Scrappy.
This is how the 2026 version of the Milton Senior baseball club will be remembered.
Down 8-4 in their final at-bat on Sunday night in Waterloo, the Red Sox almost pulled one out of the hat. Milton lost the game 9-8 to the Waterloo Tigers, however, no matter what the lieneup looks like, these Red Sox seemingly never quit.
Striking again early - as has been the Milton moniker as of late - the Sox got out to an early 2-0 first inning lead. Liam Butchereit continues his torrid July singling in Ethan Xavier to open the scoring, and Ben Bishop cashed another with an RBI groundout.
After the teams traded runs, the Tigers would tie the game in the 5th, and subsequently take a 5-4 lead in the 6th.
The powerful Waterloo bench would tack on 3 more to take a commanding 8-4 lead heading to the 9th.
Liam Buckley led off the inning with a clean sinlge to centrefield, Ben Singh would earn his 3rd walk of the game, and Butchereit would also earn a free pass to load the bases with no out. Christian D'Cruz battled a 2-strike count to hit the ball sharply into the left-side infield hole to score Buckley. After an Xavier fly-out, Matt Fusco plopped a 2-strike RBI single into left field to plate Singh. Bishop's sacrifice fly to centrefield counted Butchereit from 3rd and got Milton to within one run with two out. This night's first baseeman Kyke Clark then singled on a line drive to left field to allow D'Cruz to score and tie the game at 8-8. A pop-out to end the inning sent the game to the 9th.
Two consecuitve singles to start the 9th, followed by a caught stealing attempt and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out. Unfortunately, another hit batsman ended the game with Waterloo walking it off.
Butchereit was credited with the loss for Milton, but showed his short-inning value as the team enters its' preparation for the Senior Eliminations this upcoming long-weekend.
Adrian Cookson began the game for the Red Sox. The rookie RHP went 4 innings, giving up 6 hits, 4 runs (4 ER), striking out 1, and walking 4. Sam Savard gave the Sox 3 1/3 innings of solid relief in the middle innings.
Offensively, Butchereit was again the story with the stick. The 3rd baseman/pitcher was 3-for-3 and was seemingly all over the field defensively. Bishop led the Sox with 2 RBI from the 7-hole in the lineup, while D'Cruz and SIngh each earned 3 walks. Overall, Milton accumulated 10 base on balls for the game.
With the loss, Milton drops to 11-10 on the COBA regular season. With two remaining league games still to play, the Sox are on par with their 2025 performance; record-wise. The next game for Milton will be at the aforementioned Senior Eliminations this coming Friday, July 31 when they will travel to Windsor to take on COBA friendlies Burlington Brants. Game time is 3:00 pm at Soulliere Field (Mic-Mac Park) Windsor.
