Panthers dominate defending champion Welland, snap streak
Posted Jun 28, 2026 06:30:45 AM.
Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 12:20:46 PM.
No team needed a win more in the Canadian Baseball League coming into Saturday than the Kitchener Panthers, and they got the job done on the road comfortably.
On the bump vs. the defending CBL champion Welland Jackfish, was Jorge Minyety, making his first career start with Kitchener. His opponent was 2025 all-CBL pitcher Teo Ortega.
Both hurlers made quick work of the opposing offences through the first two innings, but Kitchener would be the first on the board in the top of the third inning. Zane Skansi would kick the inning off with a double on a full-count pitch, being scored one batter later by legging out a single from Raffi Gross.
Kitchener would keep their foot on the throttle in the fifth inning, as Skansi and Zeppieri would single before being advanced to second and third after Petey Kiefer was hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded, an error on third base would bring Zeppieri and Skansi around to score to extend the Panthers’ lead to 3-0.
A sacrifice grounder would score Welland speedster Daiki Abe later in the inning to bring the advantage to only two runs.
Welland would relieve Ortega for rookie left-hander Erik Johnson, who would allow another pair of singles from Zeppieri and Malik Williams in the seventh inning to extend Kitchener’s lead back to 5-1.
Kitchener would hold that lead long enough to bring in closer Bawin Colon in the bottom of the 9th inning. Despite an inning-opening walk and a hit by pitch, a 4-6-3 double play would cap it off and give Kitchener the dominant road victory by a final score of 5-1.
Jorge Minyety was dominant in his first career start, being awarded the win to bring him to a 1-0 record. In five innings of work, he allowed just two hits and one earned run, to go with two walks to five strikeouts in the start.
Relievers Ernesto Punales and Jacob Liberta had strong appearances as well, with Punales allowing only two hits in two innings and Liberta holding the Jackfish hitless entirely in the eighth inning.
The win brings Kitchener back to a 7-13 record on the season. It still holds them in the 8th seed in the CBL, but they now sit just a half-game back of Chatham-Kent and Brantford for the potential 6th seed in the league. The loss drops Welland to 12-8, with the defending champions now just 5-5 in their last 10 contests.
The Panthers get a well-earned day of rest before a big rematch with Welland on Monday, June 29. First pitch at Jack Couch Park goes on Monday at 7:05 p.m.
You can get your tickets to all Panthers home games on their website at https://tickets.kitchenerpanthers.com.
