Panthers Edge Out Baycats For Second Time This Season
MIDHURST - That’s all, folks.
The Kitchener Panthers defeated the Barrie Baycats 4-2 on Thursday evening to improve to 13-11 on the season.
With the loss, the Baycats fall to 11-14.
Panthers starting pitcher Christian Hauck was brilliant, going seven innings while allowing two earned runs on six hits and two bases on balls in the win.
The crafty righty struck out eight Baycats batters.
Panthers right fielder Jett Jarvis led the way at the plate, going two-for-four.
Baycats starter Jaz Shergill took the loss in his season debut, going two innings while allowing two earned runs on four hits.
The veteran IBL hurler struck out four Kitchener batters.
KITCHENER - 4-7-0
BARRIE - 2-7-3
BIGGEST PLAY OF THE GAME...
In the top of the first inning, Panthers centre fielder Andy Leader hit a double off of Shergill, scoring Jarvis all the way from first base. Leader would then come around to score on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.
BY THE NUMBERS...
3. A three-hit game for Baycats slugger Ryan Rijo.
3. Three errors for the Baycats defensively tonight, compared to none for the Panthers. Between the three errors and some poor baserunning by Baycats infielders Marcel Lacasse and Branfy Infante, it was a frustrating night for the Baycats coaching staff.
5. Five fantastic innings of relief by Baycats reliever Christian Mullen, who continued his success against the Panthers this season. Mullen threw five innings of shutout baseball on just two hits. He struck out seven Panthers batters.
QUOTES FROM THE GAME...
- Rijo on the loss: "I'm just going to chalk it up to baseball. At the end of the day, playoffs are coming up and that's what matters. Obviously, you want to win during the regular season but it's good to get the losses out now. It's frustrating, but as a leader on this team, if I get down, that doesn't do anyone on this team any good, so I'm trying to stay positive. We had some chances to score but we didn't get it done. There's always Saturday, Sunday, and next week. That's the best part about baseball."
- Rijo on Shergill: "He wasn't 100% tonight -- he only pitched because we need to get him out there so he can qualify for the playoffs. He wasn't 100% tonight but he'll be fine. He's been here before and he's done it, just like the other returning guys. He knows what it takes so we just need him to get healthy."
NEWS FROM THE GAME...
- Jeff Cowan left tonight’s game with some minor tightness. He will be fine for Saturday’s home game against the London Majors.
NEXT UP...
The Baycats conclude their four game homestand on Saturday evening against London on the first-half of a home-and-home with the first place Majors.
"And with this recap, that concludes my nine-year run with this franchise.
To anyone who ever read or listened to my work, thank you. To David Mills, thank you for being the best boss I will ever have. To the Brocats, thank you for welcoming me into your clubhouse and onto the bus with open arms right from day one. To Mike and Tim Clark, to Brian Backland, to the Ladies at the Gate, and to Dante DeCaria and Ben Shulman, volunteers such as you folks made my time here that much more special. As the years went on, I left earlier and earlier for games, not because I had to get things done, but because I wanted to. I will miss my stop-and-chats with all of you greatly.
I also have to give a special shoutout to Doug Dimma, who brought me into this organization in 2013. When I accepted the position as team writer, I never thought I’d end up staying for nine years, meeting the people I met and creating the memories that I and the people I care about created.
Lastly, thank you to Ryan Rijo for your comments to me at the conclusion of tonight’s game. The Baycats could not ask for a better human being to lead this team through their next journey than you. You are an incredible person and I will forever appreciate what you said to me tonight.
With that being said, it’s time to move on. Thank you everyone, from the bottom of my heart."
#GoodShift
- Ryan Eakin
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Photo: Bob Hurley/Bob Hurley Photography