38 runs combined in Panthers loss, focus shifts to Tuesday
Posted Jul 27, 2026 08:33:35 AM.
Last Updated Jul 27, 2026 05:27:59 PM.
It was a historic Sunday night of baseball for the Kitchener Panthers, but for all the wrong reasons.
As was well-known entering Kitchener’s 30th game of the 2026 Canadian Baseball League season, the defending champions were a hot team that had found their stride on the mound. However, their offense had quietly had one of the best months of any squad in 2026, with 6 games of 7 runs or more entering July 26.
The Jackfish starting lineup included 6 former all-stars, including former playoff MVP Robert Mullen and multiple-time all-star shortstop Jonah Weisner.
Owen MacNeil got the start for Kitchener for his 9th time in 2026, and the first time since he pitched at home vs. the Brantford Red Sox on July 3. He squared off against 2026 CBL all-star Teo Ortega, making his 8th start and 2nd vs. Kitchener in 2026.
While always known for being a hitter-friendly environment, the numbers produced by both offenses on Sunday afternoon are some of the most historic in Canadian Baseball League history. The Welland Jackfish collected multiple runs in 7 of the 9 innings, including 4 or more in each of the first 4 innings. The Jackfish hit 11 home runs, the franchise’s new all-time record.
In total, 15 home runs were hit by both sides, including Welland catcher Logan Grant hitting 3 in his first 3 plate appearances, all in the first 4 innings. Grant had played 20 games for the Jackfish with 66 plate appearances prior to Sunday, and had not hit a home run in 2026. Ethan Mann’s 2 homers made him the 4th player in the CBL this season to hit 10 home runs, and the huge offensive night also pushed him up to a .402 batting average, good for 3rd in the league.
It was not all Welland when it came to big power; 4 different Kitchener Panthers also added home runs, with Raffi Gross, Petey Kiefer, Trent Lawson and Jackson Cooke getting in on the action.
In total, both sides registered 37 hits. The 38 combined runs breaks the Panthers’ record for most runs between teams combined at Jack Couch Park. That record previously stood at 37, after the Panthers beat the Brantford Red Sox 23-14 at home on June 18, 2026.
The Panthers’ X account’s post after the game summed up the game succinctly as they lost to Welland 30-8.
Luckily for Kitchener, their two nearest rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Brantford Red Sox, both struggled in their respective weekends of baseball, so the Panthers hold onto the 6th seed in the Canadian Baseball League as of July 27. The Brantford Red Sox technically sit a half game ahead of Kitchener due to having 3 more games in hand, but based on win percentage, both teams are tied for the 6th seed, with Toronto and Chatham-Kent not far behind.
Canadian Baseball League standings as of July 27, 2026
The Panthers will look to quickly shift their focus to another home contest on Tuesday at Jack Couch Park. The Kitchener Panthers will face the Hamilton Cardinals for their final time in 2026. The Cardinals have won the last 4 vs. Kitchener since the Panthers beat Hamilton in their season opener.
Hamilton will likely start league icon Owen Boon on the mound on Tuesday, as he has not pitched since July 21. Boon famously threw the first no-hitter in the now CBL since 1977 just a year ago, and the Panthers will be looking for some revenge as they look to bounce back from Sunday’s loss.
First pitch from Jack Couch Park on Tuesday, July 28 will go at 7:05 p.m. All tickets to Kitchener Panthers home contests can be found on the ticket portal on the Panthers’ website.
