Cubs trailing in playoff series

August 13, 2014 · 0 Comments

The NDBL playoff series between the Mansfield Cubs and the Ivy Leafs got off to a wild start in game one of the series when the Cubs had a huge fourth inning to come from behind and score eight runs in a single at-bat.
The Cubs were trailing 3–0 at the end of the first when Ivy made a couple of smart plays and sacrificed a runner with a bunt to get into scoring position.
A second inning ground rule double drove in another run to make it a 4–0 game.
It was the fourth inning when the Cubs came alive.
After playing the first three with a side-arm style pitcher on the mound, and little success from the Mansfield squad, the Ivy team changed it up and put a fastball hurler in play.
That made all the difference for the Cubs who suddenly started getting their bats working.
Tyler Linger led off with a single to shallow centre field that drove in the first Cubs run.
Jarrett Abbott followed up with a hit to right field that brought in a second Mansfield run.
The Cubs bats kept working with singles from Jesse Ragazzon and a Bill Hawkins that tied the game at four.
Logan Wallace’s hit down the first base line gave the Cubs the lead they were looking for.
It was Rob Kinsley’s out-of-the-park effort that saw the ball pass left field just inside the foul-line marker and drop onto Highway 50 that brought in three runs and gave the Cubs an 8-4 lead in the opening game of the series.
“Our team’s a fastball hitting team,” Said Cubs second baseman Jarrett Abbott, of why the Cubs started connecting when Ivy changed up their pitcher. “First of all you’ve got a guy throwing slow fastballs – junk – then another guy comes in and starts throwing fastballs. You gear up, choke up, and try to put the ball in play.”
The next two games didn’t turn out as well for the Mansfield squad when they travelled to Ivy to play games two and three of the series.
Game two saw the Cubs shut-out when Ivy left the diamond with a 10–0 win on Friday, August 8.
The return to Ivy for game three on Sunday, August 10, again saw the Cubs come up short to trail 9–4 at the end of the seven innings of regulation play.
North Dufferin Baseball League series are won by the first team getting six points.
Teams are assigned two points for a win and a single point for a tie, meaning a best of five series could go on for a few more games if a few a games end in a tie.
After the three games in the Mansfield / Ivy series the Cubs have one point for the tie in game one. Ivy now has five points – one for the tie and two points for both winning games.
The series will return to Mansfield on Wednesday, August 13.
The Cubs must come out on top to keep this series alive. A tie or a loss means their season is done.
The game is scheduled for 6:15 at the diamond in Mansfield.