It was a historic weekend for Leamington Minor Baseball as both the 10U and 12U Lakers squads captured tournament gold at the London Talons Baseball Tournament.
For the Leamington Lakers 10U team, this past weekend, July 10-12, was the culmination of a three-year journey. After competing in London for three consecutive summers, the squad finally broke through to clinch their first-ever Talons title in dominant fashion.
The 10U team opened their campaign on Friday with a 10-5 win over the Lucan-Ilderton A’s. They kept the momentum rolling through Saturday, shutting down the Welland Junior Jackfish 4-2 and overwhelming the Sarnia Brigade 13-0.
Sunday’s playoff rounds showcased the Lakers’ elite defense. They defeated the Vaughan Vikings 15-6 in the morning before blanking the Lakeshore Whitecaps 9-0. Leamington saved their most complete performance for the championship game, once again dismantling the Welland Junior Jackfish in a decisive 12-4 victory to finally lift the elusive gold trophy.
The 12U Lakers matched their younger club’s gold-en success, capping off their weekend with a dramatic, come-from-behind 12-11 walk-off victory against the DKMB Rivercats.
The 12U team went 2-1 in round-robin play, defeating the Amherstburg Cardinals 11-4 and the Lucan-Ilderton A’s 11-7, while dropping a tight 10-8 decision to the Guelph Royals. On Sunday, they caught fire, cruising past the Tecumseh Rangers 13-3 and the host London Talons 12-5.
The championship final was an instant classic. The Lakers fell behind early, trailing 9-2 in the second inning. Undeterred, Leamington staged a massive mid-game comeback before the Rivercats pulled back ahead 11-10.
Fueling the dugout was some of the newly-crowned 10U championship team who stayed at the diamond to cheer on the older club. The loud cheering section featured an extra layer of family ties, including three pairs of siblings playing across the two golden rosters. Down to their final outs in the bottom of the sixth, the 12U Lakers fed off the energy. Hunter Chambers delivered a dramatic two-run double to walk it off 12-11 and seal the dual-championship weekend for Leamington.
Leamington Lakers 12U, front row, left to right: Evan Wright, Karter Bell, Emmitt Rempel, Brayden Dyck, Hunter Chambers, Clayton Biekx, Ryan Wiebe. Middle row: Cooper Autterson, Dax Glasier, Lincoln Friesen, Bentley Kaiser, Connor Froese. Back row: Coaches Jordan Froese, Jeff Biekx, Jason Cox, Jason Szorvas and Darryl Glasier.
Submitted photo
