On the Christie Hillside: Series Opener Slips From Leafs' Grasp

IBL Quarterfinals - Game 1 - August 21, 2025

Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats

Toronto 2

Barrie 3

Barrie leads series 1-0

Wilgenis Alvarado pitched a masterpiece for the Leafs.

Late last night in the parking lot of Athletic Kulture Stadium, an overstimulated fan of the Barrie Baycats began berating others making their way to their vehicles.

"HOW MANY INNINGS IN BASEBALL," he roared at the top of his voice. "HOW MANY??"

And pause.

Let's rewind and explain why a grown man would be screaming basic baseball questions at total strangers in darkness.

The ballpark was the setting for the opening game of the 2025 quarterfinal series between the Baycats and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Starters Frank Garces and Wilgenis Alvarado brought their A-games and pitched an intense duel.

Over the first couple of innings, the Baycats recorded a lone hit off the Toronto southpaw.

In the top of the third, leftfielder Luca Boscarino hit Garces with a jab for a single. Third baseman Ryan Dos Santos teased out a walk to put two runners aboard. DH Jhon Javier followed with a solid shot to the outfield and both runners scored.

After a season of drama and drudgery, the Playoff Leafs were back.

As if a switch had been flipped, the normally quiet Leaf bench came alive with chatter and electricity. The Leafs were ahead 2-0 and the lead held as the innings went along.

Bravo Alvarado. He kept the Baycats off the board until the bottom of the sixth inning. He gave up a single to Noel McGarry Doyle. A double by Francisco Hernandez brought the runner across the plate. Alvarado departed the game after pitching six magnificent innings. He gave up four hits, struck out seven, and walked none. It was a 2-1 ballgame after six.

As the outs began to trickle away for Barrie, tension around the ballpark increased.

Josh Berenbaum pitched a scoreless seventh.

Garces laboured through eight innings. He finished the night after throwing 133 pitches, but more importantly he kept the Leafs from adding more runs to their tally.

Luis Florentino entered the game and pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth. The Dominican has the demeanour of a gentle giant, but he throws killer stuff. The inning ended with a strikeout and the Baycats were down to their final three outs.

A nervous giddiness could be sensed around the Leafs' dugout. A Game 1 victory was in their grasp, a big momentum swing to open the series. They could have used some more runs for a comfortable finish, but they'd have to make due with a one-run lead. Javier's two-run double in the third represented their only scoring on the night. Boscarino and second baseman Dan Marra were the only other Leafs to record a hit.

The bottom of the ninth inning began like the previous one ended. Florentino struck out the leadoff batter. But then, the entire dynamic of the previous eight innings shifted. Mist began to seep over the outfield. The pitcher lost his edge. The visitors' throats tightened. The Baycats rallied for two singles and a walk to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Tyler Plumpton scored the runner from third to tie the game. The runner on second moved to third on the play. Florentino worked a 1-2 count on the next batter, and then there followed one of those moments that unfolded as if in slow motion. The next pitch skipped out of catcher Justin Marra's glove and bounced to the backstop. Marra pounced on it as Florentino ran to cover home. The toss back to the pitcher sailed high and past the mound. The runner on third sprinted home and slid across the plate with the game-winning run.

Bedlam in Barrie. A 3-2 walk off victory and Game 1 to the home side.

The stunned Leafs shuffled off the field while the Baycats converged around the plate in celebration.

Florentino took the hard-luck loss and reliever Braedan Pakkala grabbed the win.

This series switches over to Christie Pits immediately tonight, where the Leafs will have a chance to hit reset with a win at home.

Cutting back to the scene in the parking lot, where the unhinged Barrie fan was berating everyone en masse.

"HOW MANY INNINGS IN BASEBALL, HOW MANY??"

After a beat, he continued his oration.

"ONE TO EIGHT DON'T MATTER! IT'S THE LAST ONE! THE LAST ONE COUNTS!"

On this night, he was right.

Toronto 2 3 1

Barrie 3 6 0

W - Pakkala (1-0, 0.00)