Two offensive outbursts enough for Black to win Battle of Ontario

Ontario Black shortstop Adam Hall runs out of the box after putting the ball in play. (Photo Credit: Tyler King)

By: Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

Two innings of offence were all Ontario Black needed to sink Ontario Green in Game 4 of Tournament 12.

With the game tied sloppy play led to the first runs of the game in the bottom half of the third inning. Ontario Green starter Landon Leach, with a fastball that touched 92 mph, hit leadoff man Rashad Collymore before Noah Naylor stroked a single through the left side.

Collymore, trying to go first to third, drew a throw from left that sailed over the third baseman allowing Naylor to scamper into second. With the highly touted Adam Hall up next, Leach uncorked a wild pitch that scored Collymore and gave Black a 1-0 lead. Hall then cashed Naylor from third with a groundout.

Boxscore: Ontario Black 4 Ontario Green 1

Ontario Black starter and Ontario Blue Jay Noah Skirrow cruised through his four innings of work picking up the win. He allowed a hit with three walks while striking out seven Ontario Green hitters. He was replaced by the Great Lakes Canadians Tyler Whalen in relief who would collect the save with three innings of work.

Skirrow certainly earned the praise of former big leaguer and Ontario Black coach Pete Orr. He reiterated the point of the 1-1 count making it difficult on the hitters, something Skirrow used to his advantage en route to his seven strikeouts.

“Noah pitched great,” Orr said. “The 1-1 count makes it hard on the hitter, if you can get strike one, which is really strike two it really helps.”

Leach also saw his day come to an end after four. He allowed two hits, two runs (one earned) while punching out six.

The game stayed 2-0 until the top of the sixth when Ontario Green got themselves on the board. Trei Cruz worked a two-out walk, stole second and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Noah Myers. Myers advanced to second as Ontario Black attempted to gun down Cruz at the plate.

Trei Cruz slides into home plate to score Ontario Green's only run. Photo Credit: Tyler King

It wouldn’t be a one-run game for long as Ontario Black answered immediately in the home half of the sixth. Adam Hall hit a one-out single and stole second, his third steal of the game. After a walk to Malik Williams, Ontario Black used back-to-back singles to score two runs and put the game out of reach.

Orr pointed to the play of Hall as a key factor for his team.

“Adam Hall obviously stands out,” Orr said. “He is just aggressive and runs the bases well.”

Happy with the win, Orr points out the important part is making sure the players enjoy the moment.

“We tell them to have fun,” Orr said. “We're not really coaches, we just tell them to relax and try to help them get better.”

Despite the loss, Ontario Green coach Rick Johnston was happy with the game and the entire tournament yet again.

“It is outstanding, first class,” Johnston said. “We have a great group of kids who are eager to get to the next level.”

Ontario Green takes on Alberta Red Saturday morning while Ontario Black gets set to face BC Orange on Saturday afternoon.