The Maple Leafs have spent this year’s IBL playoffs being the comeback kids-rallying in both of their series’ to force a game seven and shock the league to reach the championship.
Last night in game one of the Dominico Trophy championship series; it was the rally of the home team Baycats that would be the story of the night.
A dominate pitching duel from both teams was at hand as the Leafs starter Marek Deska threw for seven complete innings, allowing for just one run on six hits and one walk with 3 strikeouts on 99 pitches.
Baycats ace Emilis Guerrero allowed all three Leafs runs (two earned) on six hits with one walk and delighted the near 700 in attendance with six strikeouts.
Both pitchers exited the game after seven innings, and if you’re a Baycats fan, that’s when the fun started.
Barrie’s Jaspreet Shergill took the mound for the top of the eighth and allowed just one hit.
For Toronto, it was Brett Van Pelt in relief with a 3-1 lead looking to close out the game and send the Baycats fans home unhappy.
Barrie fan favourite Jordan Castaldo had other plans. The first baseman blasted a three run homerun in the eighth to give the Baycats a lead they would not relinquish and a 1-0 series lead heading to Toronto for game two.
Reliever Adam Hawes would close out the ninth allowing two hits and striking out one.
The hero of the game was elated and relieved that his team got through that first game battle against a Toronto team that doesn’t know how to quit. “That team can grind but so can we,” said Castaldo. “Coming off a ten day layoff was long for us and they’ve been playing straight through, but we just had to find our groove and take it one pitch at a time.”
As it seemed like Barrie wasn’t going to be able to put anything significant together against a tough Deska, Castaldo knew that with patience and focus he and his team would eventually get the better of the Toronto mound.
“The ball looked like a beach ball coming at me all game, but it took a while to finally get a piece of it,” said Castaldo. “That Toronto squad is a great team and this is going to be a dogfight for sure.”
In the friendly confines of Coates Stadium, the spectators were in a loud and boisterous mood from the minute the doors opened last night.
Barrie native and Olympic bronze medalist Megan Lukan threw out the first pitch while the Barrie District Girls Softball Association Mite squad was on hand providing a lot of old school cheers and high pitch yelling.
Heading on the road, some fans may feel like they’ll be out-numbered at the famed Toronto Christie Pits.
Barrie catcher Kyle DeGrace feels like it will be another home game for the Baycats as the majority of the team hails from the Six and their supporters will be out in droves.
“I start work at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday so I’ll be able to catch a nap before the game and not be late,” said DeGrace. “I’ve been playing in that park since I was eight years old, that’s home to me; its home to many of us. Don’t get me wrong, it’s going to packed with Maple Leafs fans, but all our families and friends will be there too. It’s going to be a great environment, the Mayor of Toronto has been tweeting out the schedule and when we played there in 2007 you couldn’t see a spot of grass in from foul pole to foul pole so I hope it’s like that again.”
If you’re a Baycats fan and want to support the club tonight in Toronto, it’s free to watch all games in the Pits.
If you don’t get a seat, most baseball fans watch from the grassy section that is there as well and most in attendance have historically taken a blanket to sit and watch some legendary games.
The Baycats and Maple Leafs game two starts at 7:30 p.m. tonight. If you want to head down and support the Baycats, the Maple Leafs play at Dominico Field at Christie Pits on the southwest corner of Christie Street and Barton Avenue.
