The Windsor Selects are the 2025 Canadian 22U champions after winning seven straight games en route to the title Sunday, August 10.
Leamington’s Brady Knelsen pitched a 12-strikeout gem in the final game to get a 2-0 win over the host Nova Scotia squad, claiming the title alongside his teammates, seven who are from this area.
Windsor started the tournament strong last Thursday with a 5-2 win over P.E.I. and followed that with a 7-0 Whitewash of Nova Scotia 2 on Friday. A tougher Nova Scotia 1 squad on Friday evening gave them their best test as the Selects took the game 5-4. They met Ontario’s other representative from Sarnia on Saturday morning and came away with a 5-3 win, before beating Nova Scotia once again 4-1 later that day. Sunday’s semi-final saw the Selects beat Manitoba 3-1.
Knelsen was joined by Kanaan Gale, Andrew Sleiman, Jack Tiessen, Lucas Penner, Derek Neufeld and Kingsville’s Griffin Dyck on the Select squad.
Leamington Minor Baseball President Kevin Gale was proud of the former Leamington Lakers players.
“Couldn’t be prouder, I’ve watched these boys play and work hard at this game since they were 8 years old. They’ve always had a great passion for baseball and they were rewarded for their efforts this weekend,” he said. “And to be able to do it with so many of their friends and teammates from the early years just made it all that more special.”
