Elliott, PG I: Blaze, Nationals, Team Ontario, Windsor all 2-0
Ontario Blue Jays RHP Will Hynes (Mississauga, Ont.) put up six zeroes, fanning nine in his 100-pitch outing against the Mississauga Tigers.
June 4, 2025
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Thames Centre _ Will Hynes was everything as advertised and more as the 18U Perfect Game Canadian National Championship Tour began Wednesday afternoon.
The top-rated high school pitcher in Canada pitched six scoreless as his Ontario Blue Jays beat the Mississauga Tigers 7-0.
Hynes (Mississauga, Ont.) fanned one of his best pals, Noah Arkell, for the right-hander’s ninth whiff of the day ... on his 100th pitch.
And with that, he let out a scream which was was one part joy, one part pure exultation and one part howling at the moon. It was the kind of reaction you see in October play when a reliever gets out of a jam.
“It was good to get out of that jam (the Tigers had two runners on base),” said Hynes, “I wanted to get out of that jam.”
It was 5-0 at the time.
Prior to the game, a number of Ontario Blue Jays and Tigers met behind home plate and hugged, exchanged high fives and wished each other good luck ...
Yet, after that it was strictly business. Serious business. A top elite team playing one of the better OBA clubs.
“Both teams are from the same area in Mississauga, a lot of us know each other,” Hynes said. “It was easy to get up for a game like that.”
Nothing against the Canadian Futures Showcase or T-12, but the intensity level of this event was cranked up to about a ‘nine’ on the intensity scale. At the Future Showcase when Royal Blue beats Navy it’s “big whoop.”
Each player believes he is playing for the best program in the country so there was a take-no-prisoners approach. Pitches on the corner had one dugout cheering and the other letting out a huge sigh ... the players had been expecting a strike ... they wanted a strike.
While there may have only been four provinces represented (British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec -- with the rest from Ontario) this 12-team inaugural event was a start ... a good start.
It was like a high school tournament ... every player being “True to Your School,” as the Beach Boys used to sing.
The Ontario Blue Jays may have beat the Tigers, but they dropped their opener, 4-1 to the FieldHouse Pirates.
* * *
Nationals LHP Jacob Morgan (Guelph, Ont.) went the distance for a shutout against the Webber Wildcats.
Four teams finished Day I at 2-0: the Brewers Langley Blaze, Ontario Nationals, Windsor Selects and Team Ontario Astros.
LHP Jacob Morgan went the distance for a complete-game shutout throwing 111 pitches -- some in the rain -- to whiff 11 and blank the Webber Wildcats from Calgary 2-0. Morgan allowed three hits and one walk.
“The whole day had a different vibe, a different environment than playing a couple of league games on the weekend,” Morgan said. “It was definitively competitive ... you enter a tournament like this, you want to win. I believe we’re fourth in the Canadian Premier League standings.
“Being under the lights with all those people around and playing on a really great field like Great Lakes’ home was something.
“My fastball was my best pitch, I kept missing bats so I kept throwing it,” Morgan said.
It was his second shutout of the season as he blanked the FieldHouse Pirates in Woodstock.
Play was held up for 20 minutes, but Royal Field’s turf looked like it could handle 2 1/2 hours of rain. Morgan was in the first base dugout when the rain arrived, as Perfect Game officials could not find the button for the roof.
“I was a little more tired when I went back out (after the rain), but really I think it helped me catch my breath,” Morgan said.
Morgan was quick to complement centre fielder Logan Gibbs who made a diving catch robbing a double and probably “saving a run,” and catcher Cam Dube caught a guy stealing to end the sixth ... “big arm, big play.”
On Thursday morning, the Nationals meet undefeated Brewers Langley Blaze.
“The hope was to start off 2-0,” Morgan said. “We knew we had beaten the Toronto Mets earlier this year ... think it was 9-0. It’s hard to know what to expect when you don’t know who you are playing.”
3B Kylan Hampton and LF Aidan Klasnic knocked in runs for the Nationals.
The Nationals scored twice in the top of the seventh of their opener to edge the Mets 7-6. With two out and none on, Caleb McArthur fell behind 0-2, but worked a walk, Aidan Klasnic was hit by a pitch and Ty Shapton walked to load the bases. Gibbs followed with a two-run single.
Cole Leuszler had a double, while Dube and Hampton had the other hits.
Christian Donnelly picked up the save with a scoreless bottom of the seventh, while the win went to reliever Isaak Ublansky. Starter Aiden Greenen pitched five innings allowing five runs -- three earned -- on six hits, whiffing six.
* * *
Brewers Langley Blaze Oscar Leah had a key two-run single.
Undefeated, untied II: The Brewers Langley Blaze scored three times in the top of the seventh for a 5-2 win over the Great Lake Canadians. The tie-breaking run scored on a ball in the dirt and then left-handed hitting Oscar Leah hit a two-run single facing left-hander Mark Rogers.
We know the Blaze have an excellent reputation when it comes to recruiting. Leah grew up in Mississauga playing for coaches Dwain Ervin, Ryan Asis, Sean Travers and Greg Byron with the Mississauga Tigers.
“Lefty on lefty is always tough,” said Leah, whose father moved to the West Coast to work for BC Housing.
Coach Jamie Bodaly said he received a call from Leah’s father, the Blaze worked him out and he made the club.
As the one scout said, “The thing about Langley Blaze -- 2-2 tie game, top of the seventh -- they are battle tested.”
Leah, who counts Ramsey Chung, Jacob Berney and Tommy Hanger as his best pals still with his former team, will hope he can provide the same kind of offensive spark for the Blaze against the Ontario Nationals, in a battle of the two undefeated teams on Thursday morning.
In the opener, Evan Dugdale pitched for the Blaze, striking out eight in 4 2/3 innings in a 6-1 win over Academy Baseball Quebec. Ryunosuke Murase fanned five in 2 1/3 innings.
Luke Laird doubled and singled for the Blaze, while Kason Siguenza and Dugdale each added a pair of hits and Leah doubled.
Windsor Selects RHP Nate Tramontozzi (Windsor, Ont.) picked up the win against the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians.
* * *
Undefeated, untied III: In Pool A, the Windsor Selects received two dominant mound performances.
Nate Tramontozzi pitched six scoreless as the Selects beat the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians 6-1. He allowed two hits and two walks, while striking out five, in his 77-pitch outing. Josh Awad worked the seventh.
Joel Leblanc had a pair of hits and knocked in two while Nash Driedger had two hits.
Evan Schweyer, Mylo Wasileff and Rohan Arnold added a single each.
Then, Gavin Campbell pitched a complete game in a 9-1 win over FieldHouse, allowing one run on six hits and one walk, while striking out five, in his 80-pitch effort.
Jack Kivell homered and singled for the Selects, while Travis Caron doubled and singled. Harrison Holmes and Leblanc also each had a pair of hits.
Team Ontario Astros Andrew Kobryn (Newmarket, Ont.) had a day at the plate
* * *
Undefeated, untied IV: Team Ontario opened with a 7-6 win over the Mississauga Tigers thanks to three hits and an RBI from Jacob Pruitt. Jacob Raposo homered and tripled, driving in four, as Andrew Kobryn and Adrian Krupka each doubled. Alexander Graham added a double.
Nathan Kirouac fanned five in three innings.
Jordan Gallo homered for the Tigers, while Tommy Hanger and Liam Benevides each doubled.
Four Team Ontario arms fanned 10 in a 6-5 win against the Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, the game winner scoring on a wild pitch.
Kobryn tripled and singled, while Landon Smelt and Pruitt each had a pair of base hits.
* * *
More Hynes: The next start for Hynes will come June 11 when the Junior National Team makes its first venture into the Major League Draft League.
“There are a lot of college players, I haven’t faced too many college hitters,” Hynes said.
However, he has made eight starts against pro teams on the spring extended trips and eight-to-10 starts against rookie-class Dominican Summer League teams in his three years with the junior team.
Hynes is headed to Wake Forest University -- unless he signs. He was spotted by recruiters in the summer after his grade 9 year at a showcase in Marietta, Ga. And in the fall of his grade 10 year made a visit to Wake and signed.
“Today I threw a lot of change ups, they had a left-handed heavy lineup, but really our bats did all the work,” said Hynes, the second part of his comment spoken like a big leaguer deflecting praise elsewhere.
And he did have support: Philip Cheong and Benji Kautto, the 1-2 speedy punch atop the Ontario Blue Jays’ lineup each had two hits: Cheong homered and singled, while Kautto homered, tripled and drove in a pair of runs.
Owen Ralph, Jordan Jacob and John Hughes each singled.
* * *
Pro scouts on hand: Toronto Blue Jays (three), Texas Rangers (two), Athletics, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates.
Recruiters on hand: Rutgers University, Illinois, Canisius, University of Mary, Niagara Community College.
Day 1
18U Schedule
Wednesday
Brewers Langley Blaze 6, Academy of Baseball Canada 1
Ontario Nationals 18U 7, Toronto Mets 6
Fieldhouse Pirates 4, Ontario Blue Jays 18U 1
Team Ontario 18u 7, Tigers HPP 6
Great Lake Canadians 6, Webber Wildcats 2
Windsor Selects 5, Ottawa-Nepean Canadians 1
Ontario Blue Jays 18U 7, Mississauga Tigers HPP 0
Toronto Mets 9, Academy of Baseball Canada 9
Windsor Selects 9, Fieldhouse Pirates 1
Brewers Langley Blaze 5, Great Lake Canadians 2
Team Ontario 6, Ottawa-Nepean Canadians 5
Ontario Nationals 18U 2, Webber Wildcats 0
Pool A
Team Name Prov. PCT W L T RA RS
1. Windsor Selects ON 1.000 2 0 0 2 14
2. Team Ontario 18u ON 1.000 2 0 0 11 13
3. Fieldhouse Pirates ON .500 1 1 0 10 5
4. Ontario Blue Jays 18U ON .500 1 1 0 4 8
5. O ttawa-Nepean ON .000 0 2 0 11 6
6. Tigers HPP ON .000 0 2 0 14 6
Pool B
Team Name Prov. PCT W L T RA RS
1. Brewers Langley Blaze BC 1.000 2 0 0 3 11
2. Ontario Nationals 18U ON 1.000 2 0 0 6 9
3. Great Lake Canadians 18U ON .500 1 1 0 7 8
4. Academy of Baseball Canada QC .250 0 1 1 15 10
5. Toronto Mets ON .250 0 1 1 16 15
6. Webber Wildcats AB .000 0 2 0 8 2
Thursday
11:30 AM @ Royal Field Ottawa-Nepean Canadians vs. Ontario Blue Jays 18U
11:30 AM @ Field of Dreams Ontario Nationals 18U vs. Brewers Langley Blaze
11:30 AM @ Tip O’Neil Park Tigers HPP vs. Fieldhouse Pirates
11:30 AM @ Labatt Park Great Lake Canadians 18U (Michael Ham) vs. Academy of Baseball Canada (Jérôme Lucas).
2 PM @ Royal Field Team Ontario 18u vs. Windsor Selects (Trent Rudge Canisius).
2 PM @ Field of Dreams Webber Wildcats vs. Toronto Mets
Friday
9 AM @ Field of Dreams Tigers HPP vs. Ottawa-Nepean Canadians
9 AM @ Royal Field Toronto Mets vs. Great Lake Canadians 18U (Luke Foulds)
11:30 AM @ Field of Dreams Windsor Selects (Matthew Neufeld) vs. Ontario Blue Jays 18U
11:30 AM @ Royal Field Ontario Nationals 18U vs. Academy of Baseball Canada
2 PM @ Field of Dreams Fieldhouse Pirates vs. Team Ontario 18u
2 PM @ Royal Field Brewers Langley Blaze vs. Webber Wildcats
Saturday
2 PM @ Royal Field Ontario Blue Jays 18U vs. Team Ontario 18u
2 PM @ Field of Dreams Academy of Baseball Canada vs. Webber Wildcats
4:30 PM @ Royal Field Fieldhouse Pirates vs. Ottawa-Nepean Canadians
4:30 PM @ Field of Dreams Toronto Mets vs. Brewers Langley Blaze
7 PM @ Royal Field Windsor Selects (Sam Wirag) vs. Tigers HPP
7 PM @ Field of Dreams Great Lake Canadians 18U vs. Ontario Nationals 18U
Sunday
Semi-finals
11:30 AM @ Field of Dreams Seed 2 Pool A vs. Seed 1 Pool B
11:30 AM @ Royal Field Seed 2 Pool B vs. Seed 1 Pool A
Championship
4:30 PM @ Royal Field Winners of two semi-final game winners.
16 Under Division
Thursday
9 AM @ Royal Field Great Lake Canadians vs. Toronto Mets 16U
9 AM @ Tip O’Neil Park Ontario Blue Jays 16U vs. Ottawa Nepean Canadians
9 AM @ Field of Dreams Victus Prospects Ontario vs. FIeldhouse Pirates 16U
9 AM @ Labatt Park Academy of Baseball Canada (Julien Simard) vs. Tigers HPP
4:30 PM @ Field of Dreams Fieldhouse Pirates 16U vs. Great Lake Canadians
4:30 PM @ Royal Field Ontario Blue Jays 16U vs. Academy of Baseball Canada (Mathieu Levesque)
7 PM @ Field of Dreams Toronto Mets 16U vs. Victus Prospects Ontario
7 PM @ Royal Field Ottawa Nepean Canadians Tigers HPP
Friday
4:30 PM @ Royal Field Great Lake Canadians vs. Victus Prospects Ontario
4:30 PM @ Field of Dreams Tigers HPP vs. Ontario Blue Jays 16U
7 PM @ Royal Field Toronto Mets 16U vs. FIeldhouse Pirates 16U
7 PM @ Field of Dreams Ottawa Nepean Canadians vs. Academy of Baseball Canada (Josh Theriault)
Saturday
Playoff Round 1
9 AM @ Field of Dreams Pool A Seed 3 vs. Pool B Seed 2
9 AM @ Royal Field Pool B Seed 3 vs. Pool A Seed 2
11:30 AM @ Field of Dreams Pool B Seed 4 vs. Pool A Seed 1
11:30 AM @ Royal Field Pool A Seed 4 vs. Pool B Seed 1
Sunday
Semi-final
9 AM @ Field of Dreams
9 AM @ Royal Field
Championship
2 PM @ Royal Field
Consolation
2 PM @ Field of Dreams
4:30 PM @ Field of Dreams