Baycats win 8-5
Last August, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Barrie Baycats went the distance in the IBL semi finals, exchanging a fury of jabs, crosses and hooks over seven titanic rounds.
The old familiars went at it again tonight at Christie Pits, with the Baycats emerging victorious, 8-5.
The combatants took the field on a cool, windless evening. The small crowd on hand thinned out sometime after the third inning, after the Christie Pits workout club jogged away from their stretching station up the left field line.
The visitors grabbed an early lead, stretched it out in the middle innings, then held off a late rally to earn the win.
Sean Mattson (above) belted his second home run of the season -- a solo shot in the 5th to give him a team-leading 5 RBIs after a couple of games.
Starter Brett Van Pelt was outduelled by counterpart Brett Lawson, the former giving up six earned runs over five innings while the latter gave up just one over seven, while striking out 10.
As the season gets going, the Leafs are showing confidence in their ability to put runs on the board, especially in bunches. This bodes well in a place like Christie Pits, where no lead can ever be considered safe.
Game Recap:
Brett Van Pelt of the Toronto Maple Leafs faced Brett Lawson of the Barrie Baycats on a cool spring evening at Christie Pits.
The Baycats led off the scoring in the top of the 1st inning, as rightfielder Ryan Spataro drew a walk and stole second, then came home on a single by first baseman Jordan Castaldo.
In the top of the 2nd, Barrie scored again. Shortstop Branfy Infante singled and second baseman Jeff Cowan doubled, then Infante scored when third baseman Conner Morro grounded out. 2-0 Baycats after two.
Barrie doubled its lead in the top of the 4th. Van Pelt gave up walks to Cowan and left fielder Brandon Dhue. Morro then drove in one run, and centerfielder Glenn Jackson drove in another on back-to-back singles, making it 4-0 Barrie through four.
Infante tacked on two more runs for the visitors in the top of the 5th, when he hit a 2-run homer.
Lawson held the Leafs hitless through 4.1 innings, until Sean Mattson launched one over the centerfield fence to put the home side on the board. 6-1 Barrie after five.
Marek Deska relieved Van Pelt after the 5th, and pitched two scoreless innings of relief.
Justin Cicatello came in to pitch the top of the 8th and he retired the Baycats in order.
The Leafs were glad to see the back of Lawson's lofty frame for the last time after 7 innings. Jaspreet Shergill relieved him to start the bottom of the 8th and Toronto pounced. Catcher Brendan Keys worked Shergill for a walk, then centerfielder Julio Guzman singled. Second baseman Grant Tamane walked to load the bases, and then DH Ryan White hit a sac fly to left to score Keys. First baseman Jon Waltenbury followed with a single to score Guzman. Shortstop Johnathan Salazzo rounded off the scoring with a double that brought home Tamane and Waltenbury. Adam Hawes got the call from the Barrie bullpen to put out the fire, but when the smoke cleared the Baycats held on to a 6-5 lead.
Barrie was able to add a pair of insurance runs in the top of the 9th. Morro and Jackson both singled off of Cicatello and advanced on a sac bunt by Spataro. A sac fly by catcher Kyle DeGrace brought Morro in to score, and a single by pinch hitter Jeremy Walker plated Jackson for an 8-5 Baycats lead.
Hawes retired the Leafs in order in the bottom of the 9th to earn a save and lock down the win for Lawson and an 8-5 final score.
Barrie 8-11-1
Toronto 5-4-1
W - Lawson (1-0, 1.28)
L - Van Pelt (1-1, 7.20)
S - Hawes (1)
BOXSCORE
The Maple Leafs are now 1-1 to start the season. Their next game will be this Saturday, May 21st in Guelph, the five-pin bowling capital of Canada, and also home to the Guelph Royals baseball club.
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