Baycats even series after three-run seventh
KITCHENER – Three runs in the seventh inning broke a 3-3 tie and made the difference in the Barrie Baycats' 6-4 win over the Kitchener Panthers in Game 2 of the IBL final Thursday night at Jack Couch Park.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1 with Game 3 Saturday in Barrie.
Barrie batters barely had to swing in the decisive inning, taking advantage of five walks – one intentional – to score three times on one hit.
Jordan Castaldo drilled a solo home run, one of eight Barrie hits. Starlin Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with two RBI, Kevin Atkinson and Kyle DeGrace each had an RBI, Branfy Infante scored twice, and Glenn Jackson had two hits and two runs.
Emilis Guerrero (1-0) picked up the win in relief, allowing a run on four hits with three strikeouts over 3.1 innings.
Chris Nagorski recorded the last two outs for his second save.
Matthew St. Kitts started and went five innings, giving up three runs on nine hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
For Kitchener, Mike Gordner went 3-for-5 with a solo home run, while Zach Johnson also had three hits and scored once. Tanner Nivins singled twice, Mike Andrulis drove in a run, and Colin Gordner had two hits and an RBI.
Jonder Martinez (1-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts over six innings.