IN A CRACKER JACK AFFAIR, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS PREVAIL OVER THE CARDINALS IN AN ETOBICOKE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION (EBA) 13U PEEWEE SELECT LOOP CONTEST AT CHRISTIE PITS
Beneath a hotter than May canopy of sunny and hazy skies. Toronto Playgrounds 13U Blue defeated the Royal York 13U Girls 9-4 in a 5 ½ inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 13U Select Loop game tonight at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Taking flight, the Royal York 13U Girls staked themselves to an early 3-0 lead in the top portion of the first inning.
After a leadoff walk by Nicole (13), Zoe (12) and Abigail (24) stroked back to back singles to load the bases
E.S. (11) stepped into the batter’s box and crushed a Say Hey three RBI shot to the deep dish pizza nether regions of centre field that cleared the bases.
Upon reaching second base, E.S. made the bold as brass decision to stretch her immaculate double into a triple. As E.S. hustled towards pay dirt at third, TP 13U Blue centre fielder Brady (7) retrieved the ball and made a cannon throw to second baseman Harrison. Harrison pivoted and made a lightning toss over to third baseman Gabe (72), who slapped an emphatic tag on E.S. as she slid into the base to ring up a humdinger 8-4-5 putout.
With one out, Royal York continued to ratchet up the pressure on TP. After Olivia (15) garnered a walk, Esme (15) reached base on a hit by pitch that put two Cardinals at the bird feeder.
Shaken, but not stirred, TP 13U Blue starter Liam (28) found the inner groove and rang up two consecutive strikeouts to subdue the Cardinals insurrection in the first frame.
Unfazed, Toronto Playgrounds answered back in lickety-split fashion with a four spot in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-3 lead.
Following a leadoff single, Billy (24) turned on jets and swiped his way around the horn to third base with unabashed aplomb.
After Jackson (22) garnered a walk and stolen base, Brayden (9) delivered a one out two RBI double that allowed Billy and Jackson to motor home with a pair of runs that trimmed the deficit to one.
Following a single (that moved Brady to third) and a stolen base by Jack C. (1), Brady (7) muscled a 1-3 groundout that advanced Jack C. to third and brought Brayden home with TP’s tying run.
With two outs, Harrison (42) stroked a clutch RBI hit that allowed Jack C. to zoom home with TP’s go ahead run.
In a lionhearted effort, Royal York 13U Girls starter E.S. chalked up a strikeout and a groundout against TP 13U Blue in the first frame.
Taking care of business, TP 13U Blue reliever Rishi (19) tallied a pair of groundouts and a strikeout in the top of the second inning to keep the high flying Cardinals offense in the bird bath and off the scoring ledger.
Smooth and easy, Royal York 13U Girls starter E.S. dispatched TP 13U Blue with 1-2-3 efficiency in the bottom of the second frame as she rang up two strikeouts and a groundout to keep TP off the scoreboard and adrift on the merry go round.
Seizing their opportunity, the Royal York 13U Girls scored a run in the top of the third inning to deadlock the proceedings at 4-4.
After drawing a leadoff walk, Brooklyn (7) advanced into scoring position at second base with a no holds barred steal.
Nicole followed with a RBI double that brought Brooklyn home with the Cardinals tying run.
Battening down the hatches, TP 13U Blue reliever Rishi chalked up two strikeouts and a fly out in the third frame to pacify the Cardinals incursion.
Not taking things lightly in the EZee boy chair, Toronto Playgrounds punched back with a run in the bottom of the third inning to retake the upper hand 5-4.
Following a leadoff double, Jackson set the dinner table for TP 13U Blue with a fleet-footed steal of third base.
Brayden subsequently delivered a one out groundout that allowed Jackson to come home with TP’s go ahead run.
In a valorous sojourn on the hill, Royal York 13U Girls reliever Abigail sandwiched two strikeouts around a groundout in the third frame to put an end to the TP 13U Blue rebellion.
Refusing to go quietly into the night, the pesky Royal York 13U Girls continued to ratchet up the pressure on TP 13U Blue in the top of the fourth inning.
Following a leadoff double by Olivia, Esme garnered a walk and Ryla (8) reached base on a hit pitch to load the bases for Royal York.
With the game on the line, TP 13U Blue reliever Gabe entered the fray from the bullpen to wheel and deal three scintillating strikeouts that left the bases loaded and kept the Cardinals tethered to the bird feeder.
TP 13U Blue added four insurance runs to their tally in the bottom half of the fourth inning to widen their plurality to 9-4.
After a leadoff single, Brady advanced to second base with a sprightly theft of second base.
With opportunity knocking on the door, Harrison delivered a RBI hit that allowed Brady to blaze home with a TP run.
After throwing caution to the wind, Harrison rattled the Royal York 13U Girls defense with two intrepid steals that moved him to third base. Following a walk by Liam that put runners at third and first base, the Cardinals uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Liam to advance to second base and brought Harrison homeward with a TP run.
Following a theft of third by Liam, Gabe stroked a RBI hit that allowed Liam to come home with a TP run.
After Gabe had moved over to second base with a steal, Billy followed with a single that put TP runners on the corners. It was at this juncture in the proceedings where TP 13U Blue committed a Twilight Zone baserunning gaffe. For some inexplicable reason, Billy turned on the jets and swiped his way around the horn to third base. Unfortunately, this left Gabe in no man’s land between third and home, where he was caught in a rundown and tagged out by Cardinals catcher Megan (5) for the first out of the inning.
Jackson capped off TP’s cavalcade in the fourth frame when he hit a 4-3 groundout that brought Billy home with another insurance run.
Feeling a degree of umbrage at their situation in the time continuum, the Royal York 13U Girls refused to throw in the towel as they continued to battle in the top of the fifth frame.
After leading off the inning with a Metal Gear Solid single, Barbara (9) made the daring decision to advance to second base on the play. As Barbara hustled towards her goal with a full head of steam, TP 13U Blue centre fielder Brady made a Rocket 88 throw to second baseman Harrison, who slapped an ardent tag on Barbara to ring up a MY OH MY 8-4 defensive gem for the first out.
TP 13U Blue reliever Gabe racked up two more strikeouts to put a kibosh on the Cardinals civil disobedience in the fifth frame.
Keeping the pedal to the metal, Toronto Playgrounds threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning. Following a single, Brayden advanced into scoring position at third base with a pair of assertive steals.
Throwing down the gauntlet, Royal York 13U Girls reliever Olivia kept TP 13U Blue off the scoresheet in the fifth frame as she rang up two groundouts and a strikeout to extinguish the TP insurgency.
Proudly donning their rally caps, the Royal York 13U Girls were not going down without a fight in the top half of the sixth frame.
After a leadoff single by Abigail, E.S. followed with a scorching hot tamale line drive shot back to the mound, which TP 13U Blue closer Brayden snagged in the webbing of his trusty mitt for the first out.
Noticing that Abigail had wandered afar from the base on the play, Brayden made a quick throw over to TP first baseman Rishi, who stepped on the bag to ring up the 1-3 double play.
Bringing the curtain down the curtain on the proceedings, Brayden chalked up a strikeout to seal the deal on TP 13U Blue’s hard fought victory over the Cardinals.
