IN A FUN AND WELL PLAYED NAIL BITER, THE LIZZIES PREVAIL OVER THE EAGLES AT DOMINICO FIELD AT CHRISTIE PITS TO TAKE HOME THE 15U BANTAM CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZE
Under a serene canopy of cool September skies, the Lizzies edged the Eagles 11-10 in a thrilling 5 ½ inning final game tonight at Dominico Field at Christie Pits to win the 2022 Toronto Playgrounds Baseball Association (TPBA) House League Tournament 15U Bantam Division Championship Game.
Taking flight, the Eagles jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the top half of the first inning.
Following a two out walk, Manny (21) flexed his Grand Theft acumen by rattling the Lizzies defence with a pair if derring-do steals around the horn to advance into scoring position at third base. A Lizzies error on his theft of third allowed Manny to hustle home with the opening run of the proceedings.
After drawing a walk, Noble (22) turned on the afterburners and stole a pair of bases to reach third base. As the Lizzies uncorked a wild pitch, Noble seized the opportunity to motor homeward and score a dramatic chitty, chitty, bang, bang run for the Eagles.
Following a walk by Hudson (27), Payton (26) garnered a walk that put two birds of prey on base. Subsequently, with runners on third and second, Hudson took advantage of a Lizzies wild pitch to fly home with another Eagles run.
Nonplussed, Lizzies starter Reuben (24) chalked up three strikeouts in the the first frame to end the Eagles uprising.
In the bottom of the first, wily Eagles starter Payton retired the Lizzies in 1-2-3 fashion by sandwiching two groundouts between a lineout to keep them off the scoring ledger.
Taking care of business with a dollop of ornithological fervour, the Eagles scored three in the top of the second to extend their upper hand to 6-0.
After a one out single by River (31), Levi (23) drew a walk that put two aboard. Manny followed with a RBI hit that allowed River to score.
With two out and runners on third and second, Hudson reached the base on a dropped third strike that advanced Manny to third and brought Levi home with a run. An error on the play also allowed Manny to come homeward with another Eagles run.
Lizzies reliever Henri (25) threw three groundouts in the second frame to pacify the Eagles insurgency.
The Lizzies replied with one in the bottom portion of the second to trim the shortfall to 6-1.
Following a leadoff walk, Reuben stole his way to third with unabashed aplomb. With one out, Henri stroked a RBI groundout that brought Reuben home with the Lizzies first run of the game.
Unfazed, Eagles reliever River rang up two strikeouts and a groundout in the second inning to diffuse the Lizzies rally.
Not to be outdone, the Eagles answered back in lickety-split fashion with a three spot in the top of the third to widen their plurality to 9-1.
After a leadoff walk by Thomas (1), Zack (9) garnered a walk that put two Eagles on the bird feeder. With runners on third and second, the Lizzies issued a wild pitch that allowed Zack to advance to third and Thomas to score.
Following a two out single, Levi advanced to third base courtesy of a pair of steals. Levi would take advantage of a wild pitch to hustle home with a run.
After drawing a walk, Manny advanced to third with a stolen base and a Lizzies error. A subsequent balk call on the Lizzies would allow Levi to shuffle homeward with another Eagles run.
Lizzies reliever Jesse (4) tallied two groundouts in the third inning to end the Eagles mutiny. On the first out, the Lizzies were the beneficiaries of a no slide at home call against the Eagles.
Taking umbrage at their situation, the Lizzies stormed back with four runs in the bottom of the third to trim the gap to 9-5.
After a leadoff walk, Darwin (19) turned on the jets and swiped his way to third with a pair of bold as brass steals. Pouncing on a wild pitch by the Eagles, Darwin charged home like a gazelle to score a run for the Lizzies.
Following suit, Finn (21) garnered a walk and proceeded to advance to third base on a steal and an Eagles error. Fimm would subsequently blaze home with a run on an Eagles wild pitch.
After drawing a walk, Aidan (30) moved over to third base on a thrown bat call and a wild pitch. Aidan would shimmy home with a run after a balk call on the Eagles.
Following a one out walk by Will (26), Boaz (32) drew a walk that pit two ducklings on the pond. Subsequently, with runners on third and second, Will took advantage of a wild pitch to zoom homw with another Lizzies run.
In a workmanlike foray on the hill, Eagles reliever Noble (22) put in a nitty gritty effort against the Lizzies in the third frame.
Lizzies reliever Makai grounded the Eagles with 1-2-3 finesse in the top half of the fifth with a pair of groundouts and a strikeout that kept the Eagles offence mired in the bird bath.
With the wind in their sails, the Lizzies added another four runs to their treasure trove in the bottom of the fourth as they deadlocked the proceedings 9-9..
After a one out walk and stolen base by Makai, Nicholas (29) stroked a single that put runners at third and first base. As the Eagles uncorked a wild pitch, Nicholas advanced to second and Makai motored home with a run.
As Nicholas completed a theft of third, the Eagles throw to erase sailed down the third baseline. The resulting error allowed Nicholas to shuffle homeward and trim the shortfall to two.
With two outs, the Lizzies exercised discipline at the plate as Reuben, Cohen (28) and Henri garnered respective walks to load the bases. Theo (27) followed with a bases loaded RBI walk that allowed Reuben to mosey home with a run that pulled the Lizzies to within one.
With the bases still packed tighter than a can of Star-Kist Tuna, Cohen take full advantage of a wild pitch by the Eagles to zoom home with the Lizzies tying run.
In a valiant effort, Eagles reliever Zack (9) chalked up two groundouts against the Lizzies in the fourth frame.
Licking their wounds like a prized boxer, the Eagles answered the clarion call in the top portion of the fifth as they battled back with a run to regain the lead 10-9.
After a leadoff single by River, Levi and Manny followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases. With one out, River pounced on a wild pitch by the Lizzies to fly home and score the Eagles go ahead run.
With the game on the line, Lizzies pitcher Reuben rang up three consecutive strikeouts to put a kibosh on the Eagles insurrection in the fifth frame.
Refusing to go quietly into the night, the Lizzies replied with a pair in the bottom of the fifth to take a 11-10 advantage.
Following a one out double by Darwin, Aidan drew a two out walk that put two runners on base. With runners on third and first, David (22) stroked a grace under pressure RBI single that brought Darwin home with the tying run.
After Boaz (32) drew a walk to load the bases, Jacob (23) garnered a RBI bases loaded walk that allowed Aidan to come home with the Lizzies go ahead run.
With true grit, Eagles reliever Manny chalked up three strikeouts in the bottom of the fifth inning to extinguish the Lizzies insurrection.
Proudly donning their rally caps, the Eagles refused to wave the white flag as they came up to bat in bat in the top of the sixth stoutly determined to keep their championship dreams alive.
Following a one out single and stolen base by Zack, River stroked a hit that put the Eagles potential tying and go ahead runs at third and first. As River slid into second base with a steal, Zack was erased in a sparkling 2-5-2 rundown play between third and home by Lizzies catcher Reuben.
Cool as a crate of iceberg lettuce, Lizzies reliever Makai rang up two strikeouts in the sixth to seal the deal on their championship victory.
