After having Thursday's scheduled home-opener called off due to rain, the Barrie Baycats hit the route to open the 2021 Intercounty Baseball League season.
The Baycats were in Hamilton on Friday night to meet the Cardinals.
Brandon Nieva's two-out single in the bottom of the eighth cashed in Matt Lonetto to give the Cardinals a 3-2 win over the Baycats at Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium.
Justin Gideon went 2-for-3 with a run for the Cards (1-0), who picked up five hits in total against a trio of Baycats' hurlers.
Ben Braun (1-0) earned the win on the mound, striking out two in a scoreless inning of relief.
Stefan Strecker picked up the save with a clean ninth, striking out one.
Starter Chris Lazar allowed two runs (one earned) on nine hits with eight strikeouts. He didn't issue a walk.
Lazar outdueled Barrie starter Juan Benitez, who threw five scoreless innings while scattering two hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
Barrie's Lucas Earle (0-1) took the loss, giving up two runs on one hit with a walk in 1.2 innings.
Offensively, the Baycats' Ryan Rijo went 2-for-5 with a double and a run.
Mike Cecchetto drove in the other run, while Marcel Lacasse and Tyler Plumpton each had a pair of hits.
In other IBL action, the London Majors walloped the Toronto Maple Leafs, 12-1, at Labatt Park, while the Welland Jackfish knocked off the Brantford Red Sox, 7-2.
There is only one game on the schedule today, as London travels to Welland for a 1:05 p.m. start.
The Baycats are back in action on Sunday when they head to London. First pitch is set for 7:35 p.m.
