Senior Dodgers riding a six-game streak

July 13, 2016 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte
The Bolton Dodgers have not lost a game in the North Dufferin Baseball League in three weeks, riding a 5-0-1 record during that span to bring their record above .500.
Shawn English struck out three Nobleton Cornhuskers batters in his first inning of work last Wednesday night, en route to an 8-1 win at North Hill Park in Bolton.
Mark Farrar took to the mound for the Huskers, bringing in the first run of the game on a combination of walks, singles and a wild pitch in the first inning. Dodger All-Star Michael Gemmiti was brought in by a double to the wall on the next batter, while Jared Herbert cashed two more with a bases-loaded single before Farrar could escape the inning.
Nobleton’s luck was nowhere to be found in the second inning, when Kyle Hall led off, trying to stretch a single to the gap into a double. Bolton’s Andrew English threw a bullet from left field for the out.
In the bottom half of the second, Farrar took a line drive to the shin and was in obvious pain, but stayed in the game. Bolton cruised through the remainder of the game for the win.
A pair of home runs in Creemore Sunday against the Braves ensured the streak would continue, in a come-from-behind 4-4 tie.
Andrew English blasted a solo shot and Jon Bloomfield a two-run hit, Bloomfield’s coming in the top of the fifth inning, to tie the score.
After a rocky start to the season, the Dodgers have improved their record to 9-8-2, good for seventh in the 14-team league.
A pair of tough games are on the docket this week for the Dodgers, who host the 13-3-2 Ivy Leafs at North Hill Park tonight (Thursday). The team then takes a few days off before visiting the 13-6-0 Clearview Orioles Sunday.
The annual league All-Star Game has also been scheduled for this Saturday, hosted this year by the Lisle Astros at Ross Houston Memorial Park.
The senior contest will feature a nine-inning game between the East Division All-Stars and the West Division All-Stars. The divisions are based on historical divisions within the league. Twenty players and three coaches make up the roster for each team.
With only four junior teams this year, the junior game will be seven innings in length with only a 12-man roster and three coaches. Each team is comprised of three players from every junior club, which results in teammates pitted against each other during the game. This format has proved very exciting in previous all-star contests.
Four Dodgers players will be suiting up for the senior East Division, tied with the Aurora Jays for the most of any team.
Shawn English will once again take the mound in this year’s game, joined in the lineup by heavy hitters Michael Gemmiti and Colin McKeen. Ron DiPalma takes coaching duties for the East.
For stats, schedules and more information visit www.ndbl.ca

Shawn English earned his third win of the season Wednesday in the Bolton Dodgers’ 8-1 victory over the Nobleton Cornhuskers at North Hill Park.
Photo by Jake Courtepatte