Baycats Crush Leafs again

Barrie, ON – The Barrie Baycats wasted no time returning to their home field Thursday night, cruising to a 14-3 victory at Athletic Kulture Stadium.

The Baycats struck first in the opening inning when Canice Ejoh came around to score on a fielder’s choice by Ryan Rijo, giving Barrie an early 1-0 lead.

Barrie broke the game open in the second. Tyler Plumpton and Brandon Hernandez reached ahead of Ejoh, who launched a three-run homer to left field to put the Baycats in front 4-0. 

Toronto chipped away with a pair of runs in the third inning. Brando Leroux drove in one with an RBI double before Yasiel Puig added a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

The Baycats answered immediately and continued to pull away. Francisco Hernandez connected for a two-run home run in the fifth inning, extending the lead to 6-2. Barrie added two more runs in the sixth, highlighted by an RBI double from Rijo and a wild pitch that allowed Hernandez to score.

The seventh inning put the game out of reach. Adam Odd doubled to begin the rally before Hernandez delivered a sacrifice fly. Then Clayton Keyes, who came for Ejoh defensively in the top half, crushed one over the wall, a two-run shot to right field, stretching the lead to 12-2.

Toronto managed a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly from Marcus Knecht, but Barrie responded in the bottom half when Brendon Daley launched a two run home run to make it 14-3.

Juan Benitez earned the win on the mound, settling in after Toronto’s third-inning rally and tossing six strong innings while allowing just two runs. Breidy Encarnacion, Matt Brandt, and Oscar Moreta combined to close out the final three innings, limiting the Maple Leafs to one run and striking out seven batters.

The win improves Barrie’s momentum as they continue their busy schedule after erupting for 14 runs on 19 hits against one of their longtime rivals.

The win improves Barrie’s record to 11-3, while the Toronto Maple Leafs fall to 3-10.

The two teams are right back at it Friday night In Toronto.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.