{"id":4307,"date":"2025-06-23T16:33:49","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T20:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/?p=4307"},"modified":"2025-06-24T16:48:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T20:48:17","slug":"cory-goes-horizontal-sox-go-vertical-in-standings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/23\/cory-goes-horizontal-sox-go-vertical-in-standings\/","title":{"rendered":"Cory Goes Horizontal, Sox Go Vertical in Standings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TERRY FOX, ONTARIO-<\/strong>  In a game played in oppressive +40\u00b0C heat, the SweatSox narrowly escaped with a 5-4 win over the short-handed Sandbaggers Sunday night at Kinsmen Field. The victory improves the SweatSox to 7-5 on the season, while the Sandbaggers drop to 1-10 in what was the first-ever matchup between the two teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite only fielding eight players, the Sandbaggers came out strong, taking an early 2-0 lead after the first inning, and holding a 3-1 advantage through four and a half. The SweatSox, historically allergic to heat \u2014 and to teams named “Heat” \u2014 looked anything but in control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt felt like we were playing on the surface of the sun,\u201d said infielder Larry Pawelek. \u201cMaybe we should hit the cages. Or a driving range. Or anything that isn\u2019t this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The turning point came in the bottom of the 8th. With the score tied 4-4 and an 9th inning looming, Andrew Hierlihy drew a leadoff walk, his 3rd walk of the game. Steve Brown, making his 2025 season debut, laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt, moving Hierlihy into scoring position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m just glad Craig wasn\u2019t here to poo-poo the small ball plan,\u201d laughed Brown post-game. \u201cI probably wouldn\u2019t have done it if he was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moments later, back-to-back wild pitches brought Hierlihy home, securing a walk-off win \u2014 and one the SweatSox, by their own admission, probably didn\u2019t deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLook, they had eight<\/em> guys,\u201d said Pawelek. \u201cWe had ten plus<\/em> a bench, and we still needed wild pitches to get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric White turned in his most complete outing of the season, allowing just 2 earned runs on 7 hits, striking out 8, hitting one batter, and\u2014remarkably\u2014issuing no walks. The effort earned him his fourth win of the year, as he dug deep to keep the SweatSox alive in a game that always felt on edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy I got the train back on the tracks,\u201d said White. \u201cBut I gotta stop smiling so much out there. Need to lock in better for the playoff push.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His effort was particularly motivated by a dazzling \u2014 and painful \u2014 defensive moment by his longtime manager in the 5th inning. Cory Bond fully extended to make a diving catch in center field, going airborne to rob the Sandbaggers of a potential rally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeeing Cory lay it all out like that lit a fire under me,\u201d White said. \u201cThat\u2019s the kind of sacrifice you pitch 8 innings for. Or 10, if they needed me to.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, that sacrifice comes with a cost. Bond is expected to be out 4-6 with multiple injuries sustained on the play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe looked like a superhero out there,\u201d joked base umpire Jean Lazure. \u201cBut I still want to know why Cory wasn\u2019t able to make that catch back in the 2008 quarterfinals, after his fellow outfielders Bill Freeman and Kent Johnston made similar catches that very same inning\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Offensively, the SweatSox were inefficient at best. The team managed only five hits against an eight-man defense: a double, two decent singles, and two dribblers that were generously ruled hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike Pignat was named Offensive Player of the Game after going 1-for-2 with 2 RBI, including a double in the third to open our scoring. He was also hit by a pitch in the first inning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s my beer?\u201d he asked. \u201cFirst base, second base, the dugout \u2014 I kept looking, but nothing. Unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jaspreet Sanghra and Shaun Keay contributed no-doubt singles, while Nick Henderson and Josh Ramage each recorded infield hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShoutout to our scorebook,\u201d said Ramage. \u201cScorekeeping consistency matters. And today, that consistency worked in our favour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the bats were mostly silent, the SweatSox flashed the leather. Middle infielders Henderson and Sanghra combined for 9 assists, 4 putouts, and \u2014 most impressively \u2014 zero errors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFull credit to Cory,\u201d said Henderson. \u201cHe came in with a sharp gameplan, and Jaspreet and I were able to execute it to perfection.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other side, Sandbaggers starter Nick Bangs turned in a gutsy two-way performance. On the mound, he went 4 innings, allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, walking 4, and striking out just 1, but it was a biggie: Eric White. At the plate, Bangs was 3-for-4, including a triple over a mysteriously shallow-playing Steve Brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corwin Patrick also stood out, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and providing 3.1 innings of solid relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right fielder Brandon Roy \u2014 who had to cover two<\/em> positions \u2014 was in perfect spots all night, robbing the SweatSox of what little offense they managed to generate, with 3 big catches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI liked what I saw from the guys who showed up,\u201d said Sandbaggers manager William Mackey. \u201cIf we cut down on those wild pitches, we\u2019ll be in pretty good shape moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SweatSox are back in action Tuesday night at Brewer Park, where they\u2019ll face the Coyotes at 6:10 PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the forecast calls for less than 40 degrees, expect the full team \u2014 and maybe even some actual hits \u2014 to show up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The @SandbaggersSO<\/a> almost pulled off the ultimate sandbag by only showing up with 8 players and then taking us to extra innings. A walk-off wild pitch was the difference.

Sox 5. Baggers 4.

WP- White (4-2)
LP- Patrick (0-1)

Maybe their 9th guy was stuck in the porta potty? pic.twitter.com\/AHPwAjn2Be<\/a><\/p>— SweatSox (@SweatSox) June 23, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>