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By: Alex Esposito
Ontario Scout

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Ontario Spotlight Game: Ontario Blue Jays 16U (Ellison) vs Great Lake Canadians - Doubleheader

Ajax –  Two of the top programs in Ontario squared off in a double header at Ajax’s Pan Am Sportsplex. The Ontario Blue Jays took the first game 6-1 in a very quick game, thanks to Blue Jays starter Nico Saldias, who threw an absolute gem.

The story of the day was the performance by Saldias, a 2019 graduate, who impressed by striking out 10 batters through six innings, while allowing only 1 hit, walking 2 and giving up no runs. He was around the zone all day, garnering a lot of swings and misses as opposing batters just never looked comfortable. To top it off, Saldias made a ridiculously athletic play on a foul pop up near the dugout, running and sliding to make the highlight reel catch.

Offensively, the Blue Jays won with a fairly balanced attack, getting contributions up and down the batting order. Their first run was scored after they grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the second, then extended their lead to 3-0 in the third,  scoring on an error and an RBI single by Nick DiGenarro. In the fourth inning, Florent Bllacaku showed off some power by hitting a triple to centre field, adding to the double he hit in the second inning.

While kept in check most of the day by the pitching of  Saldias, the Great Lake Canadians did manage to rally to load the bases in the seventh  inning. Austin Rhodes drove in their only run of the game with a bases loaded single.

For more in-depth scouting coverage (velocities, projections and much more) from this game, please visit our scout blog by clicking here.

Top Performances of the Day

• Nico Saldias: 6IP, 10 K, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 R
• Florent Bllacaku:  2-3, double, triple, run scored

Linescore 

Blue Jays   012 300 0 - 6 5 0
Canadians 000 000 1 - 1 3 2

Winning Pitcher: Nico Saldias - 6 innings, 0 runs, 1 hits, 10 K, 2 BB

Losing Pitcher: Jacob Gajic - 6 innings, 6 runs, 5 hits, 7 K, 2 BB, 2 HBP

Game 2

Ajax –  Back and forth game that featured plenty of excitement with Great Lakes taking the lead late, only to see the Blue Jays come back in the seventh and walk it off 7-6.

The Ontario Blue Jays got started early, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first two innings. Luca Boscarino led off the game with a walk, eventually coming into score on a bases loaded groundout. Francisco Gioia drove in the second run with a groundout to the pitcher. In the second  inning Christian Cummins drove in Ryan Kush after he reached on an error to lead off.

Great Lakes did all their damage in the middle innings, getting on the board in the second after an RBI single by Robert Lindsay. In the fourth, Great Lakes added on and eventually took the lead due to some erratic pitching from the Blue Jays. After loading the bases, the Canadians scored three runs off two hit by pitches and one walk. Great Lakes extended their lead in the fifth inning with back to back doubles by Derek Smith and Mateo Roque to lead off the inning. Tye Imeson followed with an RBI single to give the Canadians a 6-3 lead over OBJ.

After the sixth run, Ryan Kush was brought on to pitch the last three innings and shut the Canadians line-up down. He finished with three strikeouts and gave up only one hit and a hit batter. That clutch relief appearance allowed the Blue Jays lineup to chip away at the Canadians lead. They rallied in the fifth, with a double and single to start the inning but got nothing after having a runner thrown out at the plate. They were able to close the gap in the sixth when Florent Bllacaku singled home a run. In the seventh, the Blue Jays took advantage of some wild pitching, tying the game after 3 walks and a hit batter. After two strikeouts, it looked like extra innings would be needed but Nick DiGenarro hit an opposite field single to walk it off for the Ontario Blue Jays.

For more in-depth scouting coverage (velocities, projections and much more) from this game, please visit our scout blog by clicking here.

Top Performances of the Day

• Nick DiGenarro: 1-4, single (walk-off), RBI, BB
• Derek Smith: 2-3, single, double, run scored

Linescore 

Blue Jays 210 001 3 - 7 10 0
Canadians 010 320 0 - 6 6 0

Winning Pitcher: Ryan Kush - 3 innings, 0 runs, 1 hit, 3 K

Losing Pitcher: Joshua Palmer -  2/3 innings, 3 runs, 1 hit, 2 K, 3 BB, 1 HBP