IBL Quarterfinals - Game 3 - August 25, 2024
Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats
Toronto 9
Barrie 18
Barrie wins the series 3-0
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| Game 3 captured in one image: Jesse Hodges completes one of the Toronto Maple Leafs' five home run trots yesterday, but the gaudy scoreboard tells the rest of the story. |
The 2024 IBL postseason has lost a degree of excitement, following the elimination of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Yesterday at Vintage Throne Stadium in Barrie, the Leafs -- sensational! irresistible! -- were swept out of their quarterfinal series. They lost to the Baycats 18-9, and lost the series three games to none.
In a must-win situation, Sam Greene was given the ball, while Juan Benitez toed the rubber for Barrie.
Under a hot and sunny sky, the early innings were a tight affair. The Baycats scored a run in the first, then the Leafs scored in the second -- a solo home run by Johnathan Solazzo.
The Leafs' third baseman made the defensive play of the game to end the second inning. Kyle Maves popped one up on the third base side. The ball looked to be drifting out of play, but Solazzo stormed to the fence, made the catch, cartwheeled right over and landed safely. He bounced up and hopped back onto the field as if he does this kind of daredevil stuff all the time, no big deal. I needed an Advil simply from standing nearby and observing.
The Baycats scored again and through three innings, they led 2-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, the hosts surged ahead with five more runs. Greene's afternoon was done. His line after four innings was seven hits, seven runs (all earned), six walks and two strikeouts. The Leafs would cycle four relievers through the next four innings.
In the top of the fifth, first baseman Mike Cecchetto hit a solo home run to make it a 7-2 ballgame, but the Leafs would never get any closer. Seeing their chance to wrap up the series, Barrie poured it on.
Two more runs in the fifth, attributed to Landon Leach.
Three more runs in the sixth, off of Julian Valdez.
Four more runs in the seventh, off of Adam Marra.
Two more runs in the eighth, off of Chris Nagorksi.
The Baycats spent most of the day churning runners around the bases. Amid all that, the Leafs hit five home runs, which would have been huge under different circumstances. Right fielder Jesse Hodges hit a pair of solo shots, and catcher Justin Marra hit his third of the series, a three-run blast in the eighth.
By then, it was too late for any kind of uproarious comeback. The Baycats racked up 18 runs on the day. The Leafs managed to score nine, but it was not nearly enough.
On paper these clubs appeared more evenly matched, but Barrie's two home blowouts seized the narrative. The Leafs never led at any point in the series.
As the final outs were recorded on the scoreboard, many of the Leafs sat in the dugout, silent and downcast. The grind of a baseball season becomes all-consuming at playoff time. When the noise halts and the schedule runs out, it is abrupt and brutal.
After recording the twenty-seventh out, the Barrie Baycats gathered on the infield to celebrate. Eliminated early, the Leafs' disappointing season on the diamond came to an end.
Toronto's players and coaches formed an orderly queue for the postgame handshakes and farewells. After that, they gathered their gear and trudged to the clubhouse, the stars that light our summer disappearing from view.
Toronto 9 9 1
Barrie 18 18 3
W - Benitez (1-0, 3.85)
L - Greene (0-1, 15.75)
Congratulations to the Barrie Baycats on a dominant series win. They head to the semifinals looking to reclaim the IBL championship that they last won in 2019.
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