Angels Take Flight, Rockies Roar: Baseball Heats Up

Wagner Lawn Care sweeps NKD Deer to strengthen its grip on first place, while Studabakers Beachside answers with a sweep of CMF Automotive

Studabakers Beachside Rockies players celebrate a Sebastian Oliveira home run during Orillia slo-pitch action at Kitchener Park on Saturday evening.

Baseball Day in Orillia delivered close games, big swings, and a pennant race that is heating up with the hot summer sun.

When the dust settled Saturday night at Kitchener Park, the top two teams in SportsKlub Orillia slo-pitch had both taken care of business.

The Wagner Lawn Care Angels swept the NKD Deer Muskies 15-13 and 13-11, while the Studabakers Beachside Rockies defeated the CMF Automotive Metropolitans 11-5 and 14-6.

The Angels improved to 7-1-2 through 10 games and sit atop the standings with 16 points, while the Rockies are 6-4 and remain within striking distance with 12 points. CMF Automotive sits third at 3-7, while NKD Deer is 2-6-2, with both clubs tied at six points.

Angels survive Muskies, twice

NKD Deer Muskies third baseman JJ Healy beats Paige Hawker of the Wagner Lawn Care Angels to the bag to record the out during co-ed Orillia slopitch action in Kitchener Park.

There was nothing comfortable about the Angels’ sweep. Wagner Lawn Care escaped the opener with a 15-13 victory before taking the second game 13-11, two games decided by a combined four runs against a Muskies team whose record continues to undersell how dangerous it can be.

The difference was the depth of the Angels’ lineup, Oswell James delivered one of the biggest individual performances of the weekend, finishing the doubleheader with five hits, a home run, six RBIs and four runs scored. Jeff Carey added six hits, four RBIs and six runs, while Devin Coombs recorded five hits, four RBIs and five runs.

Through 10 games, Wagner Lawn Care has scored a league-best 155 runs while allowing 112, giving the Angels a plus-43 run differential, the best mark in SportsKlub Baseball.

Still, the Muskies gave the league leaders everything they could handle. Kyler Sept was outstanding in defeat, collecting six hits, five RBIs and four runs across the doubleheader.

Eddy Tibbo added four hits, three RBIs and three runs, Jesse Brunner had four hits, three RBIs and three runs, while Ian Bass homered as part of a four-hit day.

Rockies keep pressure on first place

On the other diamond, the Rockies did exactly what a contender needed to do.

Studabakers Beachside opened with an 11-5 victory over CMF Automotive and followed with a 14-6 win to complete the sweep and move to 6-4.

The Rockies now own a plus-21 run differential and remain the only team with a realistic chance of putting immediate pressure on the first-place Angels.

Mitch Hurtubise provided the loudest power display of the weekend, finishing with four hits, a home run, six RBIs and three runs scored. Sebastian Oliveira added five hits, a home run, five RBIs and five runs,

Brayden Stillwell and Austin Dyck each finished with six hits across the two games, helping the Rockies pile up 25 total runs in the doubleheader.

For CMF Automotive, the scoreboard did not tell the entire story of the day. The Mets continued to generate plenty of contact with rookie Gary Liton recording six hits across the doubleheader, while Rob McMinn and Kathy Leach each scored twice.

Week 8 brings another chance to shake it up

The Orillia co-ed slo-pitch group shifts back to Tudhope Park next Sunday, July 12, with two games that could reshape both ends of the standings. At 11 a.m., the Rockies face the Muskies in a matchup carrying pressure for both teams.

Then at noon, CMF Automotive meets Wagner Lawn Care. On paper, it is first place against a three-win Mets club. In SportsKlub Baseball, that usually means absolutely nothing. The Angels have established themselves as the team to beat, but CMF has enough hitters producing at the plate to make the noon game uncomfortable in a hurry.

While we like to act like the standings matter, the home runs matter, player of the week debates definitely matter, it will all be forgotten come Sunday morning. Everyone will show up to have fun with their friends, swing at pitches they probably shouldn’t, and make new summer memories. SportsKlub is truly a social club that happens to play sports.

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