THE 2010 PBLO SEASON IS FINALLY HERE!!!

After 6 cancelled games due to the bad weather, the 18U Oakville Royals played their first two games of the PBLO season today under a temperature of just above zero Celsius and some snow.
Kirky Field in Pickering was in bad shape and the host team, Team Ontario worked hard to improve the playing field going as far as to set home plate and the pitching mound on fire.
The Royals were playing their first game of the season while their opponents have already nearly 20 games under their belts this year. Still, the Royals fought hard and gave Team Ontario, who are undefeated this year, two tough games.
Starting pitcher Chris Ruediger pitched very well through the first four innings allowing only one earned run on 4 hits and took the mound in the fifth inning with the teams tied at two. The Royals tied the game in the third inning. RF Logan Karse lead off with a double on his first at bat as a Royal and later scored on an error by Team Ontario's pitcher who overthrew the first baseman trying to pick off Jordan Grant who had walked. Jordan Grant later scored on a single to right field by Jahmal Brooks, his second single of the game.
Team Ontario finally got to Ruediger in the fifth scoring four times on six hits in 2/3 of an inning.
Daniel Campos relieved Ruediger and got the third out of the inning on a pop up to second base.
The never gave up and got two runs back in the top of the sixth when Brooks scored on a wild pitch and Edward Largy score on an RBI single by Mitchell Mattarollo. In the bottom of the sixth Campos hit the first batter but got the next three in order to keep the score at 6-4.
In the top of the 7th inning the Royals managed a hit by Mirek Sharp and a walk by Dalton Pompey but could not score.
In the second game of the day the Royals managed only two runs on eight hits and left six runners on as they lost 8-2. Catcher Adam Vollick, playing his first game as a Royal singled twice and scored a run. Mirek Sharp who played third base this game also got two singles and scored the other Royals run. Jordan Grant, Dalton Pompey and Justin Zealand all got singles while Jeff Slasor hit a double to right field.
The pitching was handled by Cody Delorme who pitched 3 1/3 innings allowing 5 runs, 3 of them earned, on 5 hits, 4 Ks and 3 bases on balls. Left handed pitcher Andrew Filler pitched the last 2 2/3 innings allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, 2 Ks and one walk.
The Royals next double header is against the Toronto Mets on Tuesday, May 11th at Irland Park in Burlington. Let us hope for warmer weather.