Muskoka Bantam Hornets win the 10th annual Muskoka Cup

Main photo: The Muskoka Bantam Hornets win the 10th annual Muskoka Cup (front from left) Charlie Maslin, Zack Patterson, Mark Holm, Zack Boese; (back from left) Coach Clinton Muller, Coach Matt Maslin, Hayden Pedwell, Wilson Babineau, Marcus Kerr, Brad Adams, Jacob White (holding trophy), Winston Young, Riley Belanger, Coach Gunnar Muller, and Coach Joe Hickes.

By Joe Hickes
Photos: Cheyenne Wood

The Muskoka Bantam Hornets went undefeated this past weekend (5-0) to win the 10th annual Muskoka Cup. The 16-team tournament featured teams from throughout Ontario, all converging to battle it out in Huntsville and Bracebridge for the coveted crown.

The Hornets got off to a hot start Friday night when they played host to the Vaughan Vikings. Shortstop-turned-pitcher Zachary Boese allowed just one hit over four innings on the mound as the Hornets played solid defence with some timely hitting, and aggressive base-running to start the tournament with a convincing 14-3 win over the Vikings.

The Bantams had a sluggish start Saturday morning, but thanks to some clutch pitching by Wilson Babineau, Bradley Adams, and Winston Young the team was able to come away with an 8-5 win over the Orillia Royals.

The Hornets faced a scrappy team from Waterdown in their final round robin game with the winner representing the aptly-named “HOLM Division” in the ‘A’ playdowns. The Hornets sent their gritty second-year Bantam pitcher, Jacob White, to the mound in hopes he could cool the Waterdown bats. White was up to the task, throwing a complete game gem as the Hornets picked up an emotionally charged 7-3 win over Waterdown to capture the division.

The Hornets arrived at the McCulley Robertson diamonds at 7:30 a.m. Sunday morning grateful for an opportunity to play in championship Sunday. In the semi-final match-up, the Hornets were to face the Aurora Kings, winners of the Payne Division. The Hornets called on lanky left-hander Bradley Adams for this must-win game. Adams made quick work of Aurora, throwing a complete game one-hitter on 60 pitches as the Hornets stung Aurora 13-0. The Hornets played one of their best defensive games of the season, led by Charlie Maslin who put on an impressive display in the outfield throughout the day.

Muskoka matched up against a very skilled team from Mississauga in the finals. Both teams entered the championship game with perfect 4-0 records in the tournament. The Hornet coaching staff sent Adams back out on the mound to start the final—he threw his remaining 30 pitches allowing only one hit over two-and-two-thirds innings. The Hornets then turned to Zachary Boese, who pitched the final four-and-one-third innings, allowing no hits. First year Zach Patterson set the offensive tone early with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt that started a rally. The Hornets finished off the Mississauga Majors in an hour and 35 minutes and walked away with the championship by a score of 4-0.

The Hornets coaching staff could not be happier with the effort the boys put in throughout the weekend and it was a true total team effort. Riley Belanger played Gold Glove-calibre defence at second base throughout the weekend and Marcus Kerr showed off his cannon of an arm from CF throwing a runner out trying to stretch an extra base. Hayden Pedwell has proven himself as a legitimate catcher, with an ever-improving arm behind the plate. Wilson Babineau has quietly become an exceptional defensive first basemen. The list could go on and on!

The Hornets coaching staff would also like to give a special thanks to our affiliate player, Mark Holm, for playing with the team this weekend and contributing in every facet of the game.

Congrats to all the winning teams for this year’s Muskoka Cup and we hope to defend our crown in 2019.

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