Bantam Lynx open baseball season

By Hugh Cameron
The Prince Edward County Bantam Lynx opened baseball season last week at the Field of Dreams in Wellington. Teams were piped onto the field by bagpiper Todd Taylor.
Opening day was held on the 70th anniversary of D-Day and piper Taylor played a special tune to commemorate the date. With the County and Ajax teams lined up on the baselines, Oh Canada was played – followed by a thunder of fireworks donated by Marc Philips, of Mystical Distributing. The teams, having patiently observed the season opening ceremony were eager to play ball!

The Lynx quickly establish themselves as the lead team. Dryden Norton struck out the first batter and after catcher Spencer Phillips picked off the second batter trying to steal second, Norton finished off the inning with another strike out.
The bottom of the first was a quick inning that did not produce any runs for the Lynx.

In the top of the second two strike outs for Norton and a pick off at first-base ended the inning.
In the bottom of the second inning Norton crossed home plate for the first run of the game and Brodie Byford followed Norton a few  moments later with the second run.

In the top of the third, Ajax scored one run, however, the lead runner was picked off trying to steal third base and two more strike outs ended the inning.
The bottom of the third inning started with Iain Cameron driving a single through the Ajax third baseman. The inning produced two more runs for the Lynx.  Philips and Mason Poulain both crossed home plate.

In the top of the fourth, Poulain took to the pitcher’s mound. Once again a couple of strikeouts and a good play by Philips covering a bunt and throwing the runner out at first held Ajax to one run in the inning.
Bottom of four, the Ajax pitcher struck out three Lynx players, but not before Johnny McHugh was able to scamper across home plate for another run.

The top of the fifth turned out to be the last chance Ajax had to improve on their score. Poulain, made short work of it. A first out strikeout, a second out sac fly ball to Jake Doxtator in deep centre field, and a third out assist on a force to Byford at first base ended the inning and the game. Final score was 5-3 Lynx.

In the game the Lynx had six hits, Ajax had two hits and each team stranded six players on base during the game. Dryden Norton pitched 3 innings with 6 Ks, 2 hits and 7 walks. In relief Mason Poulain pitched 2 innings with 3 Ks, no hits and 3 walks.

Next home game is a Father’s Day double header in Wellington, Sunday June 15. Game 1 starts at 12:30pm on the Field of Dreams.