Baycats win 8-3
Just before midnight last night, a fog began rolling through Barrie and its surroundings, capping off a night of wild weather and closing another chapter in the playoff rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Barrie Baycats.
The arm of Santos Arias and the bat of Jordan Castaldo helped Barrie retake the lead in this series. Santos pitched eight innings, giving up just three runs while striking out six. Castaldo led the home side's offence with three hits and five RBIs.
The arm of Santos Arias and the bat of Jordan Castaldo helped Barrie retake the lead in this series. Santos pitched eight innings, giving up just three runs while striking out six. Castaldo led the home side's offence with three hits and five RBIs.
The 'Cats jumped out to an early lead, but the never-say-die Torontonians almost staged another comeback. The Leafs fought a game-long battle with Barrie's playoff ace, through darkening skies and a lengthy rain delay, Late in the game, a rally-killing decision by the umpires went against them, and the Baycats rolled on to the win.
The Leafs' six hits were scattered throughout the game, and all went for singles. Jon Waltenbury, Raul Borjas, and Johnathan Solazzo each drove in one of Toronto's three runs.
Following a long rain delay, the Leafs began to mount what might have been another comeback in this series.
In the eighth inning, they loaded the bases with Waltenbury on first, Grant Tamane on second and Connor Lewis on third. With Santos beginning to fade, Solazzo hit a single to drive in Lewis and make it a 4-3 ballgame. Tamane got the hold signal at third. Waltenbury rounded second, slipped on the basepaths but made it back to the bag and the umpire there called him safe. This prompted manager Angus Roy to sprint out of the Barrie dugout, full tilt. He argued the call and the infield umpires held a conference, after which Waltenbury was called out. This prompted manager Damon Topolie to sprint out of the Toronto dugout, full tilt. He argued the reversal of the call, but the home plate umpire let it stand and Waltenbury was out. Santos got Borjas to ground out next, ending the inning, but once again a late Toronto rally had been snuffed out by an umpiring decision. The Leafs raged at the situation, echoing a scene that had played out on this same field in game one.
Still, the Leafs had some outs left and they couldn't score any more, end of story. Meanwhile, the Baycats pounced on Brett Van Pelt and Marek Deska in the bottom of the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Toronto will have a chance to send this series to a seventh game tonight, when these two sides clash again at Christie Pits.
The Barrie Baycats welcomed the Toronto Maple Leafs to Coates Stadium for game five of their semi-final series, under cloudy and darkening skies. The starting pitchers were Santos Arias and Brett Van Pelt.
The game started on time and Barrie got on the board quickly, after Santos pitched a 1-2-3 top half of the first. Rightfielder Ryan Spataro led off with a double, then advanced to third on a putout by catcher Kyle DeGrace. First baseman Jordan Castaldo singled to drive in Spataro. A single by DH Jeremy Walker would also drive in Castaldo, making it 2-0 Baycats after one inning.
Barrie doubled their lead in the bottom of the 2nd. Centerfielder Glenn Jackson singled and stole second. Spataro was then walked by Van Pelt, and Jackson advanced to third on a flyball out by DeGrace. Castaldo promply drove him in with his second single in as many innings. A double by third baseman Kevin Atkinson drove in Spataro to make it 4-0 Barrie through two.
Flashes of lightning appeared on the horizon and a wall of black clouds rolled over the park as the 4th inning got underway. Santos hit rightfielder Grant Tamane with a pitch to start the inning. Tamane moved to second on a sacrifice by second baseman Dan Marra, and then scored on an RBI single by first baseman Jon Waltenbury. A passed ball allowed Waltenbury to take second, and then he scored on an RBI single by leftfielder Raul Borjas. 4-2 Barrie through four.
Midway through the fifth inning, the skies finally cracked open and a steady rain came down on Coates. The umpires quickly sent both teams to their clubhouses. Fans scrambled to find covered areas, took shelter in their vehicles, or departed for the night. The rain delay lasted almost an hour and a half, but when the rain finally ceased, the Barrie grounds crew restored the field to playing condition and it was game on again.
Despite the 86-minute delay, both starters returned to the mound and pitched goose eggs into the 8th inning. The Leafs began a rally. Shortstop Connor Lewis and Tamane each singled. Another sacrifice by Marra moved them up a base. Waltenbury was intentionally walked to load the bases. A single by third baseman Johnathan Solazzo drove in Lewis, but Waltenbury was tagged out at second. Santos got out of the inning with no further damage, but it was now a one-run ballgame, 4-3 in Barrie's favour.
The Baycats broke it open for good in the bottom of the 8th. Shortstop Branfy Arias doubled, Jackson singled, and Spataro singled to load the bases. Marek Deska came in to pitch in relief of Van Pelt. He got DeGrace to strike out, but then gave up a bases-clearing double to Castaldo. A single by leftfielder Steve Lewis drove in Castaldo and doubled Barrie's tally to 8-3 through eight.
Chris Nagorski relieved Santos and closed out the ninth to seal Barrie's 8-3 win on a wild, wet night.
Barrie 8-15-0
W - Arias (3-0, 1.56)
L - Van Pelt (1-2, 7.04)
The Baycats now take a 3-2 lead in this semi-final series. Toronto can tie it up again later tonight, in game six at Christie Pits.
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