Baycats Come Up Short in Welland, Set Sights on Home Matchup vs. Royals this Thursday
Welland, ON – The Welland Jackfish, riding a seven-inning performance from starter Ben Abram, defeated the Barrie Baycats tonight by a final score of 9-3. Home runs from Jonah Weisner and Greyson Barrett propelled Welland’s offence, which scored four runs in the fourth and three more in the sixth en route to their first win of the season.
For the Baycats, Ryan Rijo’s third-inning home run off Abram – his first of the season – gave the visitors an early lead. Catcher Leliis Beltran also connected for his first big fly of the year and his first in the Intercounty Baseball League. Tristan Clarke added an RBI double in the eighth to cap off his three-hit night. Rijo, along with the homer, recorded two hits in the losing effort.
Carlos Sano and Christian Lazar combined to pitch the first four innings. After Sano’s two scoreless innings to start, the rain came at Welland Stadium and may have disrupted Lazar’s outing, leading to a few misplays in the field that helped the Jackfish notch four runs off the Baycats lefty. Lazar gave up just two earned runs, one of which was the Barrett home run to lead off the inning.
Braedan Pakkala was solid in his three innings of work. The Sudbury native allowed one earned run and struck out four. Cesar Rosado also pitched an inning, surrendering an earned run in his only frame and striking out two.
Abram picked up the win (1) on the mound, throwing seven innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts. Brandon Underhill and Halen Knoll closed it down out of the bullpen for the Fish.
Final Score: Welland 9, Barrie 3.
NEXT UP: The Baycats return home this Thursday to face off against the Guelph Royals. First pitch is at 7:35 p.m. at Athletic Kulture Stadium.