NDBL completes first round of senior playoffs

By Brian Lockhart

The North Dufferin Baseball League senior division is moving into the second round of playoffs after completing the first round during the final week of August.

There were no big upsets in the first round as all the top-seed teams managed to advance but there was still a lot of exciting action on the diamond as none of the teams let up.

The series was a best-of-three competition with the first team to win two games advancing to the next round.

Only the top eight team in the NDBL standings made it to the playoffs this year. The Clarksburg Blues, Lisle Astros, and Bolton Dodgers failed to qualify for a playoff berth.

The first place Bolton Brewers dispatched the eighth place Mansfield Cubs in two games in their series.

The Brewers took an 8-2 win in game one, then followed up with an 10-0 shutout in the second game.

The second place New Lowell Knights were up against the seventh place Ivy Leafs in their series.

After a tight 3-2 win in game one, the Knights capped the series with a 14-0 shut-out in the second game to advance.

In the third series, the third place Creemore Padres faced the sixth place Midland Mariners.

That series went three games with the Padres taking game one, 4-1, and the Mariners responding in game two with a 4-2 win.

The final game had Creemore come out ahead with a 9-4.

The fourth series pitted the Barrie Angels against the Clearview Orioles. Both teams entered the series with identical 5-4 records and 11 points.

Barrie squeezed out a one-run win in game one winning 8-7. The Orioles tied the series with a 1-0 in game two.

Barrie earned the right to advance after winning 3-1 in game three.

The four remaining teams will now advance to the second round of playoffs scheduled to get underway on September 8 – 15.

The championship series will be a best-of-five series slated to get underway on September 18.