Two Hundred Look on as Braves Capture another Championship

September 22, 2008

League Secretary Scott Anderson (centre) presents the Strother Cup to Jeff Akitt (left) and Peter Kinghan (right).

2008 Senior Division Champions
Creemore Braves
Back row (l-r): Peter Kinghan, Myles Morrish, Brad Soules, Todd Gowan, Terry Dawson, Steve Westbrooke, Brad Grieveson, Bryan Post, Don Bartley.
Middle row (l-r): Marc Dupuis, Tom Gateman, Rob Perkins, Matt Baldry, Glenn Patterson, Ryan Bartley.
Front row (l-r): Rob Kinghan, Brett Trott, Chris Greer, Jeff Akitt, Jason Thompson, Chris Hayward, Darryl Fremlin, Dan Gowan.

2008 Senior Division Finalists
New Lowell Knights
Back row (l-r): Andy Van der Heyden, Rob Skidmore, Sean Connor, Chad Purchase, Todd Patton, Jesse MacIntyre, Allan Brownridge, Brandon Norrie, Chris Reynolds, Landon Rusk, Lance Bryan.
Front row (l-r): Dale Lightheart, Steve Baldry, Adam Van der Heyden, Brad Imber, Ryan Martin, Bernie Young, John Patterson, Brent LaRose.

The New Lowell Knights and Creemore Braves concluded the North Dufferin Baseball League championship series this past weekend with the Creemore Braves pulling out another championship win.

The three remaining games of the best of seven series were played, with the first game at Creemore on Saturday. In that game the Braves handily defeated the Knights 10-1. Jesse MacIntyre was on the hill for New Lowell and pitched well over four innings throwing a no hitter, but struggled during the fifth and sixth frames before being relived by Lance Bryan. MacIntyre in total threw five innings, giving up seven runs, on four hits, walked three, hit one batsman and struck out three Braves. Bryan pitched one inning giving up three runs on two hits, walked one and also struck out one. For Creemore, Brad Grieveson pitched a complete game giving up one run on six hits, walked two and struck out six New Lowell batters for the win.

Jeff Akitt and Chris Greer singled for Creemore while Jason Thompson and Bryan Post each had two singles. For New Lowell, Sean Connor, Brad Imber and Bryan each had two hits, including a home run by Bryan.

The second and third games of the weekend were played on Sunday afternoon at New Lowell Recreation Park.

The first game of the double header saw New Lowell win 2-0 behind ace pitcher Brandon Norrie, who over seven innings, gave up no runs, allowed only two hits, walked two and struck out 12 Braves. Brett Trott threw for Creemore and over his six innings allowed two runs on six hits and had four strikeouts.

Greer and Steve Westbrooke were the only Creemore players to get hits, while Knights' Bernie Young, Steve Baldry, John Patterson, and Imber each singled, with Connor having two hits.

In front of almost two hundred spectators, game seven proved to be one of the leagues most exciting games of the year. Creemore got out to an early 1-0 lead in the first on a run scored by Greer, but New Lowell quickly answered back with Young and Baldry plating runs on solid singles to take the lead 2-1. The Braves tied the game in the fourth inning when league home run champ Post hit a solo home run. The game remained tied at the end of the regular seven innings, and extra innings ensued where Creemore's Jeff Akitt plated the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Grieveson got the win for Creemore and over the eight innings, gave up two runs on six hits, walked only one and struck out eight New Lowell players. For New Lowell, Norrie was on the mound again and pitched another seven innings giving up two runs on five hits, walked one and hit one batsman, while striking out four. MacIntyre relived Norrie in the eighth frame giving up the winning run, on two hits and one walk.

Getting hits for New Lowell were Young, Baldry, Patterson and Connor. Akitt, Todd Gowan, Post, and Tom Gateman all recorded hits for Creemore.

League Secretary Scott Anderson was on hand to present the Strother Cup to the victorious team, the Braves fourth consecutive championship, which tied the league record with the 1957-1960 Shelburne team. Anderson stated "both Creemore and New Lowell played extraordinary throughout the series, which was baseball at its best."