Baycats Surge Late for 8-2 Win in Series Opener Against Majors

Barrie, ON – Home crowds love having something to cheer about.

For most of Thursday night’s series opener between the London Majors and the Barrie Baycats, all the fans could cheer about was the phenomenal pitching performance from both sides. An 8-2 Baycats win did not seem likely in the fifth inning with no runs on the board to that point.

Given the pitching matchup, it was not surprising to see the first runs of the game come in the sixth inning. Frank Garcés and Travis Keys were engaged in a very entertaining pitchers' duel. Garcés tossed eight innings of one-run baseball, striking out ten. Keys matched his counterpart through five innings with six strikeouts but ran into trouble in the sixth.

At some point, a run was going to be scored, and in this case, it was not one run but two. Baycats first baseman Malik Williams took advantage of a 1-0 pitch to his liking and deposited it over the right field wall, scoring Brandon Hernandez ahead of him. Keys finished his night after seven and a third innings, taking the loss.

In an outing that deserved a win, Frank was given more good fortune as his offence was not done. Two innings after the Williams blast, the Baycats were threatening again. Nolan Machibroda, Adam Odd, and Canice Ejoh drove in runs for Barrie. Hernandez and Williams contributed as well, and the Baycats scored six in the eighth inning.

Frank picked up his second win of the 2024 postseason. Carlos Sano came in to pitch the ninth and secured the win.

Baycats win 8-2.