MUSKOKA HORNETS BRING OBA HARDBALL BACK TO GRAVENHURST

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — Baseball’s back in town.

And the Muskoka Hornets were gamely swinging for the fence this weekend in a three-game scheduled home-stand as the Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) made its return.

It’s been years since provincial hardball playdowns have been played in Gravenhurst, says Hornets coach Cam Boyd.

The Hornets began their OBA playoff quest at the Muskoka Wharf Saturday morning and afternoon in a double-header against Waterdown and Beamsville.

And while the 11-U mosquito rep team was stung in a pair of home opening games, losing 11-1 to Waterdown Wolves yesterday morning and 17-6 to the Beamsville Stingers in the afternoon, they played well despite the lack of hits and loading the bases in Game 2.

Sunday morning they played host to Pelham, with the Hornets dropping that game 15-4 to the Pirates.

Now they go back to Beamsville this Saturday for an 11 a.m. game, then travel on to Pelham for a 3 p.m. start; before closing out the first round road trip Sunday back against the Waterdown Wolverines with the first pitch there at 11 a.m.

Hornets catcher Gabriel Gillmore was kept busy behind the plate as the Stingers went to bat for 17 runs.
A pitch by Beamsville Stingers pitcher Cole Kirchner gets away from his catcher in the second half of Saturday afternoon’s double-header.
Leighton Nesbitt crosses home for one of 7 Hornets runs against Beamsville.
The Muskoka Hornets 11-U mosquito rep baseball team began the OBA playdowns Saturday at the Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst. Front row, left, Levi Rowe,  Carter Knapton-Shaw, Travis Rowe, Evan Perrott, Leighton Nesbitt. Middle row: Cohen Sewell, Gabe Gillmore, Aksel Boken, Riley Foster, Van Ryan. Back row: Josh Shaw, Daimon Harris  Cameron Boyd. 
Hornets fans Jennifer Banks-Ringette, Judy Fazackerley and Pam Gillmore cheer on their team under their own personal domes.
Bleacher creatures got a good glimpse of the games Saturday at the Muskoka Wharf Saturday morning and afternoon.
It’s a long way from the Florida race tracks for these greyhound rescue dogs at yesterday’s double-header. The pair were team mascots after the state abolished the sport.

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