Baysox swing to 2-0 series lead over Knights

The Owen Sound Baysox hold a 2-0 lead over the New Lowell Knights after posting 5-4 and 7-2 victories on the weekend in the North Dufferin Baseball League senior championship series.

Game 1 was played Saturday afternoon in New Lowell and needed extra innings to determine a winner. Game 2 followed Sunday afternoon in Owen Sound.

Owen Sound opened the scoring Saturday, plating one run in the first inning and two more in the second. New Lowell responded with a run in the fourth and added two in the fifth to tie the game.

After seven regulation innings, the eighth remained scoreless. In the ninth, Owen Sound pushed across two runs to take the lead. The Knights, in a do-or-die situation, replied with one run and left two runners stranded in the final frame.

Baysox batters found success at the plate. Robert Doyle hit a triple and a double, while Steve Barrett added two doubles. Kevin Zettler and Adam Shaver each contributed two singles. Ryan Bartley, Ryan McNeill, Bryan Post, Greg Slater and Paul Van Cedar also singled.

New Lowell recorded seven hits, including doubles from Steve Bowman and Sean Connor. Connor also singled, as did Chris Rettie and Chris Greer. Brandon Norrie chipped in with two singles.

Nick Hodgson pitched all nine innings for the Knights, allowing five runs on 12 hits. He walked four, hit one batter and struck out four.

Owen Sound’s Bartley also went the distance, giving up four runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out six.

In Game 2, the Baysox offence powered the win with two home runs – a three-run shot in the first inning by McNeill and a two-run homer from Van Cedar in the fifth.

Owen Sound added two more runs in the fourth inning.

The Knights were held scoreless until the fifth, when they plated one run and added another in the seventh.

Tristan Cabral doubled for New Lowell, while Norrie, Kurt Roy, Jake Nicholson, Nic Guthrie, Dale Lightheart and Jesse McIntyre each singled.

McNeill added two singles to his home run, while Bartley also hit two singles. Shaver doubled, and Post and Slater each singled.

Nate Kramer took the mound for Owen Sound, allowing two runs on seven hits, walking six and striking out two.

Norrie started for the Knights, pitching four innings and giving up five runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Chris Esson pitched the next two frames, allowing two runs on two hits.

The best-of-seven series resumes this weekend with Game 3 on Saturday in New Lowell and Game 4 on Sunday in Owen Sound. Both games are scheduled for 1 p.m.