Game 7 awaits as NDBL rivals trade blows
The North Dufferin Baseball League (DBBL) championship series remains deadlocked after the New Lowell Knights and Owen Sound Baysox traded wins over the weekend.
Owen Sound took Game 5 on Saturday in New Lowell with an 8-3 win and New Lowell responded with a 6-1 win in Owen Sound on Sunday forcing a deciding Game 7 this coming weekend.
The Knights held the Baysox scoreless through two innings in Game 5 and jumped out to a three-run lead in the first. But Owen Sound surged ahead in the third, scoring four runs off an Adam Shaver grand slam. The Baysox added two more in the fourth and one run each in the sixth and seventh innings to seal the win.
Shaver also added a single for Owen Sound. Robert Doyle contributed a home run and a double, while Ryan Bartley, Greg Slater, Steve Barrett, Bryan Post and Kevin Zettler each chipped in with singles.
Zakery Hayward led the Knights with a double and two singles. Chris Greer hit a double, and Brandon Norrie, Jake Nicholson and Brett Elliott each added singles.
New Lowell starter Nick Hodgson pitched 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on six hits, walking one and striking out one. Chris Esson came on in relief, throwing three and a third innings and giving up two runs on four hits, with one walk and two strikeouts.
Nate Kramer toed the rubber for Owen Sound, pitching a complete game. He allowed three runs on seven hits, walked four, hit one batter and struck out two.
In Game 6 on Sunday afternoon, the Knights took control early on some sloppy plays from the Baysox, scoring two runs in the first and four more in the second. A Kurt Roy triple drove in two of those runs, giving New Lowell a commanding lead. Owen Sound’s lone run came on a right-field homer from Shaver – his second of the weekend.
Strong pitching from both sides kept the remainder of the game scoreless over five innings.
New Lowell’s offence was led by Tanner Zeggil with four singles. Nicholson added three singles, Roy hit a triple, and Norrie, Elliott and Greer each had singles.
Slater had two singles for Owen Sound, while Doyle, Bartley and Post each added one, in addition to Shaver’s home run.
Trevor Smith started on the bump for Owen Sound, pitching three and a third innings and allowing six runs on eight hits. Bartley finished the game, giving up three hits, walking one and striking out four.
Norrie earned the complete-game win for New Lowell, allowing one run on six hits, hitting one batter and striking out three.
The final game of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. in New Lowell, where one team will hoist the Strother Cup.
David Anderson photo: Kurt Roy of the New Lowell Knights slides into third base for a two-run triple before the ball reaches Adam Shaver of the Owen Sound Baysox during Game 6 of the NDBL championship series on Sept. 21.
