Panthers slide continues with close road loss to Hamilton
Posted Jun 27, 2026 06:00:43 AM.
Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 12:22:40 PM.
The Kitchener Panthers left Jack Couch Park after Thursday’s loss to the Guelph Royals in desperate need of a win to spark a run back into playoff contention.
The loss to Guelph marked their 9th out of their last 10 games, and Friday presented another opportunity to prove their mettle against one of the league’s best teams.
The opponent in question was the Hamilton Cardinals at their home ballpark, Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium. Hamilton has cooled off after a hot start to 2026, entering Friday just 5-5 in their last 10 after a 4-2 start. Kitchener, on the other hand, came into the contest having dropped three straight after beating the Brantford Red Sox in Kitchener the week prior.
Former CBL All-Star Hector Yan got the start for the Cardinals, the right-handed pitcher from La Romana, Dominican Republic, starting in his 5th game of the season. For Kitchener, it was Georgetown, Ontario’s Owen MacNeil starting in his 7th game of the season. The right-hander entered still looking for his first win of the new CBL era.
Kitchener’s offence rocked Hector Yan in the first inning, as Yosvani Penalver would single home Mateo Zeppieri to open the scoring for Kitchener. Zeppieri was hit by Yan’s first pitch of the game, then advanced to 3rd base via his 14th stolen base on the season and a single from Petey Kiefer. Later in the inning, after Kiefer scored on a passed ball, Josh Williams would blast a double into left field to score Penalver, giving the Panthers an early 3-0 lead.
Macneil would control the top half of the innings with a pair of three-up, three-down innings in the 1st and 2nd. In the 3rd, the Hamilton bats would find their form, as Macneil would walk Yolki Pena on six pitches.
The next batter, Trevor Nicoll, would slap a line drive into right field to advance Pena before star outfielder Tyler Duncan would double him home to score the Cardinals’ first run. Brandon Nicoll would become the second Nicoll on base as he’d walk on four pitches a moment later. After a sac fly scored another run, catcher Evan Magill would blast his 4th home run of the year over the right field fence to make it 5-3 Cardinals.
With the Panthers looking to tie the game in the 5th, Mateo Zeppieri would go on a solo mission to score his team’s 4th run. Zeppieri was hit by the first pitch he saw from Hector Yan for his second time in the ballgame. He would advance to 2nd off a wild pitch from Yan.
Then, he swiped 3rd base, his second of the game and 15th of the season. Finally, a rare balk from Hector Yan would score Zeppieri, the infraction making the deficit just 5-4.
That would be the final run either team could muster, as Hector Yan would escape the inning and the bullpen combination of Boatto, Bouillere-Howard, and hometown arm Jacob Gajic would cap off the close 5-4 home win. Hector Yan would be designated with the win, moving to 2-0 on the campaign. Kitchener’s Owen MacNeil would take the loss, moving to 0-3 on the year.
The Panthers slip further down the standings with the loss. At one point, the top team in the CBL, Kitchener, now sits at 6-13 and 8th in the standings. A game back of Brantford and Chatham-Kent, who are both tied for 6th.
Kitchener now prepares for a home-and-home with the defending champion Welland Jackfish. It begins in Welland for a 6:05 p.m. start on June 27, before heading back to Jack Couch Park for a 7:05 p.m. first pitch on June 29. Then Kitchener’s busy week of baseball concludes on Canada Day when the Panthers welcome their nearby rival Guelph Royals, for a 2:05 p.m. start time.
To attend any Kitchener Panthers home game, you can find tickets on the Panthers’ website.
