Late Brantford Rally Hands Baycats 8-6 Defeat

Barrie, ON – The Barrie Baycats carried a two-run lead into the eighth inning Friday night, but a late surge from the visitors was the difference as the Brantford Red Sox scored seven unanswered runs over the final two frames to claim an 8-6 victory.

Barrie struck first in the opening inning when Edgar Figueroa launched a solo home run to the opposite field, giving the Baycats an early 1-0 advantage.

Brantford answered in the third as Christian Ortega drove home Jakob Cantor with an RBI single to even the score.

The Baycats regained control in the fourth. Canice Ejoh put Barrie back in front with an RBI single before Noah Hull lined an RBI double to left, extending the lead to 3-1.

Brantford trimmed the deficit to one in the fifth on Tim Holyk's RBI single, but Barrie immediately responded in the bottom half. After Adam Odd and Wandy Ciprian reached base, Carson Barker ripped a two-run single to restore a three-run cushion at 5-2.

The game turned dramatically in the eighth inning.

Brantford sent nine men to the plate and erased the deficit with four consecutive RBI singles. Tim Holyk, Christian Ortega, Nick Iannantone and former Baycat Christian Kuzemka each drove in a run as the Red Sox surged ahead 6-5.

The visitors added insurance in the ninth when Brody Black delivered a two-run double to right field, coming all the way around on a throwing error. Black’s little league home run stretched the lead to 8-5.

Barrie refused to go quietly in the bottom of the ninth. Wandy Ciprian tripled to center field to score Nolan Machibroda and cut the deficit to two, but Jorge De La Cruz recorded the final outs to secure the save and preserve the Brantford victory.

Carson Barker paced the Baycats offensively, finishing 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Edgar Figueroa went deep for his second home run of the season. Noah Hull added an RBI double in the loss.

Christian Ortega and Tim Holyk each collected three hits and two RBIs to lead the Brantford attack.

Jose Arias earned the victory in relief for the Red Sox, while Braedan Pakkala was charged with the loss after Brantford's eighth-inning rally. Jorge De La Cruz picked up the save.