Estey: East York and Ajax open TBL with victories

Glenn Reeves went 2-for-2 with a home run, a double,, two runs and three RBIs for Ajac Spartans.

By Dan Estey

CABC

The East York Bulldogs and Ajax Spartans both picked up victories on the opening day of the 2026 Greater Toronto Baseball League regular season. East York defeated the expansion Northumberland Jacks by a score of 14-5 while Ajax defeated the defending GTBL playoff champions, the Newmarket Hawks by a score of 9-3.

The Bulldogs struck strike in as they would get three runs in the first at Stan Wadlow Park in East York. The Jacks answered back in the third with three runs of their own to tie the game. That lead would be short lived though as East York scored countered with in the home half.

Northumberland goi one back in the top of the fourth inning but the Bulldogs kept pouring on the offense plating with three more runs for a 9-4 lead after four. East York added another run in the fifth while the Jacks addded a run in the sixth. The Bulldogs tacked on four runs in the eighth inning leading to the victory.

OF Evan Tondera led the offensive charge for East York going 2-for-3 with a pair of singles, two walks, two runs and three RBIs. Veteran Steve Andreopoulos was 1-for-2 with a triple, a pair of walks, a run scored and two RBIs while Shoya Hase was 2-for-3 with a double, a pair of runs and an RBI.

For the Northumberland Jacks, Joe Godfrey led the way offensively going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Hunter Wright was 1-for-5 belting a home run, scoring a run and collecting three RBIs while Chase Lalande was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a pair of RBIs.

On the mound, the Bulldogs used a half a dozen arms with Jaocb Schuurman collecting the win. He worked two innings allowing one run -- unearned -- on three hits walking one and striking out six. Cameron Martin would also threw two innings allowing one run on two hits while walking two and striking out two while lefty Niall Windeler tossed two scoreless innings striking out four batters. Junya Oshima pitched throw one inning allowing three runs on two hits with a walk and a strikeout while Duncan McLellan and Dustin Lawson would each throw a scoreless frame.

For Northumberlnd, Thomas Aronowicz started and took the loss going two innings allowing three runs -- one earned -- on two hits walking four and striking out two. Emmett Shannon was next tossing five innings allowing seven runs (three earned) on five hits walking six and striking out six. Dylan Brown would throw the last inning allowing four runs (all unearned) on two hits walking a batter and striking out one. The Kelly brothers failed to make an appearance.

Just down the road at the Ajax Sportsplex, the Spartans would get out of the gates quick in this one plating a run in the first, two more in the third and a run in the fourth. The Hawks got their first run of the game fifth cutting the lead to 4 -1. Ajax would get that back and then some with two in the bottom half.

The eager Newmarket crew kept plugging away in the sixth as they gpt another run back cutting the lead to 6-2. The Spartans kept the pressure on scoring three more runs in the seventh stretching the lead to 9-2. The Hawks clawed out one more run in the final frame but that would be all they could muster on this night with Ajax taking this game by a socre of 9-3.

Veteran Glenn Reeves was the big bat for Ajax going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double, a pair of walks, two runs and three RBIs. Nico Angelakos was 3-for-5 with a runs scored and an RBI while Sean Molony was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI. Jesse “Father” Dynes was also 2-for-5 with a run scored while Jack Bowman was 2-for-5 with an RBI. Damon Gregoris also had an RBI to wrap up the Spartans offense.

For Newmarket, Paul Wilson was the only player with more than one hit going 2-for-5 with a pair of singles.

On the mound, Josh Essery drew the start for Ajax and collected the win going five innings allowing just one run on four hits while walking four and striking out eight. Connor Broughton collected the save going the final four frames allowing two runs on two hits walking six and striking out nine batters.

Lefty Lucas Earle drew the starting assignment for Newmarket and took the loss tossing five innings allowing six runs -- four earned -- on 10 hits while striking out three. Christian Mullen threw the next two innings allowing three runs -- two earned -- on one hit walking six and striking out four. Paul Wilson threw a clean eigth.