Royals up two games on Padres

Tait Lightheart of the Creemore Padres mishandles the ball as Ben Barzo of the Orillia Royals reaches second base during Game 1 of the junior division championship series in Creemore on Aug. 7, 2023. (David Anderson photo)

August 11, 2023

The Orillia Royals have taken a two-game lead over the Creemore Padres in the best of five junior division championship of the North Dufferin Baseball League.

A 5-3 victory Monday afternoon and a 10-3 win on Wednesday night has the Royals within a game to defeat the defending league champions.

Game 1 was held at Creemore's Gowan Memorial Park with Orillia plating a single run in the first followed by three in the second. They added a lone run in the fifth frame.

Creemore on the other hand was limited to three runs, all scored in a late seventh inning come-back attempt.

Ben Barzo led the Royals with three singles, Jhett Winkel and Chase Brennan with two hits, a single from Kobe Geofroy and a double by Teddy McCollum-Kuntz.

Liam Reynolds, Gavin Mikaczo, Brady Reynolds, Josh McBride, and Tait Lightheart singled in the game for the Padres.

Creemore started the series with Nic Guthrie on the mound. He pitched all seven innings, gave up five runs on nine hits, walked two batters, hit one, and struck out seven.

Wyatt Thompson pitched six and two-thirds for the Royals, allowing three runs on five hits, while fanning seven.

Max Rutherford came in relief for one out which he executed with a strike-out.

Game 2 was in Orillia at the short-fence Gander Ross Diamond. Orillia used this to their advantage with five home runs on the night.

Scoring three runs early in the game, the Royals added five runs in the second inning all scored on four homeruns. Orillia's Brennan hit his second homer of the night in the fourth to bring in another run and in the sixth frame the

Royals plated their tenth run.

The Padres managed two runs in the second with a Lightheart single to score one and a sacrifice fly to centre field by Guthrie to score the other. Liam Reynolds hit a solo home run in the fifth.

In all, Creemore was limited to seven hits, including a single from Anson Dupuis and Mikaczo. Brady Reynolds and Lightheart hit two singles and Liam Reynolds with his homer.

Brennan had another big night for the Royals with a single and two home runs. Barzo and Owen Kaczanowski chipped in with their own homers. McCollum-Kuntz hit a home run and two singles with teammates Winkel and Nolan Ness-Thomas hitting a single each.

Geofroy toed the rubber for the Royals for two and two-thirds of the game, giving up two runs on three hits, walked one, hit two batters and struck out two.

Kaczanowski came in for one-third of an inning, walking one and striking out one batter.

McCollum-Kuntz pitched three innings, giving up one run on four hits, walking one and striking out three to record the win.

Rutherford finished the game for one inning, walking one batter and striking out three.

McBride was on the hill for the Padres, giving up ten runs on ten hits, walking two, hitting three batsmen, and striking out seven over his six innings of work.

In both games the Royals have been aggressive on the base paths, stealing bases and taking advantage of passed balls. Their pitchers have been effective in their duties keeping the Padres off balance.

The series takes a break as Orillia heads to provincial championships this weekend. Game 3 of the finals is scheduled for August 16 in Creemore at 6:15 p.m. in a do-or-die game for the defending league champions.