Jr Batmen win U23 provincials

The Rostock Toronto Junior Batmen won the six-team Ontario Amateur Softball Association Men's U23 Elimination tournament in Wingham on Saturday, finishing with a perfect four win record.

The Batmen defeated Tavistock Merchants 3-0 in the final, handing the defending champions their only loss of the event.  Brad Barker, the tournament Most Valuable Player, earned the shutout win, tossing a two-hitter. Reese Yantzi took the loss and had relief from Will Schlotzhauer.  Tyler Branchaud of the Greater Ottawa Fastball League's Manotick Brewers is a member of the gold medal winning team, while the Brewers' Jack Becker plays for Tavistock. 

West Carleton Electric entered the U23 level for the first time and went winless in three, losing to the Batmen, New Hamburg Mustangs (bronze medalists) and finishing with a narrow 5-4 quarter-final loss to Shallow Lake. In that game, Noah Fleurie (Micksburg Twins) threw very well despite taking the loss. Cole Hodges (Manotick Brewers) was 2-4 with 3 RBI, and Dylan Rorwick (West Carleton Electric GOFL) had an RBI. Ryland Hill also threw for WC at the event. Other WC U23 players were Gabe Brown, Owen Brown, Conner Hopper, Sam Hopper, Joe Mick, Hudson Collins, and Aiden Reddick.

The other U23 team at the event was from Fingal.

There was also a masters 40+ event in Wingham with four teams playing a round robin. Cobourg, Waterdown, Shakespeare all finished with two wins and a loss, while Huron County went winless.