IDCI’s Plaquet batting 1.000 for on-base/base-stealing percentages

Ingersoll’s Colton Cameron (right) slides safely back into first ahead of a pickoff attempt. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

Statistically, Brandon Plaquet’s 2025 on-base percentage against the Tillsonburg Gemini is 1.000 and he boasts a perfect base-stealing record.

Which is to say, for a relief pitcher who does not make many plate appearances and may not appear to be a threat to run when he does, a walk and subsequent theft of second base were Ingersoll DCI Blue Bombers highlights through a 10-3 Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) varsity baseball loss to Glendale Gemini on May 8 at Sam Lamb Field in Tillsonburg.

Earning a base on balls as a late-inning pinch-hitter, Plaquet took a generous lead off first base, enhanced by a home team enjoying a comfortable lead’s decision to play behind the runner rather than hold him on. Depending on one’s point of view, Plaquet either took the bait or accepted the challenge, dashing 90 feet with a visitors’ dugout-pleasing slide safely into second, gaining him applause all around.

“Got wheels somewhere, eh?” he smiled after the game. “A little turbo in the tank.”

In the following game on May 12 at Woodstock’s Tip O’Neil Field against the Woodstock CI Red Devils, Plaquet was back on more familiar ground, entering the game to record a one-pitch relief appearance that successfully preserved a tight score. His Blue Bombers teammates responded by scratching out enough runs to take a 5-4 lead that would stand up as an IDCI victory.

“I think technically, Brandon is the winning pitcher of record,” said Blue Bombers co-coach Tyler Neeb, pleased to see a senior team leader rewarded for his - albeit brief - outing and longer contributions.

“He’s been a really reliable guy on the mound and a great presence on the bench. He keeps morale up.”

In a nutshell, those two events characterized IDCI’s 2025 TVRA baseball regular season - a young roster holding its collective head high while celebrating its share of smaller victories rather than focusing on its win-loss record.

“It’s definitely a rebuilding year,” said Neeb.

The TVRA season is a short, comparatively compressed schedule whose seven games provide more of an additional baseball outlet than an in-school development program. Of the 20 hopefuls who attended IDCI tryouts, all have previous baseball experience from house league to elite levels.

“It’s really taking the pieces you happen to have at your school and putting together what you can,” said Neeb.

A majority of this year’s roster is in grade 9 or 10, stepping up to fill the cleats from last year’s graduating class. The TVRA has Tier I and Tier II options, but IDCI unanimously chose to compete at the loop’s highest level.

“They all collectively voted to be as competitive as we could,” said Neeb.

An Ingersoll native, Neeb was a shortstop and pitcher within his home community and with the AAA London Badgers program, beginning an enjoyable three-year run with IDCI’s baseball team in Grade 11. He played briefly with the Brock Badgers before moving on to senior baseball in Tillsonburg and to this day, enjoys the sport with former high school teammates.

“I hope these guys have that same experience.”

Neeb and co-coach Rob Libman, who also enjoyed his own playing and umpiring career, strive to put the student part of student-athlete first. They also want to be as competitive as possible in a framework of shared playing time, an opportunity to try new positions and experiencing varsity high school’s broader range of ages than typically exists on club teams.

“I think it’s good to expand some of their horizons.”

IDCI has a scheduled playoff game at Tip O’Neil Park against Lord Dorchester on May 20 at 10 a.m.

Regardless of that contest’s outcome, Neeb looked back on seasonal highlights, including keeping things relatively close against an undefeated Tillsonburg squad, the win against WCI, like the Blue Bombers, a young squad without a large draw, and importantly, individual and collective development across the regular season.

“We’ve got a promising team in the coming years,” he concluded.

TVRA Varsity Baseball

May 15

Woodstock St. Mary’s 10, Aylmer East Elgin 2

May 14

Lord Dorchester 1, Woodstock CI 0

Woodstock College Avenue 8, St. Thomas Parkside 7

May 13

Woodstock Huron Park 11, Ingersoll 3

East Elgin 10, St. Mary’s 3

May 12

Ingersoll 5, WCI 4

Tillsonburg 7, College Avenue 4

May 9

Dorchester 11, College Avenue 1

May 8

Tillsonburg 10, IDCI 3

St. Thomas St. Joe’s 7, Huron Park 3

May 7

Woodstock CI 4, Huron Park 0

St. Mary’s 10, Central Elgin 0

Huron Park 11, College Avenue 2

College Avenue 12, WCI 2

May 5

St. Thomas Parkside 11, IDCI 1