Tigers development team notch one in the win column at Whalley Ballpark

The young boys that make up the Delta Tigers development team had a long road to their first victory of the season. Falling short in six attempts against Whalley Grey in late June, and again in four attempts in the Langley tournament over the Canada Day weekend, they were due for a win at this point. The Tigers’ roster consisting of five grade 7’s, seven grade 8’s and just one grade 9 came to play on Tuesday the 6^th in Whalley, and they came out on top in a back-and-forth affair thanks in large part to their senior member’s heroics.

TIGERS 9, Whalley Grey 8

Hard-throwing right-hander Ryder Dingsdale took the mound in the bottom of the 1^st for the Tigers, who has arguably been the development squad’s top pitcher so far. Whenever he’s played a main role pitching-wise this season, he has always given his team a chance to win, which is all you can ask for. Whalley cashed in on a single and a double from their big #3 stick Mayencourt to snag an early 1-0 lead. The next two innings were wild, each team hitting the four-run maximum once during the offensive flurry. Double, single, double, single, and just like that the Tigers were in front. It started with a ringing double over the third baseman’s head by Richmond resident Brayden Abenojar, and he came home on an opposite field single from lefty Noah Farnden. Then came the first of two huge knocks from the MVP of the night, Will Murao, who squared up the second pitch he saw and sent it to the fence in left-centre. Alex North followed that up with an RBI single, once again another left-handed bat taking the ball the other way. Murao plated the third Tigers run of the inning thanks to a pass ball, but their lead would be short-lived. Three singles and a double for the Chiefs were the key ingredients to a four-run inning, despite a couple of nice plays by the Tigers defence. The visitors reclaimed the lead in the top of the 3^rd, catching a huge break on an error that extended the inning. Farnden grounded one to the Whalley third baseman with two out, whose throw pulled the first baseman off the bag, allowing Farnden to reach safely and the Tigers to cut the deficit to just one. In stepped Murao to deliver his second big blow of the game, this time launching the first offering over the wall in left field for a three-run homer! That ended the inning as the Tigers capped off a four-run max of their own, 7-5 after two and a half.

Dingsdale was getting roughed up more than usual, as he wasn’t getting as many strike calls with his fastball and couldn’t use his offspeed pitches effectively, and the Chiefs were taking full advantage in the early going. They tied the game at seven apiece in the third, benefiting from a dropped pop-up in right field that let the tying run come home. Dingsdale allowed one more in the bottom of the 4^th and that would be his last inning of work, needing 86 pitches to get through it before passing the baton to Murao for the final three innings. It was time for the Tigers to rally again, down by one in the top of the 5^th with the top of their order coming to bat. Grade 7 leadoff hitter Connor Fischer got the ball rolling with a single to left, and that was enough to knock the Chiefs’ starting pitcher out of the game. Their reliever had trouble finding the strike zone out of the gate, walking Dingsdale and Abenojar and plunking grade 7 clean-up hitter Jimmy Mellios, forcing the tying run across the plate in the process. That gave Noah Farnden the chance to put his team ahead for the third time in the game, digging in the box with the bases loaded and one out. He pulled his pitch through the hole on the right side for an RBI single – 9-8 Tigers! Unfortunately, they couldn’t capitalize on their opportunity to extend the lead any further and would now turn to the elder statesmen Murao to preserve that lead for good. He received a massive boost from his defense in the bottom of the 5^th, his shortstop Cole Baines turned an unassisted double play after he drilled the first batter of the inning in the back. He pitched himself into more danger with two outs though, putting two more runners on with a walk and a single. That was as close as Whalley would come to taking the lead back from the Tigers this time, as Murao buckled down and struck out six of the next seven batters he faced. Number 0 was no doubt the hero of this ballgame – a double and a homerun at the plate, 4 RBI’s, plus three scoreless innings of relief. Altogether the Tigers swatted 10 hits in what was by far their best offensive performance of the season, but most importantly, their first win as a team!

Onwards and Upwards

               With this victory, now the young Tigers believe that they belong on the same field as their stiff competition from Whalley and Langley. This past Saturday, they picked up their second win of the season out in Langley, 7-6 the final score. Baines has been hot at the dish for the development squad, racking up a bunch of extra base hits, including a bases-clearing triple that put the Tigers ahead in the top of the 3^rd. Their next goal will be to earn a win on their home field before their season ends at the end of July. Eight games remain, five of which will take place at Winskill Park in Tsawwassen, beginning with another date with Whalley this Tuesday the 20^th.