Panthers power past Barnstormers, win CBL home opener
Posted May 18, 2026 06:06:28 AM.
Last Updated May 18, 2026 06:06:32 AM.
The Kitchener Panthers finally played a regular-season ballgame in front of their home crowd Sunday, as they played host to the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers in their home opener at Kitchener’s Jack Couch Park.
Owen MacNeil got the start on the mound for the Panthers and pitched four innings, allowing only two runs, both to the same player. Chatham’s Greyson Barrett homered to left field before doubling to center an inning later to score Austin Gurney.
The Kitchener offense would flip the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth, as Charlie Towers scored for the first of three times on the day to cut the lead to 2-1. Then Mateo Zeppieri would double off Eric Pettipiece to score two more runs, before Petey Kiefer would blast a home-run to left field for a three run shot that extended Kitchener’s lead to 6-2.
Trent Lawson singled Zane Skanski home on a 3-1 count an inning later to extend the home advantage to five runs.
But the Barnstormers would not go down without a fight, as in the seventh, Greyson Barrett hit a sacrifice fly to score Spencer Morin from third. Yushin Ohta would join the home run party an inning later, with his shot to left field bringing Chatham-Kent to within three runs.
But in the bottom of the eighth, Petey Kiefer would put the game to bed, as he homers Towers and himself home for his second blast of the day to bring the game to its final score, 9-4 Kitchener.
Reliever Bawin Colon is designated with the win for Kitchener, and the Panthers now head into their next game with a 2-1 record. They’ll next host the undefeated London Majors back at Jack Couch Park on Thursday, May 21. The first pitch will go at 7:05PM, and tickets can be found on the Kitchener Panthers’ website.
