Kitchener Panthers pounce on Cardinals, win first game of 2026
Posted May 16, 2026 09:20:40 AM.
Last Updated May 16, 2026 09:20:45 AM.
The Kitchener Panthers bounced back quickly from their season-opening loss, as they defeated the Hamilton Cardinals on the road Friday by a score of 7-4.
The Cardinals’ offense got going early on, as Jaden Brown sent a hard-hit ground ball into center field to score Angel Guerrero and Brandon Nicoll. That made it 2-0 Cardinals after the second inning.
Owen Boon got the start for the Cardinals, just a season removed from throwing the first no-hitter in the CBL since 1977 against Kitchener the year prior. But it would be no such history this time, as the Panthers Zane Skanski would get his side on the board, doubling home Yosuke Fujie and Malik Williams to tie the game at 2-2 after 4 innings.
They would extend the lead in the fifth as Petey Kiefer would double to centre field to score Yosvani Penalver, giving the Panthers a 3-2 advantage.
Yosuke Fujie and Josh Williams would get in on the fun, as they’d each hit RBIs in the seventh, to extend the lead to 6-2.
The Cardinals would respond with two runs before Bawin Colon would close the game with the save, to give Kitchener a 7-4 victory, their first of 2026.
Kitchener outhit Hamilton 12 to 5, with Hamilton committing 2 errors to Kitchener’s 1. Elian Serrata was granted the win.
The Panthers will now rest on Saturday in preparation for their first home game of the season at Jack Couch Park versus the 1-0 Chatham-Kent Barnstormers. First pitch at Jack Couch Park at 2:05 p.m., and you can get tickets to the action at tickets.kitchenerpanthers.com. Get to the park early, as the Panthers have announced the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free Panthers toque.
