{"id":4332,"date":"2025-07-08T14:53:38","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T18:53:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/?p=4332"},"modified":"2025-07-10T14:57:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T18:57:35","slug":"short-handed-not-short-hearted-sweatsox-outlast-bulldogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sweatsoxbaseball.com\/blog\/2025\/07\/08\/short-handed-not-short-hearted-sweatsox-outlast-bulldogs\/","title":{"rendered":"Short-Handed, Not Short-Hearted: SweatSox Outlast Bulldogs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hamilton Yards, ONTARIO-<\/strong> In a clash of Tier 3 heavyweights battling for sole possession of third place, the SweatSox emerged victorious over the Aylmer Bulldogs 6-3 on Thursday night at the Nepean Sportsplex, riding timely hitting, gritty pitching, and just enough defense to pull it off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both teams came into the contest with matching 8-6 records, knowing the winner would sit alone in third place while the loser slid to fourth. It was a back-and-forth affair early on between two evenly matched clubs, but it was the shorthanded SweatSox\u2014playing with just nine bodies\u2014who found a way to break through late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SweatSox opened the scoring in the first inning, capitalizing on a wild pitch to bring Eric White across the plate. The Bulldogs responded in the third with two runs, thanks in part to three consecutive SweatSox errors by infielders Nick Henderson, Cory Bond, and White.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t pretty there for a minute,\u201d admitted SweatSox starter Josh Ramage. \u201cBut hey, my ma, pa, and nephew were finally here to watch me pitch for the first time in decades\u2014so I wanted to dedicate this one to them. Even if they did bail after that three-error inning, I still appreciates their support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The turning point came in the sixth when Steve Brown once again delivered the knockout blow: a clutch two-strike two-run double to the gap that broke a tense 4-3 game wide open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe SweatSox should really be paying me<\/em> to show up, not the other way around,\u201d cracked Brown postgame, after giving his team the cushion they needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, Eric White closed the door in the seventh, striking out two in a clear non-save situation to secure the SweatSox win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m back,\u201d White declared simply, after a night where he went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored, three stolen bases, and his usual swagger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As expected, Mike Pignat also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a walk and scoring twice. \u201cI think I\u2019m going to take a few weeks off after this,\u201d joked Pignat. \u201cLet these guys figure out how to score runs without me. I can\u2019t keep carrying the load.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Cory Bond might not have recorded an official at-bat, but he still managed to be the sweatiest player on the field, drawing three walks on just 13 pitches. Bulldogs reliever Adam Eriksson could only shake his head. \u201cBad scouting report on our part,\u201d Eriksson confessed. \u201cWe thought that was Mark Bond up there, not Cory.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defensively, the highlight belonged to Trevor Williams, who set the tone right away by chasing down a deep fly ball in the gap, on the run, off the bat of leadoff hitter Willem Nadon in the very first inning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was just in the right place at the right time,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI\u2019m just happy I didn\u2019t let Josh down.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the Bulldogs\u2019 side, Cedric Veilleux later ripped a leadoff double to the track in the third for the game\u2019s longest hit. Samuel\u2014our Phil Leduc\u2019s \u201cson from another hun\u201d\u2014had two of Aylmer\u2019s five hits, while Noah Eriksson added a pair as well. Shortstop Caden Provost anchored the Bulldogs defensively with an impressive five assists and four putouts. And starter Philippe Rollin was sharp through three innings, yielding just one run on three hits before turning it over to the bullpen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the victory, the SweatSox improve to 9-6 to hold third outright, while the Bulldogs slip to 8-7 and into fourth. The SweatSox will return to action in a few weeks on Thursday, July 17, when they face the Coyotes at Kinsmen. First pitch is slated for 6:10 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SweatSox show up with just 9, but use the power of experience and maturity to grind out a 6-3 win over the young, hungry Bulldogs.

WP- Ramage (4-4)

More importantly though, Cory\u2019s been off the grid for the past few days, was anybody able to help Bill get some Apple gift cards? pic.twitter.com\/KtswE529T7<\/a><\/p>— SweatSox (@SweatSox) July 5, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>