Knights and Giants split games in NDBL final

 In Sports

The championship series of the North Dufferin Baseball League featuring the New Lowell Knights and Orangeville Giants is underway.

The first two games of the best of seven series were played over the weekend. The Knights, defending league champs, took the first game 10-3 while the Giants won the second game 4-2.

The Knights dominated game one played at New Lowell on Saturday after scoring four runs in the second inning, they added one more in the third to take a five run lead.

Orangeville answered in their half of the fourth scoring three runs. A fourth run was plated in the inning but was appealed by the Knights as the runner failed to touch third base on the way home.

The Knights responded with two more runs in their half of the fourth frame adding another three runs in the fifth to take the game 10-3.

New Lowell also dominated in hits, recording 13 over six innings at bat. One of the hits included a three-run home run from Todd Gowan. Gowan also doubled in the contest as did Brandon Norrie and Todd Patton.

Norrie, Steve Baldry and Jake Nicholson hit singles while Chris Greer, Sean Connor and Dale Lightheart each had a pair of hits.

Bill Shaw and Matt Drury singled for the Giants.

Gowan pitched for the Knights and over seven innings allowed three runs on two hits, walked four and struck out seven Orangeville players.

For the first four innings Darius Barlas toed the rubber for the Giants giving up seven runs, ten hits, walked two, hit one batsman, and recorded four strikeouts.

He was relieved by Carson Burns who pitched two innings allowing three runs, on three hits, and walked two.

Orangeville hosted game two on Sunday scoring two runs in the first inning and maintaining the lead for the next two innings.

In the top of the fourth, New Lowell managed to tie the game with two runs but Orangeville plated two more in the fifth to win the game 4-2.

Mitchell Pike and Nick Hodgson singled for the Giants with both Kevin Buck and Derek Gordon hitting a single and a double. Mike Wallace doubled in the winning cause.

New Lowell’s Patton, Connor, and Baldry each singled with Norrie hitting a double.

Hodgson was on the mound for the Giants and allowed two runs on four hits over his seven innings. He walked one, had two hit by pitches and struck out six New Lowell batters.

For the Knights, Norrie gave up four runs, seven hits, walked three, hit one batter while fanning three over his six innings.

New Lowell and Orangeville are the two remaining teams of the 14 team senior loop. New Lowell beat the Bolton Dodgers in first round action and the Aurora Jays in the second round.

Orangeville made the finals winning series over the Clearview Orioles and Ivy Leafs.

Championship series action, which is only played on weekends, will halt over the Labour Day weekend to allow both teams to compete at provincial championships, along with nine other league teams.

The finals will pick up again on Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. in New Lowell and Sept. 11 at 2 p.m. in Orangeville.

David Anderson photo: Nick Hodgson of the Orangeville Giants tags Dale Lightheart of the New Lowell Knights at home plate to make an out during the third inning of game one of the North Dufferin Baseball League championship series Aug. 27, 2016.

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