Panthers infielder Yorbis Borroto has been a nuisance for opposing pitchers again this season.

Panthers beat Hamilton, Welland and Toronto to sweep weekend

The Kitchener Panthers have not missed a beat. After finishing runner-up to the Barrie Baycats in the Intercounty Baseball League last fall, the Panthers have stormed out of the gates to a 9-2 record, good enough for first place in the IBL. Over the weekend, Kitchener was on the road for all three games.

The road trip began on Friday night in Hamilton, with Kitchener facing the third-place Cardinals. The Panthers opened the scoring in the second inning when Andy Leader dashed home on a wild pitch. Offense for both team was few and far between as both starting pitchers settled in and gave their teams six strong innings, each giving up one run. Hamilton's run came in the sixth inning on a double with a man on first base, chasing Kitchener pitcher Jasvir Rakkar after he finished the inning. The decisive run came in the top of the ninth, when Yorbis Borroto reached on an error then advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, and was then cashed in by another sac fly by Brian Burton. In the bottom half of the ninth, closer Miguel Lehera shut the door retiring the side in order to give the Panthers the win, 2-1.

On Saturday afternoon in Welland, the story was more about the bats. The Panthers grabbed the lead just minutes into the game after Borroto singled to lead off the first and was brought around when Colin Gordner crushed a ball over the left-field fence. Welland responded with two runs of their own in the second inning, but Kitchener answered right back to make it 4-2 in the top half of the third. Leading 5-4 in the seventh, the Panthers offense put the game away. Borroto led off the inning with a solo shot, followed by another homer from Burton, and finally an RBI single by Stephen Whalen that made the game 8-4. Welland made it 8-6 late, but Lehera earned his second save in as many days and the Panthers held on for the win.

Trying to sweep the weekend on Sunday in Toronto, Kitchener sent Cuban pitcher Yoen Soccaras to the mound and he did not disappoint. Soccaras tossed seven innings of three-hit ball, giving up two runs and striking out six batters. His teammates took care of the rest, racking up 11 hits and getting to Toronto's starter in the middle innings. Mike Andrulis scored on a balk in the third inning, Zach Johnson was cashed in by a Keegan Marsden single in the fourth, and Mike Gorden put the Panthers ahead for good with a two-run single in the seventh. Mike Schnurr earned the save on Sunday and Kitchener won again, 4-2. 

Kitchener now leads the IBL with a 12-2 record this season, while Borroto was named the IBL player of the week as he continues to dominate with a .522 batting average this season. The Panthers will host Toronto in the back end of a home-and-home on Thursday night at Jack Couch Park.