Welland Jackfish win CBL championship

The Welland Jackfish are the 2026 Canadian Baseball League champions. Photo: Canadian Baseball League

September 23, 2026

Official Canadian Baseball League News Release

WELLAND - The Welland Jackfish have gone back-to-back.

Thanks to some timely hitting and a gem of a performance on the mound by Teodoro Ortega, the Jackfish secured its second-straight Dominico Cup with a 4-2 victory and a four-game sweep of the Hamilton Cardinals at Welland Stadium Wednesday night.

Welland trailed 2-0 after Hamilton scored twice in the third inning, but they answered immediately and never looked back.

Gianfranco Morello got the comeback started in the bottom of the third, reaching on a single then advancing to second. Jonah Weisner then drove him in with a single to left, cutting Hamilton's lead to 2-1.

The Jackfish took control in the fourth.

Justin Gideon and James Smibert reached base before Morello delivered again, lining a two-run double to left field to put Welland ahead 3-2.

Ethan Mann provided some insurance in the eighth inning, launching a solo home run to left field to give the Jackfish a two-run cushion heading into the final frame.

Ortega did the rest.

The Welland starter worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and two runs while striking out six and walking two. After Hamilton's two-run third, Ortega settled in and kept the Cardinals off the scoreboard.

Erik Johnson took over in the seventh and slammed the door, throwing 2 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing no hits and striking out four to earn the save.

Welland finished with 11 hits, led by Gideon, who went 3-for-4. Weisner and Robert Mullen each collected two hits, while Morello finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Morello also reached base twice and scored the go-ahead run in the fourth.

Hamilton was led by Trevor Nicoll, who went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Evan Magill and Reyny Reyes also had doubles for the Cardinals.

Hamilton starter Hector Yan went seven innings, allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out eight. Steven Hospital surrendered Mann's home run in the eighth.

The Jackfish, who finished the regular season in third place, put an exclamation mark on winning its second-straight Dominico Cup title by sweeping the Cardinals, who took home the regular season pennant, in four games.