By Hannah Sabaratnam
If there is anything the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold baseball team can take away from being eliminated in this year’s playoffs, it’s that progress isn’t always a linear process.
For the first time in four years, the Bold did not reach the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Central Qualifier final. Their inability to get out of the regional tournament has been the story for the past few seasons, and despite a talented roster, results on the field have yet to show.
This year, even with a belief the team had built a better winning culture and closer games in the tournament, the Bold lost two of their three games on Oct. 4 and 5.
“Everyone wanted to go to the next round and keep playing…we knew we were better than a lot of those teams and could have beaten them. So, that was the overall mood, just disappointment,” explained fourth-year outfielder Jaime Cabral.
In the first game of the playoffs, the Bold faced the Laurentian Voyageurs. Given the history between the two—seven wins in nine games for the Bold dating back to 2021—it was a game the team felt they should’ve been able to win.
Strong starting pitching on both sides kept the game tied at two apiece right through to the ninth inning. After TMU allowed a two-run homer off the bat of Laurentian’s starting pitcher, third-year Ryan Lacasse in the top of the inning, it was their turn to respond.
“That was the overall mood, just disappointment”
With a man on second and TMU down to their last out, Cabral went up to bat, hoping to be the hero his team needed. On a line drive to left field, Cabral homered to tie the game.
“When [Laurentian] hit the home run, we were kind of in disbelief…we were all like ‘wow,’” said Cabral. “When I came up…I stayed super calm and luckily, it went in my favour.”
The momentum was on TMU’s side but the tide quickly turned. Laurentian scored three more runs in the top of the 10th. Despite having beaten the Voyageurs by a combined 22 runs in two games earlier in the season, the Bold were unable to recover in a 7-4 loss.
“We were kind of expecting to win that game and I think we took our foot off the gas when playing them,” said fourth-year infielder and catcher Ryan Ricci. “Can’t really discredit Laurentian, they played a good game.”
With a 0-1 record to start the weekend, the Bold had to win the next two games against the York University Lions and the University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues on Saturday, Oct. 5 to secure their place in the Qualifier Final. While some players might have struggled with what was at stake, Cabral said that wasn’t the case for him.
“I didn’t feel too much pressure, to be honest. I just knew what we had to do,” he said.
Ricci said there was a sense of “nervousness” rather than pressure but by the next morning, the team was much more relaxed. Assistant coach Kevin MacDonald said there was a lack of urgency.
“We were kind of expecting to win that game and I think we took our foot off the gas”
The first task of the day was to defeat York. Despite getting swept by the Lions during the regular season, the Bold came out on top 9-6.
York almost made a comeback with five runs across the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but first-year pitcher Sahir Malhotra and first-year infielder and pitcher Toneri He were able to minimize the damage in relief for the Bold.
Later that day, the Bold went up against the Varsity Blues with their season on the line. U of T beat TMU in the finals of the tournament in each of the last three years but this time, a round-robin matchup with the Varsity Blues had the potential to decide whether the Bold would even make the finals.
The game started off close with the two sides taking turns putting runs on the board. The difference came in the seventh inning when an error in the infield by TMU led to the winning run scoring for the Varsity Blues, breaking the 4-4 tie.
The Bold did not convert with runners on base in the latter innings. In the top of the seventh, the blue and gold started the inning with a double and a walk. Another walk led to the bases loaded with two outs, but no runs came into score. Instead, a groundball ended the inning, leading to TMU missing a vital opportunity.
“We would have liked to see us win that, and I think it was definitely something we were capable of,” said Cabral.
Overall, the weekend didn’t play out the way the Bold intended. Laurentian and York also had a 1-2 record in the end but run differential between the three teams decided the tie-breaker. York scored one more run than they allowed in their games against TMU and Laurentian, while the Bold and Voyageurs were even in those games. Ultimately, that one run meant the Lions earned a spot in the Qualifier final against U of T—who would defeat them and go on to be OUA champions.
“This is the most talented team we’ve ever had…we just keep growing every single year”
Once TMU’s season had come to an end, the disappointment was clear in their ranks.
“We didn’t play a complete game in any of them,” said MacDonald, elaborating that though the team’s pitching was strong, defensive lapses and inconsistent offence were issues. “The biggest thing was we didn’t really hit with runners in scoring position.”
From game to game and season to season, the Bold have been through plenty of ups and downs. Yet, the product on the field is noticeably better compared to a year ago. Even from MacDonald’s time as a player on the team, he said TMU has come a long way.
“I love the guys that I played with over my five years here as a player, but these teams now are so much better,” said MacDonald. “I say to the guys every year that this is the most talented team we’ve ever had…we just keep growing every single year.”
For a team like the Bold who is still trying to establish their baseball program, each of their seasons doesn’t exist in a vacuum, but rather as part of a broader picture. While it may seem like they have taken a step back, progress isn’t quick and straightforward.
“I saw a lot of guys develop, not just on the field but off the field as well in terms of character [and] how they carry themselves on the field,” said Cabral.
Over the past four years, the Varsity Blues have been TMU’s Achilles heel. For this year’s team, the difference in losing a close 5-4 game rather than losing 23-7 in the Qualifier Final a year ago, is a sign of progression.
“We’re a lot more competitive,” said Ricci. “This year against [U of T], we got better.”
The Bold will have to wait another year for a shot at the OUA championships and chances are that they will run into the Varsity Blues again. The opportunity to advance past the qualifier round is in arm’s reach but whether or not they can grab it depends on their ability to take the next step.
“It’s now the expectation to be there [the Qualifier finals] and now the next goal is to get past that game,” said MacDonald.
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