Kitchener Panthers players Brian Burton (22) and Mike Gordner high five after closing out their series with Toronto on Thursday night. (Photo by Dan Congdon)

Panthers handle Maple Leafs, advance to IBL semis 

The Kitchener Panthers earned two wins this week to close out their Intercounty Baseball League first round series with the Toronto Maple Leafs in five games. The first win came Wednesday in Toronto, 6-2, and the second was a 3-1 thriller in game five at home on Thursday night. 

The Panthers opened the scoring in the fourth inning on Wednesday night, as Mike Andrulis doubled to score Colin Gordner then was brought home by Andy Leader’s double one batter later. Both teams scored in the sixth inning, with Kitchener’s run coming off a Yorbis Borroto single that scored Gordner, and Toronto got a two-run double from Marcus Knecht that made the score 3-2 Kitchener. 

Liam Wilson led off the seventh with a solo shot for Kitchener, and the Panthers added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth on a Jeff Hunt double to put themselves up 6-2. Panthers starter Yoennis Yera tossed six strong innings, giving up one earned run on just three hits over six innings. Miguel Lahera loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth, but ultimately struck out the side to close out the game. 

On Thursday night, with a chance to close out the series at home, Kitchener’s bats got some help until coming through when they needed to. In the bottom of the second inning, Tanner Nivins trotted home to score the game’s first run after Toronto starter Chris Leroux balked with him leading off from third base. Toronto’s Zac Orchard hit the second pitch of the fourth inning over the wall in left field to tie the game, and it stayed 1-1 until the bottom of the ninth. 

Nivins led off the inning with a single to right field, and after Mike Gordner grounded into a fielder’s choice, Brian Burton stepped up to the plate and ended the series with a two-run homer that walked off the Maple Leafs, for good. Jasvir Rakkar was excellent on the mound for Kitchener, pitching seven innings of one-run ball before Brady Schnarr pitched a clean eighth and ninth for the win. Rakkar was coming off a loss in the one-game playoff for the pennant against Barrie last weekend. 

The top four teams in the IBL’s regular season – Barrie, Kitchener, Hamilton and Welland – all advanced out of the first round without trouble. Kitchener will now face Hamilton in the second round likely beginning early next week, although the schedule has not yet been released. During the regular season, Kitchener beat Hamilton in three of the five games that the teams faced each other. Hamilton swept Guelph in its first round series.