Tanner Nivins of the Kitchener Panthers prepares to swing the bat versus London earlier in the season. (Photo by Andrej Ivanov)

Rain dampens Panthers-Cardinals series opener in Kitchener 

The Kitchener Panthers and Hamilton Cardinals managed to get one and a half innings in on Sunday afternoon before the skies opened and forced Game 1 of the Intercounty Baseball League semi-finals to be postponed. 

The game’s first pitch had already been pushed back to 4:00 pm due to a water-logged field from rainfall the night prior, and with the Panthers stepping up to bat in the bottom of the second the umpiring crew decided to call the game. Neither team had scored a run yet, although both had threatened to do so in the early stages as each team put a man on base in their respective at-bats. 

The game has officially been declared postponed, not cancelled, meaning that the teams will resume play from the bottom of the second inning on Wednesday night in Kitchener. Ticket holders from Game 1 will be allowed re-entry to Jack Couch Park upon presentation of their ticket stub from Sunday. 

The rest of the best-of-seven series schedule has also been reworked, as the series’ unofficial first game will be played tonight in Hamilton, keeping with the original schedule. Sunday’s game will then be finished tomorrow night in Kitchener. Game 3 will return to Hamilton on Friday, then Kitchener will regain home field advantage with back-to-back games at Jack Couch Park on Saturday and Sunday night. 

Yoennis Yera started the game for Kitchener on Sunday, pitching two shut out innings before the rain delay. The Panthers have not yet announced their starter for tonight’s game.