Notes from the Broadcast Booth: Early August Edition
Hey Baycats fans! Patrick Melbourne from Baycats TV here to break down some of the recent moments from the Baycats season, as well as look ahead to the upcoming team games. As always, you can find the full schedule right here on BarrieBaycats.com, as well as in our season program at Vintage Throne Stadium.
As a note, whenever I'm talking in this article from this point on, you'll see the text in blue italics! First though, the Baycats media team has prepared notes on the upcoming schedule as well as a special note of congratulations. One other note - the photo you clicked on to get to this article is from Bob Hurley / Bob Hurley Photography. You can see his game day photos from the last Baycats home game here!
THE UPCOMING SCHEDULE
August promises to be a competitive month for the Baycats - it continues with a big matchup! The Welland Jackfish are in town on Saturday August 6th for a Saturday evening (7:00 PM ET) game. The Jackfish bring an aggressive approach to hitting and baserunning, and they're currently tied in the IBL standings lead with a 25-9 record. You can watch that game live here.
Barrie will also face Welland, again at Vintage Throne Stadium, on Thursday August 11th at 7:30 PM ET.
Following the game on August 6th, the Baycats have a couple of road matchups - the Baycats will be in Kitchener on Sunday August 7th to face the Panthers (2:00 PM ET start time), and they'll be in Guelph on Tuesday August 9th to face the Royals (7:30 PM ET).
The team will return home on Saturday August 13 for their final regular season matchup against the London Majors (4:00 PM ET, the final Junior Baycats Day of the season), and then take a few days to prepare for the postseason before facing Welland on the road on Saturday August 20 (6:05 PM ET) and Brantford at home on Sunday August 21 (7:00 PM ET).
You can watch all home games live on Baycats TV and Rogers tv Barrie (Cable 10) with the commentary team of Ben Davy and Patrick Melbourne, and you can watch select road games on Baycats TV. On Sunday August 7th, the Kitchener Panthers and Barrie Baycats will collaborate on a broadcast that will see Panthers play-by-play broadcaster Mark Paré team up with Melbourne on commentary. Any road games not airing on Baycats TV will be available on BarrieBaycats.com, via the home team's broadcast.
COngrats, Malik Williams!
Malik Williams, following a big performance in Tuesday's Baycats game against the Guelph Royals (two hits including a home run) and an excellent season overall for Barrie (.357 AVG, 4 HR, 16 RBI) has signed with the Ottawa Titans of the Frontier League. The Barrie Baycats would like to wish him the best with Ottawa as they continue their season. Williams made his debut with the Titans on August 5th, batting fifth in the team's starting lineup.
RYAN RIJO'S UNBelIEVABLE MONTH OF JULY
Ryan Rijo had a hit in 12 of 14 games played in July, with 23 hits total in July. He hit four home runs in July. He had 16 RBI in July. He also had three doubles in July.
Basically, Rijo had a very good month of July! He's now hitting .317 for the season with five homers, 26 RBI, and 39 hits. A true IBL star, it's been so much fun to watch him heat up at the plate over this last month. - Melbourne
JOSH COTE HITS TWO HOME RUNS IN IBL DEBUT
That was fun! Josh Cote, making his Intercounty Baseball League debut, started his first game at catcher for the Barrie Baycats on July 29th against the Brantford Red Sox, and immediately felt at home in the league - in his first two official at-bats, he hit two huge home runs!
Cote, now the second Baycats rookie player to hit at least one home run in their debut with the team this season, was named the Baycats Player of the Game following the 15-6 Baycats win. - Melbourne
WELCOME BACK, Frank Garcés!
Man, it's cool to see Frank Garcés back in a Baycats uniform - and unsurprisingly, he has looked brilliant since re-joining the team. Garcés has a 2.70 ERA through three starts so far, striking out 26 batters in 20 innings pitched.
He's gone seven innings in two of the three starts, and now has a 0.92 ERA across 15 starts in his Baycats career. He has been must-watch, and it will continue to be very fun to watch him pitch whenever he's on the mound. - Melbourne
TRANSACTION UPDATE: LAMB, COTE, FRANKLIN, DAWKINS JOIN THE BAYCATS
You've already seen that the Baycats have signed Cote, thanks to his big performance on July 29th, but he isn't the only new addition that the team has seen over the last couple of weeks - the Baycats have also signed pitcher Ethan Franklin, infielder Cooper Lamb, and utility player Kurt Dawkins.
Lamb, who has previously played for the Burlington Herd and Toronto Maple Leafs, made his Baycats debut on July 23rd. In that game, he scored two runs and finished with two hits. - Melbourne
For more information on the Barrie Baycats, stay tuned to BarrieBaycats.com, Baycats TV, and our social media channels - Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!