Maple Leafs lose Game 2 to Baycats, trail 0-2 in series

By Rob Vona

The Toronto Maple Leafs fell short to the Barrie Baycats by a score of 4-3 in Game 2 of the first round of the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) Playoffs on Saturday night at Dominico Field. 

With the loss, the Maple Leafs now have their backs against the wall trailing 2-0 in the best-of-five series. 

The Baycats struck in the first inning, centre-fielder Canice Ejoh lined a booming double off of the wall to give Barrie an early scoring chance. 

Ejoh scored two batters later on an RBI single from first baseman Malik Williams.

Cesar Rosado took to the mound for the Baycats and found himself with two men on and two outs with Maple Leaf slugger, third baseman John Solazzo at the plate. 

Solazzo swung at the first pitch from Rosado and hammered it to centre-field, it was Ejoh who made a leaping grab at the wall to bring back the ball and rob Solazzo of a home run, injecting energy throughout the Baycats squad. 

After giving up the one run in the first inning, Wilgenis Alvarado settled in nicely for Toronto, breezing through the next three innings before surrendering another RBI single in the fifth inning. 

It was a pitcher’s duel for all to enjoy as Rosado got through five scoreless innings before the Maple Leafs made some noise in the bottom of the sixth inning. 

A leadoff double from right-fielder Marcus Knecht followed by a walk from Solazzo saw the first two runners reach base, a fielder’s choice saw both runners advance to second and third base respectively, giving the Maple Leafs a great opportunity to score. 

Toronto manufactured one run on a fielding error from Baycats second baseman Adam Odd, cutting the deficit in half, now trailing 2-1 heading into the seventh inning. 

Alvarado came back out for the eighth inning and gave up a leadoff double and then a single, which saw the end of his day. 

He exited the game with seven and one-thirds innings pitched and 12 strikeouts, responsible for both runners on base. 

In came Dustin Richardson, tasked with sitting down the next two batters. Richardson sat down the first batter on strikes, but then surrendered a double down the right-field line to third baseman Hayden Jaco, scoring both runners making it a 4-1 game. 

Rosado saw his day come to an end after seven strong innings that saw him give up only one run while striking out 11 strikeouts. 

Carlos Sano entered in relief for Barrie and cruised through the bottom of the eighth inning. 

Trailing by three runs, the Maple Leafs had three outs to work with. 

With one runner on, catcher Justin Marra cleared the right-field fence with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, making it a one-run deficit.

Sano settled in and sat down the Maple Leafs with authority, as the Baycats came away with the gutsy 4-3 victory.

Game 3 goes down on Sunday afternoon at 3:05 p.m. at Vintage Throne Stadium.