By Brian Lockhart

The Mansfield Junior Cubs gave up a loss to the Orangeville Bengals in their final game of the regular season on the diamond in Mansfield on Thursday, July 12.

Orangeville posted two runs in the first inning, which made all the difference in the final tally of the mid-week game.

The Cubs got on the scoreboard in the third inning when Dylan Brown singled to put two men on base. Ben Nicholson followed up with an RBI that brought in a run.

It was a 4-1 game in the top of the fourth when the Bengals brought in a run on a double and followed it up with a single that brought in a second run.

The Cubs were shut down in the fourth and fifth innings, with no men getting on base in the fourth and one single in the fifth.

Mansfield closed the score in the sixth inning when Tristan Park hit a double to get on base. Owen Van Delon followed that with a double that brought in a run.

Jakob Hayward had a good hit that brought in another Cubs run to make it a 4-3 game.

The game ended with a 5-3 Orangeville win when the Bengals scored in a wild play at home plate.

Both teams played well defensively with few errors, but after the game, the Cubs admitted it was a lack-lustre performance on their part.

“Things weren't clicking out there at the right time,” said Cubs pitcher Aidan Pain. “But that's baseball.”

Coach Lance Bryan said he thinks the team will improve during the playoffs.

“We're playing uninspired baseball right now,” Lance said. “I think they will come around in the playoffs.”

The League held a meeting on Monday, July 15, to determine the playoff schedule.

The Cubs have secured a playoff berth and were waiting for the final standings to see who they would be up against in the first round.

Playoffs will be quick, with the first round being a best-of-three competition.