It was the last game of the regular season, a rescheduled rainout that was more or less meaningless to the IBL standings.
At Christie Pits, there was a "last day of school" feel. Some regulars were rested or absent. The starting pitchers either weren't normally starters (Christian Botnick for the Toronto Maple Leafs) or hadn't started in weeks and won't figure for the post-season (Brodie Harkness for the Barrie Baycats).
Both starters got rocked in the 1st inning. It was all downhill from there, as the Leafs and Baycats traded roundhouse blows in a wild and wooly 19-10 game with Barrie coming out on top.
Once things got out of hand and the score started resembling a football game, the Christie Mystique took over and treated everyone present to some unlikely scenes. You had to be there.
In the bottom of the 1st (yeah, things were already getting out of hand), Dan Marra hit a ground ball that looked like a sure double play. Jon Waltenbury ran from first, did an interpretive dance all the way around an infielder's tag, and flopped on the bag at second -- safe! According to Barrie manager Angus Roy, Waltenbury had danced all the way into the outfield, but a conference of umpires did not agree, much to his disgust.
Soon after that, something that everyone has been dreading finally happened. A foul ball hit one of the women in the yoga-exercise class that takes place right around the field of play at Christie Pits. (Who thinks that's a good idea by the way??) The woman was lying on her back either resting or stretching, when a ball was popped up over the third base side, cleared the side fence, and it struck her on the leg. The first person at her side was Heads Up On The Hill. He ran to her like a valiant knight of olden days. Fantastic chivalry. He remained with her as she stayed on the ground for a while, but eventually she got tended to by some of her exercise classmates and was okay.
Jordan Castaldo -- who was traded away by the Toronto Maple Leafs -- reminded everyone at the ballpark that his mission in life is to demolish the Toronto Maple Leafs at every opportunity.
I happened to be standing by the flagpoles behind the centerfield fence when Castaldo came up to bat in the top of the 4th inning. He took ball one from reliever Christian Botter, then decimated the next pitch. High and deep would put it mildly, as the ball got carried on the gusting winds that were blowing out. The ball sailed over Glenn Jackson in centre, it sailed over the fence, it even sailed over me, landing with a thud on the clubhouse roof -- a feat that is seldom seen at Christie Pits.
Castaldo followed up his monster blast with a grand slam in the next inning. By that point, the game was a home run derby. The wind kept blowing out and everyone started swinging for the fences. Five home runs would be hit on the night.
But wait there's more! As the game wore on and both clubs ran up crazy scorelines, night fell over the park and the wind settled down. A deep, ominous buzzing sound rose up. People glanced around. It was extremely loud and close. Glowing lights suddenly appeared behind the outfield, moving fast. A U.S. military drone? A killer dragonfly? It was a bunch of teenagers taking their wicked awesome remote control mini-helicopter for a spin.
The game went on while the copter whizzed around in the darkness. Barrie's bullpen was captivated. Eventually, someone went over to the kids. A few minutes later, while the Baycats were playing the field, the copter flew in low and close, buzzing the Baycats outfielders and annoying the umpires. It vanished soon after that.
After all that, with some people giddy from it all and others just wanting to go home, Glenn Jackson (above) trotted out to the mound at the top of the 9th inning. He had asked to pitch, and the request was granted. And so the lasting image of the game was created. Glenn Jackson the southpaw, winding up and hurling with fury, unleashing tennis-decibel grunts with each pitch. After striking out Castaldo -- Jordan Castaldo the Destroyer -- Jackson's fist-pumping intensity was off the charts. Hell yes!
Toronto may have a new weapon for the post-season.
Games like this one -- this is the stuff that makes IBL junkies of us all.
Barrie 19-22-2
Toronto 10-15-3
W - Harkness (5-1)
L - Botnick (0-1)
S - Sutton (1) Yes! A classic 3-inning save!
BOXSCORE
And to the post season we go. It looks like Toronto will host the Hamilton Cardinals in the one game playoff of doom. Date to be determined.
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