A night that started with jubilation after a pregame celebration from the 2024 IBL championship ended in frustration for the Barrie Baycats, who lost their 2025 season-opener to the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-4 in 10 innings.
This was a rematch from the 2024 IBL Playoffs, a quarterfinal series Barrie swept while averaging 15 hits per game, but their offence was stymied for most of this game, while Toronto got off to a quick start.
A 27-minute delay of the first pitch for the festivities didn’t halt Maple Leafs outfielder Ryan Dos Santos, who went deep off Baycats starter Juan Benítez to lead off the game. Then, two more runs crossed the plate before the end of the half-inning.
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Barrie answered with two in the bottom of the first with RBI from two new Baycats, Willy Garcia and Tristan Clarke.
Toronto added a run on an RBI single by Rando Moreno, making it 4-1
From then onwards it became a pitching battle after Benítez and Maple Leafs starter Josh Berenbaum were taken out. That paved the way for the projected aces of both teams: Barrie’s Frank Garcés and Toronto’s Wilgenis Alvarado.
Both pitchers struck out the side to start their outings. Alvarado pitched three innings, allowing one hit and two walks with two strikeouts, while Garcés struck out 11 and allowed just three hits through seven.
Dustin Richardson came on in relief of Sebastian Rodriguez for Toronto in the eighth and allowed Barrie to tie the game on an RBI double by Ryan Rijo, followed by a game-tying single by Adam Odd.
The left-hander saw trouble again in the ninth facing the top of Barrie’s lineup, but stranded the bases loaded by striking out the side to force extra innings.
Brad Grieveson relieved Garcés for extra innings and allowed Dennis Dei Baning to put Toronto in front with an opposite-field two-run homer. Dei Baning has now homered in his first two games since joining the Maple Leafs.
Barrie couldn’t answer in the bottom half. Richardson struck out the side again, earning his first win of the season, with the loss going to Grieveson.
KEY STAT
Alvarado relieving Berenbaum brought a major change. Strikeouts started mounting for the Baycats who finished with 15 on the night, 6 from Alvarado
STARTING PITCHER LINES
Berenbaum (TOR): 3 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 3 K, 1 BB
Benítez (BAR): 4 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 3 K, 3 BB
UP NEXT
Barrie is on the road Saturday in Welland for the Jackfish’s home opener. Starters TBD.
Again Sato will make her second start of the season at home for the Maple Leafs against the visiting London Majors on Sunday.
