In a Niagara Metros season that featured very good offensive production on a nearly daily basis, it was that element of their game that failed to show up on Saturday. The result was a doubleheader loss in the Final Four Tourney of the C.O.M.B.L. Playoffs, dropping a 2-1 heartbreaker to the Milton Red Sox, and a 10-0 shellacking at the hands of the Oakville A's. In the two games, the Metros managed just 1 unearned run and 8 hits, to end their season quickly and quietly.

In game 1, the Metros scored their only run of the weekend in the 1st inning, and held that 1-0 lead into the 5th, hoping that their "ace", Geoff Strong, could hold off the Sox the rest of the way. But Milton scored an unearned run of their own in the 5th to tie it, and then got a game-winning RBI single from Steve Lauzon in the bottom of the 7th, to win in walk-off fashion 2-1. On the game-winning play, Metros' outfielder Dan Proctor made a strong throw to the plate in an attempt to catch the Red Sox baserunner. But the ball took a hop to the 3rd base side of the plate, and catcher Jono Marcheterre couldn't bring the ball back to the plate soon enough to nab the sliding Milton runner, on a very close play.

The winning pitcher was Ian Zettle, who did not allow a Metros baserunner after the 4th inning. He gave up 5 hits and a walk while striking out 4. Strong was equally effective for Niagara, going the distance and allowing just 1 earned run on 7 hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out 8, to finish the season with 101 K's (only the 2nd Metros' pitcher ever to eclipse the 100 strikeout mark).

Lauzon added another single to his game-winner for a 2-hit game, while James Bruce added a double for Milton. For Niagara, the 5 hits (all singles) were shared by Evan Baglieri, Jonathan Paul, Marcheterre, Kamil Oubayan, and Geordan Dennahower.

The loss sent the Metros into a do-or-die game with the Oakville A's, who also lost their first game of the weekend 2-1, to the Glanbrook Grizzlies. Unfortunately for Niagara, the bats continued to slumber and the A's pounded out 14 hits to win by a 10-0 count.

Andrew Kotalak homered and singled, while Conrad Bach and Matt Griffin collected 3 hits each to lead the A's offense. The Metros managed just 3 singles of their own, with Jono Marcheterre, Geoff Strong and Geordan Dennahower doing the honours.

The winning pitcher was Gord Robertson for the A's who went the distance for the shutout, allowing just 4 Metros baserunners. Brian Kusey took the loss on the Metros' mound. Kusey went 3 2/3 innings, and allowed 7 runs on 8 hits, while striking out 4. T.J. Tavender finished up, allowing 3 runs and 6 hits, striking out 1.

The two losses brings the Metros' 2011 season to an end...a season in which the team overachieved almost all year. In what was a rebuilding year for a team that featured no less than 10 junior-aged players as regular contributors, the Metros competed all year long. They won the Strathroy Tourney in June, made it to Sunday (for the first time in 4 years) at the Elimination Tourney in early August, and made it the the Final Four in the C.O.M.B.L. Playoffs. The final record of 20 wins, 23 losses, and 1 tie, while being the first sub-.500 record in the team's history, is also a great place to start for a young team that should only improve over the next few years.