Estey: Newmarket Hawks will defend Gold Bat title

April 20, 2025

Newmarket Hawks Will Defend CABC Gold Bat Tournament

By Dan Estey

Canadian Amateur Baseball Central

The field for the second annual CABC Gold Bat invitational tournament is set for June 13-15 in Sarnia.

A total of 12 of the top Ontario men’s AAA programs are set to battle in the 2025 edition of the tournament with Newmarket Hawks looking to defend their 2024 title win.

The Hawks, who play out of the Greater Toronto Baseball League, will be joined by the Ilderton Riverhawks, the Windsor Athletics of the Can Am League and the Brampton Royals of the COBA Major League in the John Vasey Division.

The Joe Panik Division will be made up of the Windsor Stars of the Can Am League, the Etobicoke Rangers and the Burlington Brants of COBA Major and the Leaside Leafs of the Greater Toronto League.

The Stan Slack Division will feature the 2024 finalists and hosts the Sarnia Brigade, the Tecumseh Thunder of the Can Am League, the Thornhill Reds of the Greater Toronto League and the Erindale Cardinals of the COBA Major.

Tournament play will take place at three fields in the Sarnia and surrounding area. Home park will be at Errol Russell Field at Stan Slack Park. Other games will take place at Blackwell Park also in Sarnia and legendary Eric MacKenzie Field based out of Courtright.

The tournament kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday with games happening at all three venues Friday night and all day Saturday. The quarter-finals will take place at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday at Errol Russell Field and Blackwell Park with the semi-finals taking place at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning at the same two venues. The championship will go at 1 p.m. at Errol Russell Field.