TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS PREVAIL OVER THE BOMBERS IN A TOOTH AND NAIL ETOBICOKE BASEBALL ASSOCUATION (EBA) 13U PEEWEE SELECT LOOP BATTLE AT CHRISTIE PITS
Under a serene canopy of sunny and hazy skies, Toronto Playgrounds 13U Red prevailed 9-7 over the Bloordale 13U Bombers in a 4 ½ inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 13U Select Loop game tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Taking full measure of its opportunities, Bloordale jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage in the top half of the first frame.
After a leadoff walk by Jayden S.S. (10) to open the inning, Xavier (4) stroked a single that put two Bombers on the tarmac. On the play, Xavier would be erased at first base when TP executed a Sneaky Dee’s hidden ball trick.
Following a one out theft of third base by Jayden S.S., TP would be called for a balk, which allowed Jayden S.S. to shuffle home with the opening run of the proceedings.
After garnering a one out walk, Bloordale baserunner Calvin (54) threw caution to the wind and swiped his way around the horn to third base with unbridled aplomb. Following several unsuccessful TP pickoff attempts, Calvin came home to roost with a Bombers run after TP was called for another balk.
Following a walk by Nathan (29), TP 13U Red starter Issy (1) found his mojo jojo and tallied a pair of groundouts to diffuse the Bombers uprising in the first frame.
With true grit, Toronto Playgrounds answered back with a two spot in the bottom of the first inning to deadlock the affair at 2-2.
After Dylan (99) reached base with a leadoff walk, Oliver (88) stroked an eight mile high pop fly down the third baseline. Battling the glaring sunset, Bloordale 13U third baseman Calvin stretched himself to the limit to reel in the ball with a spectacular catch to ring up the Say Hey solo putout.
Taking the bull by the horns, TP 13U Red baserunner Dylan (99) turned on the afterburners and rattled the Bloordale defense with a pair of derring-do steals that allowed him to get into scoring position at third base.
Matthew (77) followed with a clutch two out RBI hit that brought Dylan home with TP’s first run of the game.
After Matthew advanced to third base with a pair ballsy steals, Henry (27) drew a walk that put two TP runners on the dancefloor. Tristan (3) followed with a RBI single that moved Henry over to second base and allowed Matthew to motor home with TP’s tying run.
Irked by TP’s sneaky ways in the top portion of the inning, the Bombers defense returned the favor at this juncture in the proceedings when they used the hidden ball trick to erase Tristan for the third out after his game tying hit.
With resolve, Bloordale 13U starter Jason (9) chalked up a lineout and groundout versus TP in the first frame.
Taking flight, Bloordale 13U unfurled a four run incursion in the top of the second inning to take a 6-2 advantage.
After a leadoff walk, Aidan (7) flexed his Grand Theft chops by advancing to third base with a pair of intrepid steals.
Following a single by Dylan (5), Gabriel (42) drew a walk that loaded the bases. Toby (6) followed with a bases loaded RBI walk that brought Aidan home with the Bombers go ahead run.
With the bases still packed tighter than a can of corn, TP uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Gabriel and Toby to move respectively to third and second base, and bring Dylan home with a Bloordale run.
After Jason (9) drew a walk that reloaded the bases, Jayden S.S. garnered a one out bases loaded RBI walk that allowed Gabriel to shuffle home with a Bombers run.
Subsequently, with two outs and the bases still juiced to the max, Calvin drew a bases loaded RBI walk that brought Toby homeward with another Bloordale run.
In a lionhearted effort on the hill, TP 13U Red reliever Thomas (19) rung up two strikeouts against the Bombers in the second frame.
Not to be outdone, TP 13U Red replied with a run in the bottom portion of the second inning to trim the margin to 6-3.
After a leadoff walk, Issy swiped a pair of bases with Bennie and the Jets bravado as he navigated himself into scoring position at third base.
Christopher (24) followed with a crisp RBI single that allowed Issy to zoom home with a TP run.
With determination, Bloordale 13U starter Jason rang up two strikeouts in the second frame to quell the TP insurgency.
In the top of the third, Bloordale 13U responded with a run to increase their plurality to 7-3.
After drawing a leadoff walk, Nathan advanced into scoring position at second base with a deft steal. Jayden W. (23) followed with a one out RBI single that brought Nathan home with a Bombers run.
Despite allowing a run, the TP defense threw down the gauntlet in the third frame with three big plays that turned the momentum of the proceedings in their favor.
With no outs and Nathan on second base, Harry (15) slashed a screaming line drive down the third baseline. However, TP third baseman Dylan made a Cool Hand Luke play when he snagged the hot tamale shot in the shoestrings of his trusty mitt to chalk up the first out. The play also forced Nathan to hustle back to second base with a dramatic headfirst slide to avoid being doubled up by the TP defense.
Following his RBI hit, Bloordale baserunner Jayden W. made a bold as brass decision to steal second base. Taking umbrage at such shenanigans, TP catcher Henry made a bullet throw to shortstop Thomas, who adroitly applied the tag on Jayden W. to ring up a highlight reel 2-5 putout for the second out.
To bring the curtain down on the inning, TP centre fielder Tristan than made a super catch on Aidan’s fly ball to tally the third out.
Ready and steady, TP 13U Red reliever Calvin chipped in with a lineout and fly out to end the Bloordale intransigence in the third frame.
With the wind in their sails, Toronto Playgrounds struck back with a three spot in the bottom half of the third inning that shrunk the gap to 7-6.
After Cliff (23) and Oliver garnered respective walks that put TP runners at third and first base, Chris (7) hit into a one out 4-3 groundout that advanced Oliver to second and brought Cliff home with a run.
With a runner on third base, Matthew crushed a grace under pressure two out RBI double that allowed Oliver to blaze homeward with a TP run.
Following a single by Henry that moved Matthew to third base, Tristan muscled a RBI hit that brought Matthew home with a TP run that trimmed the deficit to one.
With audacious fortitude, Bloordale 13U reliever Gabriel chalked up pop out and two groundouts to subdue the TP rally in the third frame.
Bloordale 13U threatened in the top of the fourth following a leadoff walk and stolen base by Dylan.
However, TP 13U reliever Calvin sandwiched a pair of groundouts around a strikeout in the fourth frame to keep the Bombers offense tethered to the runway and off the scoring ledger.
Displaying patience and resolve at the dish, TP 13U Red rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 9-7 lead.
After a leadoff single by Christopher, Calvin and William (4) drew back to back walks that loaded the bases. Thomas worked the count in his favor and garnered a base loaded RBI walk that allowed Christopher to shimmy home with TP’s tying run.
With opportunity knocking, Cliff hit into a 1-3 groundout that advanced William and Thomas respectively to third and second base, and brought Calvin home with TP’s go ahead run.
Subsequently, with two outs, Oliver reached base on a hit by pitch that reloaded the bases. Chris followed with a clutch RBI single that allowed William to zoom home with a TP insurance run.
In a stout effort on the hill, Bloordale 13U reliever Nathan chalked up two groundouts and a fly out in the fourth frame to extinguish the TP insurrection.
Refusing to go quietly into the night, Bloordale 13U proudly donned their rally caps in the top half of the fifth for one final series of at bats to change their fate.
Following a leadoff hit by Damon (11), TP 13U Red closer Dylan refused to pussyfoot around the mulberry bush any longer as he chalked up two groundouts and a strikeout in the fifth frame to vanquish the Bombers last gasp comeback attempt and seal the deal on TP’s hard fought victory.
