IBL regular season going to extra innings to determine top seed

Photo by Art Ward

CAMBRIDGE – The Intercounty Baseball League’s regular season is going to extra innings.

Welland and Guelph each finished the season with 31-11 records after winning Sunday afternoon, creating a two-way tie atop the standings. London could join them with a win Monday night in Toronto. The Majors and Maple Leafs were rained out Sunday.

If there’s a three-way tie for first place, Welland would finish third based on head-to-head records. London would hold the tiebreaker over Guelph based on run differential and then host a playoff game against the Royals Tuesday or Wednesday to determine top seed entering playoffs.

The Majors would finish third with a loss Monday, and Guelph would host Welland in a playoff game after winning four of six meetings with the Jackfish in the regular season.

Welland finished with a 13-6 win in Hamilton. Justin Gideon went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI. Brandon Nicholson singled twice and drove in two while stealing three bases, ending the season with a league-best 48 swipes.

Tyler Dupuis went 3-for-6 with an RBI and two runs, Mattingly Romanin had three hits and a run, while Gianfranco Morello and Greg Marco each drove in a run.

Mike Wagner (2-0) earned the win, allowing three runs on eight hits over five innings. He walked one and fanned four.

For Hamilton (12-30), Dennis Dei Baning swatted a pair of home runs as part of a four-hit game. He drove in three and scored four times. Luis Jean and Tyler Duncan both added an RBI and Ethan Seymour had two hits and two runs.

Michael Bonaccorso (0-2) took the loss. He was charged with four runs on five hits over two innings. He walked two and struck out one.

Seventh-place Hamilton will face the second-place team in the first round of playoffs.

In Kitchener, the Royals took an early lead and held on for an 8-7 win.

Malik Collymore went 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI for Guelph. Conner Morro and Ashton Patterson each had two hits and two RBI, while J.D. Williams went 2-for-4 and scored.

Jeifry Nunez (2-0) went seven innings for the win. He gave up four runs on nine hits and struck out six. Andrew Case earned his fifth save, allowing two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings. He walked two and struck out one and stranded the tying run on second to preserve the win.

Liam Wilson and Robbie Gauthier each went deep for the Panthers (15-27), who will face the third-place team to open the postseason.

Wilson drove in two, while Gauthier’s home run was a solo blast. Andy Leader went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run, Evyn Sherman drove in two, David Polson had two hits and a run and Keegan Marsden went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Brett Reid (0-6) was touched for five runs on five hits over three innings for the loss. He walked two and struck out one.

In Barrie, the Baycats’ scheduled Sunday night game against Brantford was rained out and won’t be played as it has no bearing on the standings. The fifth-place Baycats (21-20) will face Toronto (24-17) in the first round.

Brantford (2-39), which has lost 18 straight, will get the first-place team.