North Dufferin Baseball League honours players at awards banquet

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

The North Dufferin Baseball League held its annual awards and lunch on Sunday, March 8.

The event was held at the Lisle Legion and included individual and team awards from the 2019 season.

Team awards went to the Bolton Brewers for first place in the east division while the Ivy Leafs finished first in the west division. Both teams ended the regular season with a 20-5 win-loss record for 40 points.

In the junior division, the Ivy Blues finished first with 27 points with a 13-2-1 record.

Tristan Cabral of the Clearview Orioles took home his first best batter title with a .484 average during the year.

Bolton Brewers' Mike Wallace won the best on base percentage with a .659 average and also took home the most runs award with 38. Teammate Carter Burnside was named the league's best catcher.

Midland Mariners' Jeff Shilling hit eight home runs for the season taking top spot.

The Tom Anderson Memorial Award for the most sportsmanlike player was presented for the first time since the name of the award was changed to recognize Anderson who died in 2018. Ron DiPalma of the Bolton Dodgers won the title.

Brandon Norrie of the New Lowell Knights was named the most valuable player.

Peter Kinghan of New Lowell and Mike Wallace of the Bolton Brewers tied for coach of the year.

The top pitcher award went to Brad Grieveson of the Ivy Leafs. Grieveson has been named top pitcher 12 times, with his first in 2006.

In the junior division, Brendan Lovell of Ivy Blues won the best batter title with a .477 average, while teammate Charlie Jeans had the top on base percentage at .652. Another Ivy player, Domenico Morea had the most home runs at two and Mitch Tucker, also of Ivy, picked up his second straight win with the most runs scored at 19.

Matthew Haire of the Orangeville Rockies won his first top pitcher award.

The most sportsmanlike player award went to Ian Leggault of the Orillia Royals. Leggault and Ivy's Ryan Barr shared the most valuable player award.

The league also hosted the first meeting of the year after the awards presentation.

The senior division has dropped to 12 teams from 14 with the loss of Orangeville from a suspension last year and a leave of absence from the Alliston Athletics.

The junior division will feature five teams, with a new addition from Creemore.

Teams will meet in April to finalize the schedule.