• Ontario
• Southwest Ontario
• Hamilton Region
• Hamilton

CARDINALS DROP GAME TWO TO PANTHERS

Hamilton went toe to toe with the Kitchener Panthers in game two of their first round series in IBL action on Saturday night at Bernie Arbour Stadium. A three run sixth inning for Kitchener would power them to a 6-2 win to take a two games to none series lead. Tanner Nivins and David Whiteside would each have a pair of hits in the game for the Panthers while Dre Celestijn went two for four at the place for Hamilton.

It would take until the third inning before either team got on the board. Mike Glinka would lead off the inning with a solo home run to right field for a 1-0 Panther lead. The Cardinals would respond in the bottom of the fourth when Dre Celestijn drilled one over the left field fence to tie the game at one.

Kitchener would regain the lead, one they wouldn’t give up, in the top of the sixth. Nivins would lead off the inning with a home run and followed by back to back walks to Jonathan Brouse and Sean Reilly. Whiteside would then lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up a base. Terrell Alliman would then hit a sacrifice fly to left to cash in Brouse. Reilly later scored to make it 4-1 on a wild pitch.

In the eighth, the Panthers added another run when Reilly scored when Mike Gordner reached on error. Kitchener would load up the bases with a walk to Mike Andrulis and then the confusion on the field set in. Frank Camilo Morejon would hit a liner to short where Chris Beer almost made the grab. The runners all retreated to their base with Beer throwing to second baseman Marcus Dicenzo who was off the base. He would send the ball home for the force out and then Geoff Seto sent the ball to third to finish off the double play and end the inning.

Hamilton would get the run back in their half of the eighth. Seto would draw a one out walk and then move to third on back to back two out singles by Celestijn and Liam Wilson. On Wilson’s hit the Kitchener centre fielder would fumble with the ball which allowed Seto to cross the plate.

The confusion continued for the Panthers on the base paths in the top of the ninth. With Glinka on first by way of a walk Nivins hit what appeared to be his second home run of the game. However, Glinka thought the ball was caught at the wall and went back to first, in doing so Nivins passed him and was called out. Glinka was able to score on the play though to give Kitchener an insurance run.

For the Cardinals, Robert Wilson took the loss going six and two thirds innings, allowing four runs, one of which was unearned, on four hits, walking five and striking out two. Russ Burroughs would relieve Robert Wilson and go one inning, allowing an unearned run on one hit. Benson Merritt would pitch the final inning and a third, allowing a run on one hit and walking two.

For Kitchener, Noelvis Enternza earned the win going seven innings, allowing a run on four hits, walking one and striking out seven. Iannick Remillard would pitch the eighth inning, allowing an unearned run on a pair of hits while walking one and striking out three. Phil Owen finished off the game allowing a hit and striking out one in the ninth inning.

Prior to the game the Hamilton Cardinals honoured Celestijn for becoming the IBL batting champion for the 2016 regular season. Celestijn would finish the season with a .450 batting average, beating out a pair of Panther batters for the title.

Hamilton will look to avoid going into a three game to none hole on Sunday night when they travel to Kitchener for game three of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00pm. The teams will return to Bernie Arbour on Tuesday night for game four of the series beginning at 7:30pm.

Winning Pitcher: Noelvis Entenza (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Robert Wilson (0-1)

Kitchener Hitters
Tanner Nivins – 2 for 3 (Single, Solo Home Run, Walk, Intentional Walk, Run, 2 RBIs)
David Whiteside – 2 for 3 (2 Singles, Sacrifice Bunt, Strikeout)
Mike Glinka – 1 for 3 (Solo Home Run, Walk, 2 Runs, RBI)

Hamilton Hitters
Dre Celestijn – 2 for 4 (Single, Solo Home Run, 2 Strikeouts, Run, RBI)
Geoff Seto – 1 for 3 (Single, Reached on Error, Walk, Run)
Jake Foden – 1 for 4 (Single, 2 Strikeouts)

Tickets for all Hamilton Cardinals home games are available at the Bernie Arbour Stadium Box Office on game day. For more information on Cardinals season passes email iblcardinals@gmail.com or visit the team’s website at www.iblcardinals.com.

Become a fan of the Cardinals on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HamiltonCardinals.
Follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HamCardinalsIBL.