IBL Playoffs: Jackfish win first IBL title

The Welland Jackfish celebrate after winning their first Intercounty Baseball League championship on Saturday. Photo: Welland Jackfish/Twitter

September 16, 2023

Official Intercounty Baseball League News Release

BARRIE, Ont. – The Intercounty Baseball League’s top regular season team was also the IBL’s best in the playoffs, as the Welland Jackfish blew out Barrie 17-1 on Saturday to clinch its first Dominico Cup title.

Welland, after dropping the series’ first two games, won the next four in the best-of-seven series.

Welland starting pitcher and playoff MVP James Bradwell allowed an unearned run over 7 2/3 innings in Game 6. He scattered six hits, walked two and struck out six. Over three playoff rounds, Bradwell went 5-0 with a 1.03 earned-run average.

Offensively, Matteo Porcellato homered twice and drove in five, while Gianfranco Morello went 3-for-6 with a home run, two RBIs and three runs. Sam Cawker was 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs, Carlos Martinez doubled and drove in two, Hogan Brown had a pair of RBIs and scored twice, and James Smibert drove in a run and scored twice.

For Barrie, the playoff’s third seed, Ryan Rijo drove in Canice Ejoh in the eighth inning. Carson Burns singled twice.

Evan Soules took the loss, allowing six runs on five hits over 2 1/3 innings. He walked two and didn’t record a strikeout.