
This weekend the 22U Northumberland Jacks completed their 2025 season by participating in the 22U EOBA playoffs. After defeating Whitby (8-3) and Oshawa (6-2) on Saturday at Iroquois Park in Whitby, the 22U Jacks found themselves back home at Donegan Park in Cobourg on Sunday for the EOBA 22U Championship game.
Contested on a very hot, sunny day the game was a tight affair, with both starting pitchers – Gavin Lake for Northumberland & Connor Broughton for Oshawa – going the full seven innings. Oshawa could only muster a total four hits in the game, which was two more than Northumberland, but the game came down to the Jacks being flawless in the field whereas Oshawa made a couple of miscues that Northumberland took advantage of.
In the third inning, Jacks lead-off hitter Lucas Bolin was hit by a pitch and the next batter, Ayden Taylor laid down a perfect bunt. Not only did Taylor beat the throw to first, but Bolin took advantage of third base being abandoned to advance to the hot corner. The next Jacks batter, Nolan Rice then proceeded to lift a sacrifice fly to center field and Bolin plated the first run of the game.
In the fourth inning, with two out, a walk to Chase Lalande of the Jacks, was followed by another hit batsmen, this time Curtis Bourgeios. With runners on first and second and two out, Bolin hit a single to load the bases. This time Ayden Taylor hit what appeared to be a routine ground ball to third base, but Oshawa’s third basemen Quinton Earle, in attempting to get the force at two, overthrew the second basemen, and both Lalande and Bourgeois scored on the miscue to give the Jacks a 3-0 lead, which would hold up as the final score.
When asked about the team’s recipe for success, assistant coach and team manager, Todd Denault replied, “Great pitching, solid defense, and taking advantage of the opponent’s mistakes,” proudly pointing out that the team had only surrendered five runs over 21 innings in their three games this weekend. “This is a very Baseball savvy bunch, and a very talented group that accomplished a lot this summer.” In addition to winning the EOBA 22U Championship, the team qualified for next year’s Provincial Eliminations, and made it to the finals of the Vaughan AAA tournament held in June.
Basking in the championship victory, there was also the realization that for five of the Jacks today, this game would be their last as a Junior age player; Logan Kelly, Lucas Bolin, Emmett Shannon, Ayden Taylor, and Jack Young.
“Those five were with us when (head coach) Kris Kelly and I started the Junior program four years ago and now they get to graduate,” said an emotional Denault. “I can’t say enough about them as players, and as young men. It has been an honor and a privilege to be their coach,” before adding, “Once a Jack, always a Jack.”