Brian Backland Photography 

By Ryan Eakin

MIDHURST, ON - One to go.

The Barrie Baycats defeated the Kitchener Panthers 7-1 on Thursday evening to take a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven league championship series against the Panthers.

Baycats starter Matthew St. Kitts recorded the victory, tossing six innings while giving up zero earned runs on three hits and two base on balls, while striking out three batters along the way.

Baycats centre fielder Glenn Jackson led the way at the plate, going three-for-four with two runs batted in.

Panthers starter Jonder Martinez took the loss, tossing six innings inning while giving up four earned runs on seven hits and one base on balls, while striking out one batter along the way.

KITCHENER - 1-4-2

BARRIE - 47-12-0

Game five goes Thursday night in Kitchener.

With a win, the Baycats would win their fifth league championship in a row, and their sixth in franchise history.

POST GAME QUOTES...

"Honestly, the emotions were running," said St. Kitts. "I knew it was a big game, so I knew I had to calm us by doing the best I can on the mound."

"Honestly, I looked at it as a chance to redeem myself," said St. Kitts on his incredible postseason after battling an injury during the regular season. "I just did everything I could to get healthy, and now that I'm healthy I'm just trying to pitch to the best of my abilities."

"St. Kitts is a warrior man," said Jackson. "He's still in his twenties so I expect him to show up. He puts in the work man. He's a personal trainer, he's in a good place, and to me, he's the wild card. For me, he and Santos (Arias) are the same guy. He just came out and did what he did, battling pains and what not. And he's always got life to his fastball. He gave us a hard six man."

"If the heart is not racing, I don't know what's going on," said Jackson. 

"We've been through it man," Jackson said about how the team responded to losing game four in heartbreaking fashion. "Losing to Ottawa, losing to Oshawa, you learn how to grow and push through it. Now I feel like, after going on seven title runs in a row, you sort of know what's going on. Like the Yankees in the nineties and early 2000's. You understand how to approach it."

"Emily is Emily man," Jackson said of Guerrero's performance out of the bullpen tonight. "We had certain titles were Adam Rowe won us titles, and Emily has won us titles too. Even Santos in '15. When you got a guy like that coming out, quick pitching, slider, slider, fastball, you can't lose. Jazzy (Shergill) and Mada (Hawes) have only thrown one inning, and Pretty Boy (Nagorski) has gotten us out of some tight spots. Whoever is up, get it done."\

"It's right there, man. Like, you can see blood. Hopefully we can get it done Thursday in Kitchener, but if not, we got Frankie at our park for a game seven. Saturday night. What more could you ask for? Actually, I might have to work Sunday, I don't got no time for that."