TAKING NO PRISONERS, TORONTO PLAYGROUNDS PREVAIL OVER THE CARDINALS IN AN ETOBICOKE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION (EBA) 11U MOSQUITO SELECT LOOP AFFAIR AT CHRISTIE PITS
Beneath a warm blanket of sunny and breezy skies, the Toronto Playgrounds 11U Blue defeated the Royal York 11U White Cardinals 15-1 in a 4 ½ inning Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) 11U Select Loop game this afternoon at Christie Pits Diamond 3.
Royal York White threatened in the top of the first inning after a single by Ethan (2).
Unperturbed, TP 11U Blue starter Wilt (2) sandwiched a pair of strikeouts between a groundout to quell the Cardinals mutiny in the first frame.
On a mission, Toronto Playgrounds staked itself to an early 4-0 advantage in the bottom portion of the first inning.
After reaching base on a catcher’s interference call, TP leadoff batter Cole (23) threw down the hammer and made a ballsy steal of second base.
Julian (26) followed with a searing RBI double which allowed Cole to motor home with the opening run of the proceedings.
After Eli (7) reached base on a hit by pitch, Dylan (8) crunched a one out RBI double that advanced Eli to third and brought Julian home with a TP run.
With two outs and runners on third and second, Emile (5) seized the day by delivering a clutch two RBI single that allowed Eli and Dylan to hustle home with a pair of TP 11U Blue runs.
In a lionhearted effort, Royal York 11U White starter Ethan tallied two pop outs while facing seven TP 11U Blue batters in the first frame.
In the top of the second inning, Royal York 11U White threatened again. Following a leadoff single by Bennett (1), Dexter (13) reached base on a hit by pitch that put two Cardinals at the bird feeder.
However, TP 11U Blue starter Wilt utilized two groundouts and a strikeout to quell the Royal York intransigence in the second frame.
With the wind in their sails, TP 11U Blue added a four spot to their E-Trade investment portfolio in the bottom of the second inning to extend their upper hand to 8-0.
After a leadoff single, Dominic (24) turned on the afterburners and swiped his way around the horn to third base with Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars fervour.
Sydney (2) followed with a Nasty Canasta RBI single that brought Dominic home with a TP run.
Following a single by Ewan (28) that put two ducks on the pond, Wilt stroked a RBI hit that advanced moved Ewan to second base and allowed Sydney to score a TP 11U Blue run.
With a runners on third and second, Owen (14) hit into a fielder’s choice that moved Wilt over to third and brought Ewan home with another TP run.
Cole finished off TP 11U Blue’s productive four run second inning with a one out RBI single that allowed Wilt to score.
In a nitty gritty outing, Royal York 11U White starter Ethan chalked up a groundout while facing six TP 11U Blue runners in the second frame.
Refusing to go quietly into the afternoon sun, Royal York 11U White continued to battle in the top half of the third inning.
After drawing a leadoff walk, Leo (99) rattled the TP 11U Blue defense with a pair of derring-do steals that moved him into scoring position at third base.
With no desire to pussyfoot around the mulberry bush, TP 11U Blue reliever Dominic rang up three scintillating strikeouts that put the kibosh on the Cardinals insurgency in the third frame.
Going for the jugular, Toronto Playgrounds scored three in the bottom of the third inning to increase their plurality to 11-0.
After drawing a leadoff walk, Julian swiped a pair of bases to move over to third.
With one out, Casey (27) blasted a shot to the deep dish pizza nether regions of centre field for a succulent two RBI inside the park home run that brought the TP 11U Blue faithful in the bleacher seats to their feet in jubilant celebration.
After stroking a two out single, Ellis (44) advanced to second base with a grand theft of second.
Emile followed with a clutch RBI hit that allowed Ellis to blaze home with another TP run.
After a single by Dominic, Sydney drew a walk that loaded the bases.
Royal York 11U White reliever Felix (27) rang up a strikeout, fly out and a pop out to extinguish the TP 11U Blue outbreak in the third frame.
Taking umbrage at their situation, the Royal York 11U White offense stirred to life in the top of the fourth when they scored a run to close the gap to 11-1.
Following a leadoff double and a daring theft of third base, Cardinals baserunner Ethan took advantage of a TP wild pitch to blaze homeward and score Royal York’s first run with a stirring MY OH MY headfirst slide at home plate!
Unfazed, TP 11U Blue reliever Dominic chalked up two strikeouts and a pop out to curtail the Cardinals uprising in the fourth frame.
Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, Toronto Playgrounds added four insurance runs to their haul in the bottom of the fourth frame to secure their lead at 15-1.
Exercising patience at the dish, Wilt, Owen and Cole garnered consecutive walks to lead off the inning and load the bases.
Julian followed with a groundout that advanced Owen and Cole respectively to third and second base, and brought Wilt home with a TP run.
With opportunity knocking, Eli delivered a one out two RBI double that allowed Owen and Cole to come home with a pair of TP 11U Blue runs.
Following Eli’s steal of third, Casey stroked a RBI single to bring Eli home with another TP run.
In a stouthearted outing, Royal York 11U White reliever Cole (15) tallied a groundout while facing six TP 11U Blue batters in the fourth frame.
Donning their rally caps, Royal York 11U White made one final bid to change their circumstance in the top of the fifth inning.
After drawing a leadoff walk and stolen base, Cardinals baserunner Dexter made the bold as brass decision to steal third base. As Dexter hustled towards pay dirt, TP 11U Blue catcher Casey made a thunderous throw down the line to third baseman Ellis, who tagged out Dexter in a nip and tuck 2-5 putout play for the first out.
However, the pesky Cardinals refused to throw in the towel. Following back to back singles by Cole and Felix, Leo garnered a walk to load the bases.
Cool as a Chelsea Slice Cucumber, TP 11U Blue reliever Dominic rang up two strikeouts to terminate the Royal York 11U White coup d’état in the fifth frame and seal the deal on TP’s dominating victory over the Cardinals.
