Kitchener Panthers slugger Brian Burton rounds first base after hitting a grand-slam on Wednesday night versus Hamilton. (Photo by Peter Lee)

Panthers crush Hamilton twice to take lead in IBL semi-finals 

The Kitchener Panthers and Hamilton Cardinals finally got a full game of their Intercounty Baseball League semi-final series in after a rain delay forced Game 1 to be suspended last weekend. That game, which was called after an inning and a half, was rescheduled for resumption on Wednesday night in Kitchener. In the meantime, the teams officially opened the series on Tuesday night in Hamilton, keeping with the original schedule. 

On Tuesday night, it looked like the teams would be locked in an offensive battle all game as both squads scored once in the first and once in the second to enter the third inning tied 2-2. Tanner Nivins opened the scoring with a solo home-run, and Andy Leader cashed in Zarley Cina for Kitchener’s second run. With both starting pitchers settling down, the game stayed that way until the top of the seventh inning when the Panthers chased Hamilton’s starter Chris Lazar after two straight errors by the Cardinals third baseman put men on first and second with nobody out. With the new pitcher in, Kitchener did not waste any time. Brian Burton welcomed him with an RBI-single, and Mike Gordner followed by scoring Liam Wilson on a groundball out. The Panthers added two more runs in the inning and led 6-2. After the teams traded runs in the eighth, Kitchener tacked on three more in the ninth and sealed the victory, 10-4. Yoennis Yera earned the win by throwing seven innings of two-run ball before handing it over to the bullpen, and Leader led the Panthers with three runs batted in. 

On Wednesday, the suspended game picked back up with Kitchener coming to the plate in the bottom of the second inning. After the first two men reached, Hamilton replaced Clay Miller, who pitched the sole inning of the game on Sunday, and the wheels again fell off once the bullpen took over. Mike Andrulis started the party with an RBI-single, Yorbis Borroto then walked with the bases loaded, Wilson did the same, then Burton brought everybody home with a grand-slam home-run that quickly put the Panthers up, 7-0. Nivins hit his second homer in as many games in the bottom of the fourth, a two-run shot that scored Borroto, and the lead hit double-digits at 10-0. Hamilton managed three runs in the top of the eighth, but Kitchener added one of its own in the bottom half and cruised to another big win, 11-3. Yoen Socarras pitched the first two innings on Sunday but the Panthers elected to go with Jasvir Rakkar to pick up where he left off, and he pitched four innings to earn the win. Burton finished with five RBI to take the team postseason lead with eight. 

Games 3, 4 and 5 are all slated for this weekend, starting tonight back in Hamilton. No matter the result tonight, Kitchener will have an opportunity to close out the series at home on Saturday or Sunday, if necessary, at Jack Couch Park. The first pitch is slated for 7:00 pm in both contests.