Baycats win sixth straight IBL title

KITCHENER – The Barrie Baycats clinched a sixth straight Intercounty Baseball League title, beating the Kitchener Panthers 15-0 in Game 6 of the Dominico Cup final Saturday night at Jack Couch Park.

First-place Barrie went 12-2 in the playoffs and is the first team to win six consecutive championships since the Brantford Red Sox did it from 2008-13. 

Playoff MVP Ryan Spataro went 4-for-6 in Game 6, going deep twice and driving in four while also scoring four times. In the postseason, Spataro slashed .519/.581/.907/1.488 in 54 at bats. He had three home runs, 15 RBI, 19 runs and four steals.

Ryan Rijo went 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs, Starlin Rodriguez singled three times and scored twice while driving in a run, Jon Waltenbury had two hits, two RBI and a run, Kevin Atkinson scored twice and had an RBI, Kyle DeGrace drove in a run and scored, Glenn Jackson had an RBI and two runs, and Conner Morro scored. 

Adrian Salcedo (4-0) went eight scoreless innings for the win, scattering three hits and walking three while striking out five.
For Kitchener, which finished second in the regular season, Andy Leader doubled, and Ryley Davenport, Mike Gordner and Liam Wilson all singled. 

Yoen Socarras (1-2) took the loss. He allowed one run entering the fifth when the Baycats scored four and chased him from the game. Socarras’ final line was five runs allowed (three earned) on seven hits in 4.2 innings. He walked four and struck out four.

After making it 5-0, Barrie blew the game open with a nine-run sixth to spoil the Panthers’ comeback. Kitchener was trying to even the series after three losses.