Leafs Sweep to the Semis

2022 IBL Quarterfinals - Game 3

August 28 - Barrie Baycats vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs win 7-6, win the series 3-0

Dust, elation, flying helmets -- the riotous joy of a series-winning walk off.

Before we begin today's recap, let's wind the clock back a year.

On September 18, 2021, the Barrie Baycats hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2 of a pandemic-shortened IBL semifinal series.  With a win, Toronto would advance to the finals.  To stop this from happening, Barrie sent Juan Benitez to the mound to start the game.

The Leafs destroyed him.  He was shelled for nine hits and ten runs and was knocked out of the game after 2.2 innings.  As he staggered off the field that day, Benitez wore the shattered expression of a man who'd just spent twelve hours in the front row at Altamont.

Fast forward a year.  This afternoon, the Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Barrie Baycats in Game 3 of their IBL quarterfinal series.  With a win, Toronto would advance to the semifinals.  To stop this from happening, Barrie sent Juan Benitez to the mound to start the game.  

Today, Benitez got his revenge.

In a must-win situation, he limited the Leafs to four runs over eight innings.  On the verge of victory, he returned to the mound to start the ninth inning, and set the stage for one of baseball's eternal "what ifs".

Before we get to that, let's pivot to the start of the game, where it looked like the Leafs might repeat their destruction job of a year before.

In the top of the 1st inning, the top of the order put the Leafs ahead immediately.  Shortstop Jose Vinicio walked, catcher Justin Marra singled, and they both stole a base.  First baseman Jordan Castaldo cashed in a run with a double.  Third baseman Johnathan Solazzo cashed in another and it was 2-0 Leafs after one inning.

Sam Greene started on the mound for the Leafs, and went unscathed through the first three innings.

Castaldo drew a walk in the bottom of the 3rd inning, and moved to third on a single by Solazzo.  A double by right fielder Marcus Knecht scored Castaldo and the Leafs enjoyed a 3-0 lead through three.

With the Baycats' season on the brink, Ryan Rijo tied the game with a three-run homer in the 4th inning.  His trip around the bases came complete with a power point to the Bushmen, who rode him and his teammates all afternoon.

In the bottom of the 4th, DH Damon Topolie led off with a single.  Left fielder Gregory Carrington followed with another single, moving Topolie to third.  A sac fly by catcher Justin Marra brought Topolie home and the Leafs retook the lead 4-3.

Barrie would not go down without a fight.  They immediately re-tied the game in the top of the 5th, when Carson Burns hit a home run off reliever Marek Deska.

The game remained tied until the top of the 8th, when Royce Ando hit a solo home run off Deska.  Chris Nagorski came in from the pen, but gave up another run to give the Baycats a 6-4 lead after eight innings.

Throughout the game, Benitez returned to the mound at the bottom of each inning and he did so again to start the 9th.  The Leafs were down to their final three outs after a long, trying weekend, but they came through again.  Topolie led off with a single and Grant Tamane replaced him at first as pinch runner.  Carrington followed with another single, putting two men aboard.  That was the moment that Benitez got the hook, replaced on the mound by Brandon Hillier.  And all hell followed for Barrie.

Vinicio dropped down a bunt to load the bases.  Castaldo singled to score a run and make it 6-5.  Hillier recorded two strikeouts, and Knecht returned to the plate.  Hillier worked a 2-2 count, bringing the Leafs down to their final strike, and then Knecht connected for a two-run, game-winning, series-clinching single.  Carrington scored easily and Vinicio was right behind him, sliding home with the winning run.  

Dust, elation, flying helmets.  The Pits exploded.  The Leafs poured onto the field to mob Knecht, who had just punched his team's ticket to the semifinals.  He was the hero of the moment for sure, but as with every game in this fantastic series, it was a total team effort. 

7-6 was the FINAL score.  Baycat fans will have all winter to ponder whether or not Benitez should have gotten the hook.  Was he out of gas or could he have toughed it out in the 9th to give Barrie a win?  We'll never know.

Three wins in three days, kolossal!  The Leafs and their rooters ended a memorable weekend in triumph.  They can take a well-deserved breather this week and await confirmation of their semifinal opponent.

Barrie 6 9 0

Toronto 7 13 0

W - Nagorski (1-0, 6.00)

L - Hillier (0-1, 13.50)

BOXSCORE

The Maple Leafs advance to the 2022 IBL semifinals.  The schedule is TBC for now, but the next series is expected to begin sometime at the end of this week.  Everyone can enjoy a well-deserved breather.