Cardinals provincial B 10U champs

  St. Thomas pitchers strike out 44 batters over five games on their way to gold 

  August 31, 2025

By Rob J. Ross

DORCHESTER, Ont. - When opponents are held to three runs or less every game, the road to winning becomes much easier.

The St. Thomas Cardinals limited opponents to 11 runs over five games, on their way to the Ontario Baseball Association B 10U rep championship.

St. Thomas held off DKMB (Delaware Komoka Mt Brydges), 6-3, in the final, completing a 5-0 run over the three day tournament, August, 29-31.

"Both teams had good pitching, but ours was just stronger. We outlasted them. It could have gone either way, but we hung in there," Cardinals head coach Mike Smith. "Our pitching was the difference all weekend. Pitching and defence is the key to our team."

Cardinals pitcher Ollie Southcott tossed five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and walked just one batter, to earn MVP of the game.

The big inning for the Cardinals was scoring four times in the second, for a 5-1 lead.

Second baseman Miles Tregenza had the defensive play of the game in the sixth inning, diving to his left to snag a hard hit ball and then from the ground making the throw to first base for the out.

Southcott also shined offensively, going three-for-three at the plate, with one RBI. Matt Hildebrand had a single, double and scored twice.

"Our pitching is the cornerstone of our team. We don't give up too many runs," Smith said. "When the other team only scores three, we can get five easily. We don't always need timely hitting. We can hit with the best of them and get a big lead."

St. Thomas opened the 12-team tournament, feasting on Valley East, 20-3, before downing Chatham, 8-1 and Leamington, 8-2.

Spencer Gauntlett hit a triple, drew a pair of walks, scored three runs and had four RBI against Valley East. Harrison Hiepleh batted three-for-three against Chatham.

In the semifinals, Tregenza drove in four runs in the Cardinals' 10-2 elimination of Stratford. St. Thomas held a 2-1 advantage until scoring four runs in the fifth and adding six more in the seventh.

It is the second provincial crown in two years for this group of Cardinals, winning in Rookie Ball in 2023.

"Two years ago was the pitching machine and this year we had to actually pitch," coach Smith said. "We trained that way. We preached throw strikes. Walks kill you, because with the pitch count you have to be weary of that. We tell them to pound the zone and they do."

The pitching staff put down opponents, combining to strike out 44 batters over the five games.
 

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