The SweatSox came into Wednesday night’s matchup at Trillium with a perfect 2-0 record and plenty of early-season confidence, but the Bytown Bats had other plans.
After the SweatSox grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Bats answered with runs in each of the final four official innings played and pulled away for an 8-4 victory, spoiling what had been a promising start for the reigning hot bats of the SweatSox. The win moved the Bats to 1-0-1 on the season, while the SweatSox fell to 2-1 after opening-week wins over the Lumberjacks and Barons.
The game’s most dramatic moment came in the seventh inning, when SweatSox had the tying run at the plate with two outs and a full count. Jaspreet Sanghra stepped in with a chance to launch a game-tying three-run home run off the best pitcher in the tier Max Rose, only for the ballpark lights to suddenly go out at 10:55 p.m., ending the night in the most frustrating way possible.
“I had been waiting my whole life for that moment, only for the power to go out,” Sanghra said. “I guess we’ll never know if I was going to do the impossible.”
Home plate umpire Henry Beelen was equally unimpressed with the abrupt finish.
“I demand the NCBL get a refund from the City of Ottawa for the five minutes we were robbed of,” Beelen said.
Josh Ramage took the loss for the SweatSox, making his second start of the season and grinding through six innings in a complete-game effort. He allowed 11 hits, five earned runs and four walks while striking out a career-high eight hitters.
It was not an easy night behind him, however, as the SweatSox were charged with four official errors and continued to make life difficult for their starter.
“I need and expect more from my defense,” Ramage said. “And honestly, the official scorer should be investigated, because in my personal record book there was at least six or nine errors and zero earned runs.”
Defensively, Geoff Nolan made a strong season debut at shortstop, collecting two key assists, including a first-inning double play that helped settle things early. At first base, Larry Pawelek handled business with an assist and four putouts, including one sequence in which he was accidentally stepped on, and another where he appeared to crawl the ball to first.
Nick Henderson, who manned second base, had nothing but appreciation for Pawelek’s unconventional style.
“Larry does his best work from his knees,” Henderson said.
Elsewhere on the diamond, Andrew Hierlihy became the 12th different player since 2015 to patrol centre field for the SweatSox. Only one ball was hit his way, and it found grass for a base hit up the middle. Still, Hierlihy had a clean sheet in the field and noted that the SweatSox were leading 4-1 when he was removed from the game.
“I had zero errors,” Hierlihy pointed out afterward. “And we were winning 4-1 when I came out of the game. I’m not saying there’s causation there, but the correlation is definitely interesting.”
Offensively, the SweatSox showed enough sparks to keep the game close for most of the night. Ron Martelle reached base in all three of his plate appearances, working three walks, while Nolan helped give the SweatSox their early lead with an RBI double in the first. Rookie James Paul added an RBI single and also recorded the first hit-by-pitch of his career, bringing him to within 316 of Sanghra for the franchise lead in that category.
“Hitting, and getting hit in Tier 3 is easy,” Paul said. “Maybe I should’ve looked for a Tier 1 team to play for instead.”
Nick Henderson and Steve Brown added the other SweatSox hits, one apiece, though Brown felt the box score undersold his evening.
“I could’ve had more,” Brown said. “But for some reason batting fifth in the order is basically the new leadoff, so I had very limited opportunities to produce.”
The Bats’ offence was paced by Ben Bartholomew and Matteo Panetta, who each collected three hits, helping keep pressure on the SweatSox throughout. On the mound, the Bats rolled out a strong pitching mix of Keaton Mather, Evan Woronecki and Max Rose, and all three kept the SweatSox off balance while the visitors stranded 12 runners in six innings.
Bats manager Cameron MacDonald, as upbeat as ever, said the plan worked exactly as intended.
“That was the strategy going in,” MacDonald said. “Never let that dangerous SweatSox offence get going and keep mixing things all night. Full credit to both teams for a hard-fought game.”
The SweatSox will look to bounce back this Sunday at Kinsmen against the Lumberjacks in a 6:00 p.m. start, weather permitting. Cory Bond is scheduled to make his first start on the mound in nearly two years, and just his fifth start in 10 years, again weather permitting.
Final SweatSox vs Bats Notes/Thoughts:
- 25mm of rain will definitely wipe Southgate off the map.
- If it’s raining simultaneously on Colonnade, in Kenmore, and outside Campbellford, there’s no way we’re playing.
- James wanted a hat, until he realized the cost was too high. Nobody was more devastated than Craig.
- At the Conroy Pub that one time, we did not stay late, in fact I think all we left immediately, which was fortunate because I think someone was shot there later that night, possibly by the Osgoode serial killer who to this day remains at large. The bartender wasn’t wrong about Craig though.
- Mark is always running… away from his baseball responsibilities.
- Why hasn’t Trevor checked-in yet?
- Phil has an Only Fans side hustle, that may or may not involve leprechauns from Notre Dame.
- Craig with a very late ‘out’ RSVP, but at least he let us know.
- Mark couldn’t make it because he was hosting a Survivor finale watch party.
- I wonder how many pearls are on the Gloucester High School roof.
- 00 is a tough jersey.
- Boobi 35
- We should all eat more carrots.
- Mike’s best swing of the night was on the bat throw.
- Miller Lite is A Fine Pilsner.
- Nothing turns Trevor on more than random ejaculate in a trophy, except maybe a female goalie.
- Nick talks a good can crushing game.
- “No Shirt, Yes Service” only applies to Trevor.
#SUNDAYVIBES!☀️