{"id":4276,"date":"2025-06-17T16:32:16","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T20:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/?p=4276"},"modified":"2025-06-17T17:13:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T21:13:04","slug":"bayley-falls-lenardon-rises-in-trillium-classic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/17\/bayley-falls-lenardon-rises-in-trillium-classic\/","title":{"rendered":"Bayley Falls, Lenardon Rises in Trillium Classic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ogilvie, ON-<\/em> The SweatSox scored early and often Sunday night at Trillium, stringing together runs in five straight innings and finally solving a decades-long puzzle: defeating the legendary Mike Bayley. The 9-6 win over the Rockets improves the \u2018Sox to 6-4 on the season, while the Rockets drop to 5-4-2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story heading into the game wasn\u2019t just the standings. It was The Bay<\/em>. The SweatSox have struggled against him for years<\/em>\u2014four decades\u2019 worth, in fact. But this time, the tide turned. A 3-run fourth-inning T-Bills special gave the \u2018Sox the lead for good, and they never looked back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy for them, really,\u201d said Bayley, the wily vet who has haunted the SweatSox since dial-up internet. \u201cThey finally got their win against me. But truth is\u2014I\u2019ve got my 50th birthday bash coming up in Vegas later this year, and I needed a little walking-around money. So I fired up my “The Score” App, dropped my whole bankroll on the SweatSox, and took a dive. Payout came in before I even hit the post-game handshake line. Made a killing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately for the \u2018Sox, word of Bayley\u2019s start led them to bet their entire emergency fund against<\/em> themselves… \u201cHe got us again,\u201d said Phil Leduc. \u201cGuy\u2019s unbeatable\u2014even when we win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key moment of this monumental upset came in the bottom of the second, when the Sox, trailing 2-0, badly needed a spark. Cory Bond dropped a surprise sac bunt that moved runners into scoring position, directly leading to our first run (a Leduc RBI single), and a newfound confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was either drop a bunt or strike out,\u201d CBond said after the game. \u201cSo I dropped the bunt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bats stayed hot from there. Craig Cornell and Larry Pawelek both went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Josh Ramage and Kent Johnston each chipped in with a pair of hits too. But the loudest knock belonged to Trevor Williams, whose two-out, two-strike, two-run double in the fourth gave the SweatSox the lead for good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTrevor\u2019s double was clutch,\u201d said manager Cory Bond. \u201cLike, actual clutch. Not just the kind you say because you have to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starter Josh Ramage picked up the win, his third of the year, after gutting out 4 innings of 7-hit, 4-run ball, striking out 2 and walking just one. Eric White locked it down with 3 innings of relief, punching out five and earning his first save of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“…And that\u2019s what happens when you stick to the game-plan,” Ramage said after the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kent Johnston was one again our standout on defense, tracking down 3 fly balls in mini center field\u2014but left dreaming of more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI felt so helpless watching those two HR\u2019s drop just over the fence, I would’ve caught them both anywhere else\u201d said Johnston. \u201cBut you can\u2019t blame the short porch for those\u2014you have to blame the pitcher, Josh. His fault 100%.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Jaspreet Sanghra led the infield with four assists and a putout at second base. \u201cI can still be better,\u201d he said. \u201cIf I could just jump a little higher, I would’ve caught that one liner tonight\u2014and maybe saved Josh from his obvious error at Allen last week too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every team has a weak link, and on Sunday, it was a family affair. Cory and Mark Bond combined to go 0-for-6 with all 3 of the team\u2019s strikeouts. No errors though!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hate baseball,\u201d Mark said simply after the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the loss, the Rockets had their moments. Brad Richardson was solid in 3+ innings of relief, and Max Mueller and Randy Upshall had two hits each. One of Randy’s hits was the one of two Rocket bombs surrendered by Josh Ramage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI actually considered going to Tier 2 and playing with the Padres just to avoid facing Ramage four times a year,\u201d said Upshall. \u201cSo to square one up and finally take him deep\u2014it felt extra special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The big swing of the night, though, belonged to Nick Lenardon. With a three-hit game, including a metaphorically \u201cmammoth\u201d shot, Lenardon set an NCBL record with his 57th<\/s> 56th career home run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s no team I\u2019d rather set this record against than the SweatSox,\u201d said Lenardon. \u201cThey\u2019ve always played hard, and I\u2019ve got nothing but respect for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

@ncbl<\/a> All-Time Home Run Leader, Nickels Lenardon! #57 pic.twitter.com\/eGLE524W3s<\/a><\/p>— Rockets (@NCBLRockets) June 16, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>