By: Jordan Stoddart

SCARBOROUGH, Neilson Park – The Lambton Lions cooled off the red-hot Centennial Colts Saturday evening, besting them 5-4 in a highly contested matchup. The Colts had a 4-game winning streak entering the game, but the winless Lions fought hard and showed perseverance to earn their first victory of the season.

The Lions (1-8) kicked off the scoring in the fourth inning when Cole Hudson lined a double into the left field, driving home Kaymond Turner and Gavyn Vrbos-Clarkson to give the Lions a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Colts' infielder Liam Oates drilled an RBI single up the middle to cut the lead in half, 2-1. The Colts (6-3) created a sacrifice fly from Carter Moench, which led to Tejean O'Sullivan tagging from third and safely tapping home plate to nod the game at 2.

Nothing came easy for either team, as the Lions were pressing to regain the lead. Lions outfielder Caden Turnbull stole second base, and tried his luck again aiming for third but was thrown out by Colts' catcher Robbie Mccarty-Salerno to get out of the jam.

A wild Colts pitch in the top of the sixth inning rewarded Vrbos-Clarkson and Turner to third and second base, respectively. Another wild pitch granted Vrbos-Clarkson the honour of sliding home, which gifted the Lions the lead, 3-2. Jake Prudom's single increased the lead to 4-2. Oates and Mccarty-Salerno each singled to lead off the bottom of the inning, and Moench's infield single loaded up the bases for the Colts. Owen Nichols' RBI single drove in two, to tie up the back-and-forth contest at 4.

Lions' outfielders Eric Steeves and Turnbull each singled to start the seventh inning, and Malcolm Verstraten executed a bunt which led to an error, and it restored the Lions' lead, 5-4 and they would not look back. Oates gets the start for the second game as the Colts look to even the series.