Lehtonen, Hurtubise deliver big days as Angels roll, Mets stay alive

Wagner Lawn Care needs two more wins to clinch a championship-series spot, while CMF Automotive sits five points behind second-place Studabakers Beachside

Studabakers Beachside shortstop Tucker McSwain catches an infield fly during Orillia slo-pitch action at Tudhope Park on Sunday.

The Wagner Lawn Care Angels moved another step closer to the Orillia slo-pitch Fall Classic, while the CMF Automotive Mets kept their championship hopes alive during Week 9 of the SportsKlub baseball season at Tudhope Park.

The first-place Angels powered past the Studabakers Beachside Rockies 18-9, while the Mets held off the NKD Deer Muskies 8-7. With only six regular-season games remaining across the league, the top two teams will advance to the Orillia Fall Classic SportsKlub Baseball championship series. The bottom two teams will meet in the consolation series.

Wagner Lawn Care now sits comfortably atop the standings with an 8-1-3 record and 19 points. The Angels are two wins away from officially securing their place in the championship series.

Studabakers Beachside remains second at 7-5 with 14 points, but the Mets improved to 4-7-1 and nine points with their victory. CMF Automotive is now five points behind the Rockies in the race for the second Fall Classic berth.

Angels’ offence erupts against Rockies

Wagner Lawn Care Angels slugger Dylan Petroff times up a low pitch during Sunday's Orillia slo-pitch action at Tudhope Park.

The Angels scored early and often in their 18-9 victory, collecting 31 hits as a team.

David Pearson, Oswell James, Griffin Knicely, Paige Hawker, Wyatt Predum and Kauner Lehtonen each recorded three hits.

Predum crossed the plate three times, while Pearson, Jeff Carey, James, Knicely, Hawker and Lehtonen each scored twice.

Lehtonen drove in a team-high four runs. Jessie Brown added three RBIs, while Carey and Dylan Petroff each drove in two.

The Rockies received home runs from Tucker McSwain and Mitchell Hurtubise.

Hurtubise finished with three hits and four RBIs, while McSwain collected three hits and drove in three. Sebastian Oliveira also had three hits and scored twice.

Mets survive one-run battle

NKD Deer catcher Ricardo Santiago stays ready behind the dish during Sunday's Orillia slo-pitch action at Tudhope Park.

CMF Automotive earned a crucial 8-7 victory over the Muskies to remain within reach of the final Fall Classic position.

Gary Liton led the Mets with three hits and scored three of the team’s eight runs. Braeden Price also recorded three hits.

Austin Patrick collected two hits, drove in two runs and scored once. Tamara Evans, Tim Hillson, Faith Bartley and Antoine Gagnon also crossed the plate for CMF Automotive.

The Muskies were led by Jamie Ball, who finished with three hits and three runs scored.

Jesse Bremner added three hits, two runs and an RBI. JJ Healy, Kyler Sept and Jared MacDonald each drove in two runs.

The loss dropped NKD Deer to 2-8-2 and six points, three behind the Mets. The Muskies remain mathematically alive in the standings for the Fall Classic, but will need a strong finish and help from the teams ahead of them.

Playoff race enters final stretch

Wagner Lawn Care has built a five-point lead over the Rockies and a 10-point advantage over the Mets. The Angels have also outscored their opponents by 52 runs, the best differential in the league.

The Angels can move closer to clinching when they face the Muskies at 11 a.m. Sunday, July 26, at Tudhope Park.

The Rockies and Mets will then meet at noon in a game carrying major implications for the final championship-series berth.

A Studabakers Beachside victory would create more separation between the two teams. A CMF Automotive win would cut directly into the Rockies’ five-point advantage and keep the race open entering the final weeks of the season.

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