BAYCATS BEGIN DEFENSE OF IBL CHAMPIONSHIP
By Brian Belcourt, Aug 25, 2025
The Barrie Baycats began their defence of the 2024 IBL champs on Thursday August 21 with best of 5 serious against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Baycats over came a tough start to their season to claim the number 2 seed, giving them home field advantage in the first round
The Baycats won game 1, 3-2 with a walk off win. Toronto got on the board in the third inning when Jhon Javier delivered a clutch two-out, two-run double to right-centre. That would be all the offence the Leafs managed, as Barrie starter Frank Garcés turned in a masterclass on the mound.
Garcés struck out 15 batters over eight innings, scattering just three hits and allowing one earned run. He kept the Baycats within striking distance, silencing Toronto’s lineup after the early blow. His 15 strikeouts matched a career high.
Barrie scratched out their first run in the sixth inning when Francisco Hernandez doubled down the left-field line, bringing in Noel McGarry Doyle to make it 2-1.
The score held until the bottom of the ninth, when the Baycats mounted their decisive rally. Tristan Clarke led off with a single, and Noah Hull followed with another. With one out and the bases loaded, Tyler Plumpton hit a sacrifice fly to centre, scoring Clarke to tie the game. Two batters later, Hull stood on third with Adam Odd at the plate.
Initially, Maple Leafs reliever Luis Florentino threw a wild pitch, but Hull stayed put at third base. However, catcher Justin Marra overthrew Florentino in his throw back, triggering Hull’s mad dash to the plate with the winning run. It was a wild play to cap off a great game.
The Barrie Baycats came up short Friday night, dropping an 11-3 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series at Christie Pits. The best-of-five matchup is now tied 1-1.
The Barrie Baycats came up just short in a tense Game 3 on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Athletic Kulture Stadium. With the victory, Toronto now leads the best-of-five opening-round playoff series 2-1.
The Leafs set the tone early when Ryan Dos Santos hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning off Baycats starter Cesar Rosado. Toronto added to its lead in the fourth as Marcus Knecht connected on a solo shot of his own, making it 2-0.
Barrie answered back in the sixth inning, finally breaking through against Toronto starter Josh Berenbaum. After Noel McGarry-Doyle was hit by a pitch, Brandon Hernandez singled and on his steal attempt of second base, the ball went into centre field letting McGarry Doyle score. Francisco Hernandez drove in the second run to tie the game, bringing the crowd of Baycats fans to life.
But the Leafs had one more swing left in them. In the eighth inning, veteran catcher Justin Marra launched a solo home run off Carlos Sano, restoring Toronto’s lead. Reliever Luis Florentino took it from there, striking out five over 2.2 shutout innings to secure the win.
Game 4 was schedule for Toronto Christie Pitts on Tuesday August 26 and if necessary game 5 was schedule for Barrie August 27. Results can be found on Baycats.com.
