By: Ken Beckett

BURLINGTON – Down 1-0 in their first round match-up, the Burlington Herd return home to Casey Cosgrove Field hoping to get back on track and even their best of five post-season series against the Barrie Baycats on Saturday evening.

First pitch for Game Two is scheduled for 6:05PM and tickets can be picked up at the Cosgrove Field front gate.

The Herd were unable to solve Baycats starter Frank Garces in Game One, suffering an 8-0 loss on the road in Barrie. The former Major League pitcher who spent two years with the San Diego Padres from 2014-15 threw a complete game shutout, racking up 12 strikeouts in the dominant pitching performance at home.

Burlington third baseman Nolan Pettipiece was able to register two hits in Game One, going 2-for-3 at the plate. The 26-year old was a great presence at the bottom of the lineup during the regular season for the Herd, regularly batting in the number nine spot in the batting order while driving in 12 runs on the year, good for fourth best on the team.

Also picking up a hit on Thursday night in Barrie was right fielder Vaughn Bryan, who doubled in the loss to register his first career IBL post-season hit. Multi-base hits were Bryan’s calling card during the regular season, finishing second on the team in doubles with nine, while leading not only the Herd but also the entire league in triples with four in his debut IBL season.

The Baycats launched a 12-hit attack in Game One against Burlington, receiving multi-hit efforts from four of the players in the lineup. Two of those players were leadoff hitter Ryan Spataro and third baseman Jordan Castaldo who both had three hit nights.

Spataro, last year’s IBL MVP runner-up, went 3-for-4 with a home run, launching a solo shot in the sixth inning. The Baycats’ centerfielder, who holds the IBL’s all-time record for stolen bases was however thrown out caught stealing by Herd catcher Reese O’Farrell, trying to steal second base in the top of the first inning. Spataro had another great year on the base paths in 2018, stealing ten bases, which was good for sixth best in the league.

Going 3-for-3 while also drawing two walks at the plate was Barrie third baseman Jordan Castaldo, with one of his hits counting as a double. It was one of two doubles on the night for the Baycats as Glenn Jackson also had a two-base hit. Castaldo was the league leader in doubles during the regular season with 14.

Game Two is scheduled to begin at 6:05PM. If you can’t make it to the game, “The Voice of The Herd” Ken Beckett has the call for all Herd home games on Mixlr.com/IBLHerd. For live-game broadcasts, interviews, player profiles, game previews, and recaps, follow Ken on Twitter at @KenBeckett.  

The Burlington Herd are a member of Ontario's most elite baseball league, the Intercounty Baseball League. The 100-year old summer league is one of the oldest baseball leagues in the world, with the league established in 1919, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. For more information, visit www.iblherd.com or follow the Herd on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @IBLHerd.