Orangeville Giants win two, move into the lead
The Orangeville Giants have moved into the lead of the North Dufferin Baseball League championship series winning two games against the defending champions New Lowell Knights on Sunday 3-2 and 6-4.
A doubleheader was set up for Sunday after rain on Saturday forced a second game in the series to be postponed. The two games were played at New Lowell’s park with the Knights as home team in both.
The Knights scored first in game four with a run in the second inning. They would add their second in the fourth frame.
Orangeville plated two runs in the fourth frame and added the winning run in the fifth to take the game 3-2.
For Orangeville Brett Chater and Drew Huerter both singled twice with Mike Wallace, Matt Drury and Nick Hodgson contributing singles.
Sean Thompson, Todd Gowan, Brandon Norrie and Allan Brownridge singled for the Knights with Dale Lightheart and Chris Greer hitting two singles in the losing cause. Norrie also chipped in with a double.
Hodgson pitched a complete game giving up two runs on nine hits, walking one Knight while hitting two.
Brownridge was on the mound for the Knights allowing three runs on six hits, walking two with four strikeouts. Norrie relieved him in the seventh inning giving up one hit while striking out one Giant.
In game five, the Giants opened the first inning with a run, which was quickly answered by New Lowell in their half scoring three.
In the third Orangeville plated another run to bring the game within one. New Lowell’s Sean Connor hit a solo homerun to maintain the two run lead in the bottom of the third.
The game was tied in the fourth inning after Chater hit a two-run home run and the Giants added two more runs in the fifth to take the lead. New Lowell was shut down for the last three innings losing 6-4.
Hits were recorded by Kevin Buck, Huerter, Derek Gordon, Daryl Bond, two from Mitchell Pike and Wallace, and the homerun from Chater.
Greer and Thompson both singled for the Knights with Thompson hitting a double. Todd Patton and Norrie each hit two doubles and Connor homered.
Jesse Edmunds pitched one inning for the Giants allowing three runs on three hits, walking three and striking out two. He was quickly replaced by Hodgson who after throwing seven innings in the first game of the day, pitched another six innings giving up one run on five hits, two walks with one strikeout.
The Knights started Norrie on the rubber for four innings of play. He allowed four runs on six hits, walked five and struck out two.
Gowan pitched the remaining three frames, giving up two runs on three hits, walked one and hit one batter, while striking out five Giants.
The series resumes on Saturday in Orangeville for game six and if required a game seven will be played in New Lowell on Sunday. Both game times are 1 p.m.
David Anderson photo: Nick Hodgson of the Orangeville Giants delivers a pitch in game four of the North Dufferin Baseball League championship series Sept. 18 in New Lowell. Hodgson was the winning pitcher in two games, pitching 13 innings, giving up three runs on 14 hits.
