Cardinal Alumni win 20th Alumni Game

By Dan Estey

The Erindale Cardinals hosted their 20th, and final, Alumni game at Greg Cranker Field in Mississauga. This year’s installment was as entertaining as the past 19 years as many faces from over the years took the time to attend the always eventful day.

The Alumni jumped all over Cards starter Adrian Butrimas as they plated all three runs in the first inning to take an early lead. From there, the Alumni put on a pitching clinic to keep the Cards off the board for the duration of the five-inning tilt. Frank Coccia drew the start and combined with Tim Gasparotto, Dan (Spoiler) Gardener and Chris (Will) Dubnyk to keep the Cards bats at bay making the final score 3-0.

Coccia, shiny teeth and all, grabbed the win on the hill while Dubnyk, who didn’t get angry all day, grabbed the save for the Alumni. Butrimas took the loss in his only alumni game appearance on the hill for the Cards. Alonzo (Zo) Scicluna was named the MVP of the game.

Over the 20 years span of the event, the Alumni finish with an 11-7-1 record. Of course it wouldn’t be an alumni game if at least one of them wasn’t marred by rain.