fate.
With ice in his veins, TP 11U Red closer Gabriel K. was in no pussyfooting mood as he rang up three lickety-split groundouts to end the Royal York comeback bid and seal the deal on a hard fought TP victory.
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