Padres win junior division title
The Creemore Padres are the junior division champions in the North Dufferin Baseball League after winning three-straight games against the Innisfil Cardinals in the final series.
Creemore won 6-4 in Game 3 on August 19 to claim their second championship in the last three seasons.
Before Monday’s game, the two teams met August 5 and 14. Creemore won the first game 12-9 and mercied Innisfil 12-0 in the second game.
Game 2 saw the dominant Padres score single runs in the first three innings, added another three in the fourth, and six in the fifth inning. Three of the runs coming in on home runs by Liam Reynolds and Zakery Hayward.
Creemore racked up 14 hits in the game. Hayward in addition to the homer singled twice, Reynolds chipped in with a single, two hits came from Gavin Mikaczo, a single and double from both Seth Walker and Aiden Hunt, and singles from Josh Hanley, Anson Dupuis, and Nic Guthrie.
Innisfil was limited to three hits in the game, one each from Aidan Farrow, Jackson Levely, and Michael Dawe.
Innisfil started Aiden Reeves who pitched four and one-third innings, allowing nine runs on 11 hits, walking two and striking out four.
Carter Bone pitched two-thirds of an inning conceding three runs on three hits and walking one.
Creemore’s hurler Josh McBride threw five scoreless innings, giving up three hits while striking out three for the win.
The final game played in Creemore was a closer contest between the two rivals.
Innisfil started the game with a lead off second-pitch home run from Farrow, but the momentum changed to the Padres in their half of the inning when Reynolds hit a home run followed by Hayward and Dupuis crossing the plate to take a 3-1 lead.
In the fourth inning, the Cardinals scored Dawe and Caden Firlotte to tie the game. Creemore answered with a lone run by Walker in the bottom of the inning to retake the lead.
For good measure, the Padres added two more runs in the fifth frame when Reynolds and Mikaczo scored and held the Cardinals off in the remaining two innings.
Innisfil was out hit in the game with only Farrow’s home run and single and a single from Luca Primomo.
Creemore had seven hits on the night, including the home run from Reynolds who also recorded a single, a double by Seth Walker, and hits from Hayward, Dupuis, Guthrie, and Brady Reynolds.
The Padres started Reynolds on the mound. He pitched four innings allowing four runs on two hits, walking four and striking out two.
Guthrie pitched in relief for three scoreless innings, giving up one hit, walking two batters, and striking out three.
Noah Ubogi toed the rubber for the Cardinals, pitching four innings, allowing four runs on five hits, and striking out four Padres.
Primomo entered in the fifth inning and over his two innings of work allowed two runs on two hits, walking three and hitting one batsman.
In a post-game presentation, league secretary and junior division convenor Scott Anderson, noted the great season by both Creemore and Innisfil and presented the Anderson Trophy to Mikaczo, Hayward, and Hunt of Creemore.
David Anderson photo: The Creemore Padres won the NDBL 2024 junior division championship on Aug. 19, 2024. Pictured are back row from left: coach Chris Hayward, Kole Walker, Gavin Mikaczo, Josh McBride, Brady Reynolds, Nic Guthrie, Seth Walker, coach Jesse McIntyre. Front row, from left: Aiden Hunt, Josh Young, Zakery Hayward, Anson Dupuis, Lukas Hayward, Liam Reynolds. Missing from photo: Josh Hanley.
