The Inside Pitch
Rona Cashway brings home win from Aurora
By Lee-Ann Brinovec Junior rookie

Filebank Records junior rookies (K3) played host to their fellow King team, Tile Source (K1) in their first meeting of the season last week.

Filebank Records used some stellar defence to get off to a strong start against a Tile Source team that has been hitting the ball with authority of late. Justin Topp, Giselle Murphy and Matthew Murphy all flashed the leather to help limit Tile Source to just five runs after their first nine batters, with just one batter left to step up to the plate, and the bases loaded. Unfortunately for Filebank, that last batter was Emily Brinovec, who drove the ball deep to centre field. Outfielders Rory Costello and Katie Douglas raced after the ball and fired it back to the infield, but not before the speedy Emily had circled the bases for a grand slam home run.

It was Tile Source's turn to take the field and they followed up their great at bat with some outstanding defence of their own. Kurtis Lewandowski was a confident first baseman, knocking down ground balls and beating the Filebank batters to the base to record two unassisted outs. Rory Paric and Angelo Grande patrolled the infield, not letting any hits touch green. At the plate, Filebank fought back with Cadence Opoka- Mulins, Giselle Murphy, Ffion McKay and Katie Douglas all enjoying a perfect evening at the plate with two hits each and also crossing home plate twice. McKay and Douglas each stroked out doubles and Murphy was responsible for three RBIs.

Player of the game for File bank Records was Katie Douglas who displayed some excellent base running.

Senior rookie

Rona Cashway traveled to Aurora last Monday to face Aurora's Priestly Demolition, and it was worth the trip as they came home with a 16-13 victory.

The game got off to a great start with Kyle Venberg connecting for a double and Rachel Price and Julien Cristante hitting long singles. Venberg was a hitting machine, as he followed up his double with a pair of triples, a single and an out-of-the-park home run. Each hit garnered him numerous RBIs. Andrew Smith helped out his team offensively with three singles, and Price and Cristante connected for four more hits each, including Prices' double in the second inning. Not only was Price a force at the plate, she also got the job done defensively, tagging out a runner at second base and getting to balls quickly in the outfield.

Player of the game for Rona Cashway was Kyle Venberg for his outstanding hitting and his defence at first base.

Last Monday, the TVS Development Corp. sponsored team broke a tie in the bottom of the last inning against Aurora Master Cut, to win 11-7.

Great defence was the key to the game early on as the Cobras held the Aurora team within striking distance until they could get their bats warmed up in the later innings. Scott Cameron and Myles Cook led the way with two singles apiece, while Mathew Lancaster hit from the left side for the first time and it seemed to work for him as he connected for solid base hits. In the last inning, Sarah Valentini scored the winning run off a single by Daniel Pignataro.

Mosquito

Armstrong Petroleums (K1) visited James Lloyd Park Thursday and played to a 12-12 tie against Remax D&L.

The game started off on the slow side, with five unearned runs, all of them walks. Things heated up in the third, however, when the King bats came alive. It was started by Nicholas Bell smashing in an RBI, and then with runners on, Matthew Fiorni connected for extra bases, driving in two more runs. Josh Hollings finished off a fiverun inning with a home run and cashing in two more. Kayla Blackbird made a great play at second base to stop the Aurora runners from advancing when King took the field in the bottom half of the third. Andrew Cippolone, who had walked, stole second then third, and reached home on a bad throw, produced the only run in the fourth. The last six runs scored by Armstrong Petroleums were well earned and the coaches were glad to see that the nine days between games did not affect their performance.

Peewee

Last Wednesday at King City Upper Diamond, Glen Hulse Plumbing (K1) played host to hometown rivals Rhind Electric (K3), in the first of three meetings between these two teams in the next three weeks.

The first game of the series went to Rhind Electric in a high scoring 19-15 affair. It was certainly not a defensive duel, as both teams connected for multiple base hits. Rhind Electric started out slow, not getting on the score sheet until the third inning when they cashed in the maximum five runs and then blew the game wide open with a 12- run open fourth inning.

Every player on the team reached base at least once, with mosquito call-up Andrew Cippolone going three-for-four with two doubles and a single. He was also an asset on the field, as he combined with catcher Travis Brinovec to pick off Patrick Price who attempted to steal second.

The bats of the Glen Hulse Plumbing team were also active, with the best hitter being Jonathan Mele who was three-for-three, with two singles and a double. Jordan Upiter reached base all three times he stepped to the plate, including a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth inning. In fact, he was the only base runner that K1 got on base in the sixth, as the next three were struck out by closer Stewart Burman who preserved the victory for Rhind Electric. If this game was any indication, the next two should be just as exciting.

Bantam rep team rides

solid pitching to first win

For the first time all season, the bantam rep Cobras received clutch relief pitching to go along with an outstanding effort from their starter, and were able to parlay the combination into a victory, thus ending the six-game losing streak which opened their season.

Joel Winer gave up only one earned run over three innings, while Josh Lipscombe came on in the fourth and went the final two frames, surrendering only one run as the Cobras defeated Toronto Playgrounds 9-3 at Christie Pits in Toronto last Sunday.

This first victory was like the proverbial weight lifted from the shoulders and as the game progressed and it looked more and more as if the "townshippers" would not be seriously challenged. You could see the relaxed play in the boys.

With the coaching staff shaking things up a bit, Christian Shorthill played his first game behind the plate and looked solid. One could also say the same thing for Brady Boccia in the outfield, especially when he roamed deep into left field to haul down one of the few balls to reach the outfield all night off a Toronto bat. Danton Brinovec at second, Ryan Forletta at short, Lipscombe at first and Steve LaVerde in the field all were involved in this scrambled lineup which, coupled with pitching, made the long trip home much more pleasant.

At the plate, all of the bunting practice that the boys have been doing paid dividends as Dylan Rochon and Shorthill moved runners along all night. Winer (twofor two with a pair of RBIs), Forletta (three-for-three with two RBIs), Brinovec (twofor two with one RBI) and Lipscombe (two-for-two with a pair of RBIs) were front and center as the Cobras pounded out 11 hits. Brandon Oukes and Steve LaVerde also had an RBI each.

The team's next home game is in Nobleton July 3 at 7 p.m. against Newmarket.

Sponsor of the Week

The King Township Baseball Association (KTBA) would like to thank this weeks' sponsor of the week, Rhind Electric, sponsor of the peewee 3 team, for supporting baseball in King Township.

Player of the Week

The King Township baseball player of the week award goes to Joel Winer from the bantam rep Cobras.

Joel hails from Markham, and since his arrival, the rep team has both jelled and improved its play. He has shared his knowledge of the game, is his teammates greatest supporter, and for a first time starter on the mound he has been outstanding. Congratulations Joel, and continued success in your baseball career.