Toronto repeats as OVAC 2A champs

RICHMOND — For the second consecutive season, Toronto stands alone atop the OVAC Class 2A baseball world.

The Red Knights (15-2) made it back-to-back championships with a 4-3 victory over Caldwell Saturday afternoon at the overcast Edison Unified Sports Complex.

The victory also marked the second straight time Toronto has defeated the Redskins (11-1) for the title, doing so in walk-off fashion last year.

“This was a really exciting game. Our kids battled for seven innings after facing some adversity early on,” veteran Toronto head coach Brian Perkins said. “I couldn’t be any prouder of our three seniors (Aiden Filby, Russ Dickinson and Cole Barcus. They’ve been great leaders for us.

“This was one of our goals to start the season … to represent Toronto at the OVAC Baseball Championships and we’re ecstatic to go home with the trophy.”

After Caldwell scored two unearned runs in the top of the first, Toronto answered back with a 4-spot in the top of the third and never looked back.

Cole Barcus singled and Tanner Newbold doubled to start the four-run third. Heath Thomas was hit with a pitch to load the bases. However, Caldwell starting pitcher Jacob Laswell struck out the next two batters. A walk to Drake Bouscher forced in a run and it became 2-2 on a balk call. Russ Dickinson’s grounder to short got through as two runs scored, making it 4-2.

Those were all the runs that Toronto ace Aiden Filby would need as he went the distance, fanning seven, walking one, hitting one and scattering six hits. He threw 101 pitches, of which 68 were strikes. He pitched his way out of a two-on, no-out situation in the third with a trio of punchouts.

“It’s the best feeling in the world. There’s nothing close to matching it right now,” Filby offered. “I just needed to stay calm and collected when they rallied and let my defense do the work behind me.”

“Caldwell scored the two runs early and we were able to be resilient and come back to push four across. We ended up needing all four of them to win it,” Perkins said.

Filby set down six straight Redskins before giving up a leadoff walk to start the fifth. That would come back to haunt him as Carter Wheeldin doubled to left as Dominic Fry, who had walked, circled the bases to make it 4-3. The senior finished strong, retiring eight of the last nine batters he faced, including the final six after Kyler Starr doubled leading off the sixth.

“Aiden is a senior. He’s been throwing well all year,” Perkins said of Filby. “He has pitched in a lot of big games. We did expect anything less from him today and he delivered.”

Meanwhile, J.R. Curry, who relieved Laswell to end the second, struck out 12 and didn’t walk a batter. He set down 16 of the 18 Red Knights he faced, including 14 in a row from the final out of the second until Bouscher singled with one out in the seventh.

Wheeldin singled and doubled and drove in two runs for Caldwell. Cameron Sidwell had two singles.

Henry also doubled for Toronto.

Toronto 4, Caldwell 3

Tor 040 000 0 – 4 5 2

Cal 200 010 0 – 3 6 2

T-Filby wp (7K, 1BB) and Henry; Henry D; Bouscher S, 2rbi; Newbold D

C-Laswell lp (4K, 1BB), Curry (2), (12K, 0BB) and Curry, Vincent (2); Sidwell 2S; Wheeldin S, D, 2rbi; Starr D