Several playoff positions in the 24-team ISC II playoff bracket came down to the wire as the final two games of the night determined the final postions of no less than six teams.
With first place on the line in Pool G, the Hoffman Rise shut out Elora Wellington Brewers 5-0 in the second-last game on the schedule behind the stellar pitching of Rich Haldane and a massive solo HR by Matt Daley over the new scoreboard on Budd #1!
The five runs allowed by Elora was enough to give Palermo the advantage for the best second-place team and a bye into the second round. With Palermo’s move, Bridgeport slid into the first-round game against CPI.
In the last game of the round robin, Waterdown Hammer edged Ottawa Team Easton Thunder 4-3 to claim second-place in Pool F and avoid a first-round date with defending champion Tavistock who will face the Thunder. Waterdown will take on Kitchener Phoenix who needed a win over A-1/Taylor Farms to squeak into the playoffs.
Despite losing to both Ottawa and Ashland, Port Elgin managed to snag one of three wild cards based on fewest runs allowed. Jarvis Rock also grabbed a wildcard with a wild win over Harriston as did Keating’s Fitness with their win over Shakespeare Falcons after the latter clinched their division with an extra innings win over Alvinston Indians.
CPI nabbed third in their pool with a win over Quyon Combat Flyers … Niagara dropped Wyevale to third in Pool A with a convincing 6-3 win … Bridgeport sowed up second in Pool B dumping Hamilton 7-1 … California Lumberkings remain undefeated after an 8-0 shellacking of Carp … Rockwood Rush back into the playoffs via a three-way tie-breaker working in their favour and against Kingston Cowboys and Ingersoll Crush.