Estey: Coaticook takes season opener over Sherbrooke

Coaticook Defeats Sherbrooke in LBMQ 2026 Season Opener ... Kirk Fryer collected three hits for Sherbrooke

By Dan Estey

CABC Admin

The Big Bill de Coaticook and Expos de Sherbrooke had the honor of kicking off the 2026 Ligue de Baseball majeur du Quebec regular season. They kicked off a very busy opening weekend of play which saw all 11 LBMQ teams in action to open the season.

The visiting Sherbrooke Expos would get on the board first as they would plate a pair of runs to open the game at Stade Julien Morin in Coaticook. The Big Bill would came back with two of their own in the home half of the inning to tie the score. Each team scored in the third.

Coaticook took its first lead of the game in the fourth, scoring a pair of runs and for a 5-3 lead. A pesky Sherbrooke team answered in tfifth with three runs and re-claiming the lead. The Big Bill took the lead for good in the fifth as it would score for runs in that frame to tale a 9-6 lead. They would add an insurance run in the sixth to win this contest 10-6.

Simon Pierre-Soumis led the way offensively for the Big Bill going 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and three RBIs. Jacob Carroll was 2-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI while Xavier Langlois was 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Julien Castagnier-Charlebois was also 2-for-4 with a pair of runs while Kyle Hazel doubled.

For the Expos, they were led by Kirk Fryer who was 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Ismael Ballard was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs while Samuel Rajotte was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Benjamin De Grandpre was 2-for-3 with a pairof singles while Philippe Dion was 1-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.

On the mound, Coaticook used four different arms with Oscar Rodriguez drawing the start. He tossed four innings allowing three runs == two earned -- on 10 hits while striking out three. Yun Sinkeun started the fifth inning and allow three runs -- two earned -- on no hits and a pair of walks without recording an out. Raul Rodriguez followed him tossing an inning allowing no runs on two hits and striking out two in collecting the win. Sora Sakashita would throw the last two innings allowing no runs and one hit with two strikeouts.

For Sherbrooke, Keisuke Takikawa started and allowed five runs -- two earned -- on five hits. He walked one and struck out five in collecting a no decision. Cedric Caron follwed to the mound and toss one inning allowing four runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one in taking the loss. Jose Lalancette tossed the final inning allowing one run (earned) on one hit while walking one and striking out two.