IN A ROCK ‘EM SOCK ‘EM ALL TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS HIGH NOON SHOWDOWN, THE GRITTY TP 11U BLUE PREVAIL OVER THE PESKY TP 11U RED IN A CRACKER JACK ETOBICOKE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION (EBA) 11U MOSQUITO SELECT LOOP THRILLER AT CHRISTIE PITS.

Beneath a patchwork quilt of warm and hazy spring skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Blue edged the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Red 8-7 in a five inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 11U Select Loop game this afternoon at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
In the top half of the first frame, TP 11U Red threatened following a walk and stolen base by Carson (27).

However, TP 11U Blue starter Wilt (2) chalked up a fly out and two strikeouts to end the TP 11U Red menace in the first inning.
Taking care of business, TP 11U Blue staked itself to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
After garnering a leadoff walk, TP 11U baserunner Dylan (8) rattled the TP 11U Red defense with a pair of derring-do steals that advanced him to third base.


Following a walk by Eli (7), Wilt reached base on a hit by pitch that loaded the bases for TP Blue. Casey (27) followed and hit into a fielder’s choice that moved Eli to third, erased Wilt at second, and brought Dylan home with the first run of the proceedings.
With one out and TP 11U Blue runners at third and first base, Cole hit into a 1-3 groundout that advanced Casey over to second base and allowed Eli to scoot home with a TP Blue run.


Ellis (44) followed suit with a scorching, undetermined exit velocity, two out clutch RBI triple that brought Casey home with another TP Blue run.
Unfazed, TP 11U Red starter Whit (16) tallied a pair of groundouts and a strikeout to douse the TP 11U Blue insurgency in the first frame.
With cat scratch fever, TP 11U Red clawed back with a run in the top of the second inning that trimmed the gap to 3-1.
Following back to back one out singles by Whit and Benji, Jack (11) drew a walk that loaded the bases.



Seizing the moment, Rudy (10) delivered a RBI hit that moved Benji and Jack respectively over to third and second base, and brought Whit homeward with TP 11U Red’s first run of the game.
With the bases still packed tighter than a can of Green Giant Niblets Whole Kernel Corn, TP 11U Blue third baseman Casey battled the glare of the sun to reel in an eight mile high pop up off the bat of TP 11U Red batter Milo (24) for the second out. Noticing that TP Red baserunner Rudy had wandered afar from first base, Casey made a thunderous throw across the diamond to first baseman Emile (5) to erase Rudy on nifty 5-3 double play that extinguished the TP 11U Red mutiny in the second frame.
TP 11U Blue starter Wilt chipped in with a groundout and pop out in the second inning to diffuse the TP Red rally bid.

Not taking things lying down, TP 11U Blue threatened in the bottom portion of the second inning
Following a single by Julian (26), Ewan (28) garnered a walk that put two TP Blue runners on the dancefloor.

With no desire to pussyfoot around the butterfly bush, TP 11U Red starter Whit rang up a strikeout, pop out and a groundout to extinguish the TP Blue threat in the second frame.
Taking the bull by the horns, TP 11U Red scored three in the top of the third inning to take a 4-3 lead.
After Paul (77) reached base on a hit by pitch, Arlo (13) singled and Eli O (44) drew a two out walk to load the bases.
Emmett (4) followed with a grace under pressure two RBI hit that advanced Eli O to third base and allowed Paul and Arlo to come home TP 11U Red’s game tying runs.


Following a single by Whit that reloaded the bases, Benji garnered a bases loaded RBI walk that brought Eli O home with TP 11U Red’s go ahead run.
TP 11U Blue reliever Ellis tallied a strikeout, groundout and a pop out to break off the TP 11U Red rebellion in the third frame.

Refusing to go quietly into the afternoon sun, TP 11U Blue threatened in the bottom of the third frame.
Down 4-3, Wilt raised the comeback hopes of the TP 11U Blue faithful with a rousing single and stolen base.


Throwing down the gauntlet, TP 11U Red starter Whit rang up two strikeouts and a groundout to put a kibosh on TP Blue’s rally bid in the third inning.
With the wind in their sails, TP 11U Red threatened to add more to their tally in the top of the fourth frame.
Following a one out walk and a brazen theft of second, TP Red baserunner Milo threw caution to the wind and made a bold as brass decision to steal third base. As Milo charged towards pay dirt, TP 11U Blue catcher Julian made a cannon throw down the line to TP Blue third baseman Eli, who slapped a no holds barred tag on Milo to ring up a MY OH MY 2-5 putout to chalk up the first out of the inning.
With resolve, TP 11U Red continued to exert pressure on the TP Blue defense, After drawing a two out walk, Eli O (8) swiped his way around the horn to third base with Grand Theft bravado.

After Paul drew a walk that put two TP Red runners on the discotheque floor, Arlo hit a fly ball to left field. It was at this juncture where TP 11U Blue left fielder Sydney (9) swooped like a gazelle in and made the catch for the third out, which torpedoed the TP Red rally bid.
TP 11U Blue reliever Casey entered the fray in the fourth frame to tally a strikeout and fly out to shut down the TP 11U Red insurgency.

Still trailing 4-3, TP 11U Blue answered the clarion call in the bottom portion of the fourth inning as they parlayed four runs to retake the upper hand 7-4.
After a Nasty Canasta leadoff double by Ellis, Emile and Sydney garnered respective walks to load the bases.
Julian followed with a one out fielder’s choice that advanced Emile to third base, erased Sydney at second, and allowed Ellis to blaze home with TP Blue’s tying run.


Following a walk by Ewan that reloaded the bases, Dylan connected for a clutch RBI single that brought Emile home with TP 11U Blue’s go ahead run.
With the bases still jammed tighter than Lakeshore Boulevard East, Eli capped off TP Blue’s big comeback with a grace under pressure two RBI double that allowed Julian and Ewan to motor homeward with two more TP 11U Blue insurance runs.


In a spirited effort on the hill, TP 11U Red reliever Carson struck out one TP Blue batter in the fourth frame while facing eight TP 11U Blue batters.
Like a proud boxer who took a licking, TP 11U Red punched back in lickety-split fashion in the top half of the fifth frame with three runs to deadlock the proceedings at 7-7.
Carson and Eli O led off the inning with back to back walks that put two ducks on the pond.
With runners at third and second, Emmett delivered a two RBI single that brought Carson and Eli O home home with a pair of TP Red runs that sliced and diced the deficit to one.



Exercising patience at the dish, Whit and Benji garnered back to back walks to load the bases for TP Red.
With opportunity knocking at the door, Jack slashed a RBI single that allowed Emmett to hustle home with TP 11U Red’s game tying run.



With no outs and the bases packed tighter than a tin of StarKist tuna, TP 11U reliever Cole entered the fray from the bullpen to chalk up a strikeout, pop out and groundout to extinguish the TP 11U Red insurrection in the fifth frame.
With their perfect EBA regular season on the line, TP 11U Blue came up for their at bats in the bottom of the fifth frame with a stouthearted desire to keep that unblemished record intact.
Following a one out hit by Casey, Cole stroked a single that put two TP Blue runners on the tarmac.




With runners at second and first, Ellis delivered a grand RBI double that brought Casey home with the game winning run that propelled TP 11U Blue to a slender tenderloin victory over TP 11U Red.
WHAT A GAME!!!
