9U Black Sox win Silver Medal at 2025 Provincial Championships

The 9U Soo Black Sox kicked off the Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) championships Friday afternoon with a tough matchup vs the Midland-Penetang Twins. In what proved to be a defensive battle with many Sox players making key plays, the Soo squad hung on for a 4-1 victory. Connor Gaines was a standout with the glove earning player of the game honours. Two first year players, Lochlyn Moore and Maverick Harnden led the way offensively, each collecting three hits, and driving in two runs apiece.

Next up for the Black Sox was a northern rival, the Sudbury Shamrocks. Another low scoring affair, Linden Louttit’s two run homerun in the bottom of the fifth inning gave the Sox the cushion they needed as they held on for a 5-1 victory. Linden was awarded player of the game.

In the second game of the day on Saturday the local team faced Richmond Hill. The Sox offence got rolling in this tilt, putting up 18 runs and limiting the southern Ontario club to only seven. Napoleon Tousignant and Patrick Cristillo led the way with the bats. Tousignant went three for three at the plate, driving in four runs. Cristillo added a couple of hits and three RBI. Veteran player Theo Rome added four hits on four plate appearance, Maverick Harnden, Andrew Chlebus, Lochlynn Moore and Liam Rooley all added multiple RBI in this game. Napoleon Tousignant was awarded the Black Sox player of the game award.

Saturday proved to be a long day with three games for the 9U team. In game three of the day, the undefeated Soo club faced the undefeated Newmarket Hawks. This game was close throughout with both clubs making great plays on defence and hitting the ball hard with the bats. Leo Bellini led the Sox with four hits in the game, including two runs batted in. Liam Rooley was awarded player of the game for the Black Sox after going three for three at the plate and providing solid defence at pitcher and right field.

The 2025 OBA tournament is double elimination so the Black Sox can’t afford to lose another game. Sunday morning the Sox faced the North Bay Panthers. This was the seventh meeting of the season between the two clubs. The offence got most of the attention in this matchup. Linden Louttit and Lochlyn Moore each had four hits, Connor Gaines added three. Moore drove in 4 runs and Cole Breton had two hits and drove in three runs to help the Sox to a 15-10 victory. Patrick Cristillo received player of the game honours for making multiple crucial defensive plays as the catcher stopping runs from scoring.

Now only two teams standing, the Soo facing Newmarket in a rematch from Saturday night. It was a close affair the entire game. The Sox took control in the bottom of the second inning, scoring five runs, including a two-run home run by Napoleon Tousignant. Newmarket scored three runs in the top of the 7th to tie the game 9-9 heading to the final half inning of the game. With their season on the line the Black Sox got runners on base and Leo Bellini drove in the winning run as the Sox won in walk off fashion to force a winner take all final game vs Newmarket. Bellini was awarded player of the game for his heroics.

The final game of the tournament was a nailbiter. Newmarket took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first but the Black Sox defence kept it close throughout. Mihkel Bykkonen may have had the catch of the tournament with a diving catch in centre field.  The Sox turned their first traditional double play of the season in the final, with second baseman Theo Rome flipping it shortstop Connor Gaines who fired it to first baseman Linden Louttit for a crucial two outs late in the game. In the end the Sox couldn’t get the offence going as they dropped the gold medal game 3-0.

With only one returning player from last year’s 9U club, the Soo Black Sox finished the season with a 32-5-1 record. The only losses against 9U competition came in the tournament final in Saugeen Shores in June, and in the OBA tournament this past weekend. With entries into three tournaments over the season, the Black Sox came home with a gold from Windsor, a silver from Saugeen Shores and a second-place finish at the provincial championships.

Game results

Midland-Penetang Twins 4-1 W

Sudbury Shamrocks 5-1 W

Richmond Hill – 18-7 W

Newmarket Hawks – 14-10 L

North Bay Panthers 15-10 W

Newmarket Hawks 10-9 W

Newmarket Hawks 3-0 L