Baycats Sweep Maple Leafs with 18-9 Victory, Advance to Second Round

Barrie, ON – Hello Second Round

Marcus Knecht’s two-run walk-off single in Game Three of the 2022 Intercounty Baseball League first-round secured a sweep for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Barrie Baycats. That moment, aside from losing in Game Six of the IBL finals to the Welland Jackfish a year ago, might have been one of the best things that has happened to this era of the Baycats under Josh Matlow.

Fast forward to the 2024 playoffs, and things are different… much different. Since that devastating loss at Christie Pits two years ago, Barrie has had Toronto’s number, winning 11 out of the 12 regular-season matchups in 2023 and 2024 combined. Sure enough, that success translated to the playoffs, and after an 18-9 win in Game 3, the Cats are moving on.

They returned the favour, sweeping away their Highway 400 rivals, and are off to the second round.

Similar to Game One, Sunday afternoon’s contest was high-scoring. For the Barrie Baycats, it was the formula that has given them success all season: station to station, not trying to do too much, just hitting the ball hard somewhere. Eight out of the nine Barrie starters recorded a hit, with eight Baycats knocking in at least one run.

Nolan Machibroda drove in four runs, with two hits, a double, and a run scored. Brandon Hernandez—who was a nightmare all series for Toronto pitching—added three more RBIs today, bringing his postseason total to 10. The home side scored in all but one inning, highlighted by a five-run fourth and a four-run seventh.

Stat: Out of the 18 hits, no home runs.

As for Toronto, it was a completely different ballgame. Five baseballs left the yard off Baycats pitching. However, four out of the five long balls were solo shots. Normally in baseball, you cannot win only on solo home runs.

Despite the big hits, Baycats starter Juan Benítez was solid. Only three of Benítez’s five runs allowed were earned as he threw seven innings, picking up the win. Sam Greene did not have the same luck, surrendering seven earned runs in his four innings of work and being charged with the loss.

Hayden Jaco, who was a late scratch from the lineup today, closed out the game on the mound, pitching around Jesse Hodges’s second home run of the game and ending the series.

Baycats win 18-9 and take the series 3-0.