Ottawa Titans blanked by Evansville Otters in Frontier League finals opener

Former Toronto Blue Jays prospect Eric Pardinho started and allowed three runs, while striking out nine, in six innings for the Ottawa Titans in Game 1 of the Frontier League finals on Tuesday. Photo: Ottawa Titans

September 22, 2026

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Evansville, Indiana - Starting the Frontier League Championship Series on the road, the offence managed just three hits, as the Ottawa Titans were blanked 6-0 by the Evansville Otters on Tuesday night - dropping Game 1.

Making his second start of the playoffs, Eric Pardinho served up a two-strike, two-out solo homer off the bat of Dennis Pierce, as the Otters went up 1-0 in the opening inning. It marked the first time the Titans trailed since Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.

Otters right-hander Garret Simpson mowed through the Titans' order, pitching around a first-inning walk. Hunter Stokely doubled in the second, Jackie Urbaez bunted for a hit in the third and AJ Wright singled in the fourth. In total, Simpson saw just five base runners get on over seven scoreless frames.

After getting out of trouble in the second, Pardinho kept the Titans in it - at one point retiring 10 in a row.

In the sixth, Urbaez was plunked to open the inning, marking the first time in the game in which the Titans got the leadoff man on. At third with two outs, Simpson got AJ Wright to fly out to right to end the threat.

The Otters tacked on a pair of runs on four hits, knocking Pardinho out of the game after six. The Titans right-hander went six quality innings, allowing three runs on six hits, walking one, hitting one and striking out nine.

Pitching for the first time in the postseason, Yohanse Morel got the first two outs in the seventh inning before things came crashing down. The Otters added three, blowing it open to 6-0.

After seven scoreless frames from Simpson, right-hander Alex Valdez fired two clean innings to close out the game.

Urbaez and AJ Wright were the only hitters to reach base twice, as the Titans were held off the board in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

The Titans continue the 2026 playoffs, playing Game 2 of the Frontier League best-of-five Championship Series against the Evansville Otters on Wednesday night at a time 7:35 p.m. E.T. at Bosse Field in Evansville, Indiana. Game 3 is in Ottawa on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa Stadium. If necessary, Game 4 is Saturday, and Game 5 is Sunday.