2012 Winner of the Dr. Anson Buck Award
2019 Brampton Tournament Finalist
2019 COBA MVP - Joe Ferreira
2019 COBA Playoff Finalist
2022 Lakeside Tournament Finalist
2022 COBA ROY - Aidan Murphy
2023 Lakeside Tournament Finalist
2023 COBA Playoff Finalist
2023 COBA ROY - Alex Fascia
A Proud member of the COBA "AAA" Major League since 2004
Guardian Updates
2013 - 2017
2013
‘Cats Ready for Battle – April 30
The Brampton Battlecats are about to begin their 10th season in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major league.
The 2012 version of the team finished first overall in league play and they hope to retain that title along with taking the championship as well. Their first league game is scheduled for May 6 at the Erindale Cardinals. Brampton’s first home action is slated for Thursday, May 9 against the Glanbrook Grizzlies at 7 p.m. at Dave Dash Field.
The majority of home games will be at Dave Dash Field except for a contest on Thursday, July 4 at FCCC Park against Oakville.
The Battlecats have some new faces in the lineup this season. Newcomers include pitcher Jared Ferencik who was in the Windsor Can-Am League last season. Products of the Brampton Minor Baseball Incorporated (BMBI) system that have joined the Battlecats include Daniel Bay, Brandon Cole, T.J. Broomfield, Waleed Elabed, and Mike Cappuccitti. Pitcher Mike Burke has returned after taking a year off.
A complete schedule for the team can be found at leaguelineup.com/bramptonbattlecats.
‘Cats Get Curfewed - May 8
The Brampton Battlecats and Erindale Cardinals had a season-opening slugfest on Monday night, playing to a 12-12 tie in a curfew-ended Central Ontario Baseball Association Major contest at Erindale.
The Battlecats, who won the league regular season title last year, outhit Erindale 12-6. Victor Speciale led the way offensively with a pair of hits including a home run, two RBIs, and three runs scored.
J.R. Crosby had two hits with a run scored, and Kyle MacKinnon stroked a pair of hits with two RBIs and two runs scored. Mike Benyo added a pair of hits.
Jaineel Purohit managed a hit and reached on a pair of walks, scoring twice. Brandon Cole had a hit, scored twice, and drove in a run. Mike Cappuccitti and Waleed Elabed added a hit and a run scored each.
Mike Burke started and pitched four strong innings, allowing one hit and no walks with seven strikeouts. Joey Nonis in 2/3 of an inning yielded three hits, and six runs, all earned with three walks. Jared Ferencik in 4 1/3, allowed two hits, six runs, five earned, walking seven.
Brampton’s home opener is scheduled for Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at Dave Dash Park against the Glanbrook Grizzlies.
Battlecats Win Home Opener - May 11
The Brampton Battlecats won big as they began their Central Ontario Baseball Association Major home schedule with an 8-2 victory over the Glanbrook Grizzlies on Thursday at Dave Dash Park.
Brampton scored four runs in the sixth inning and another in the eighth to blow open a close game. Victor Speciale was four-for-five with three singles and a double, driving in three runs and getting a stolen base.
Rookie T.J. Broomfield and Andrew Thomson each rapped a triple.
Brampton used four pitchers. Starter Jaineel Purohit went four innings, allowing two earned runs. He was followed by two call-ups who each tossed two innings.
Matthew Brodie got the win, allowing two hits and striking our four. He was followed by Keegan Murphy who yielded four hits and struck out one. Mike Burke, who has returned to the team following a one-year absence struck out three batters to preserve the victory.
The Battlecats, who tied their opener 12-12 at Erindale, are scheduled to be at Burlington on Wednesday and are home to the Milton Red Sox, Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Dave Dash Park.
Battlecats Fall to the Brants - May 16
The Brampton Battlecats suffered their first loss of the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major Senior Elite season on Wednesday on the road, falling 7-5 to the Burlington Brants.
Brampton had a win and tie in its first two contests. In Burlington, the Battlecats took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second inning but the Brants tied with two runs in the fourth and went ahead with two more in the sixth.
The Battlecats regained the lead briefly with three runs in the seventh. Burlington added two runs in the seventh and another in the eighth.
Brandon Cole had two of the six Brampton hits, including a double, with a walk and one RBI. Waleed Elabed, Victor Speciale, Jaineel Purohit, and Mike Benyo also had hits. Purohit, who smacked a double added a walk and drove in two runs. Speciale had one RBI and scored a run.
Steve Hough, Elabed, and T.J. Broomfield also scored runs.
Jared Ferencik started and pitched four innings, allowing two hits, three walks, and two earned runs, while striking out a pair. Mike Burke was tagged with the loss, going 2 1/3 innings, yielding three earned runs on two hits. J.R. Crosby in 2 2/3 innings allowed one earned run with two strikeouts.
The Battlecats go for their second consecutive home victory tonight at 7:30 p.m., facing the Milton Red Sox at Dave Dash Park. They are on the road against Mississauga Southwest on Tuesday and host Oakville on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Battlecats Drop Red Sox - May 18
The Brampton Battlecats got their second consecutive home victory on Thursday as they topped the Milton Red Sox 7-5 in Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League Senior Elite play at Dave Dash Field.
That came one night after the ‘Cats fell 7-5 in Burlington for their first loss of the season. Thursday’s game was a tight contest all the way through with the Battlecats going up with two runs in the third
The Red Sox tied with a pair in the fourth but Brampton scored once in the fifth to take the lead again. Both teams scored three times in the seventh with Brampton adding an insurance run in the eighth
Brandon Cole led Brampton’s 13-hit attack with a pair of doubles, stole a base, and scored three times. J.R. Crosby was two-for-three with a stolen base. Victor Speciale had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs.
Mike Benyo with two hits also had one RBI. Andrew Thomson stroked two singles, drove in two runs, and stole a base. Jaineel Purohit had two hits with one RBI.
Waleed Elabed added a hit, scored a run, and drove in another. T.J. Broomfield had a hit, a run scored, and a stolen base.
Starter Steve Hough pitched five strong innings, allowing two hits and two earned runs while striking out three. Brad McLaughlin got the win in relief, going the final four innings, yielding two hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts.
On Tuesday Brampton travels to South West Mississauga to take on the league-leading Twins. On Thursday the Battlecats host the Oakville A’s at 7:30 p.m.
Metros Sweep Pair from Battlecats - May 28
It was not a good week for the Brampton Battlecats of the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major senior elite division.
Their game on Tuesday night at Mississauga was canceled even before it got started. On Thursday night at home, Brampton and Oakville played just three innings before the contest was suspended because of rain and poor field conditions with the teams tied at 2-2.
The contest will be resumed in the fourth inning at a date to be announced later.
After that, the ‘Cats visited the league-leading Niagara Metros in a doubleheader on Saturday and lost both contests, 8-7 and 13-3.
In the opener, the lead changed hands twice. The Metros finally sealed things by scoring a run in the fifth to break a 7-7 tie and hold off Brampton the rest of the way.
In the second game, Brampton held a 3-2 lead going into the fifth when the wheels fell off and Niagara scored 11 runs to get a mercy win.
On a positive note, Vic Speciale batted three-for-six on the day with a pair of doubles and a single, driving in four runs.
Catcher J.R. Crosby was four-of-six with three singles and a double. Rookie Brandon Cole had two doubles and a single.
Pitchers Steve Hough (in the first game) and Jared Ferencik in the second took the losses.
With those two losses, Brampton’s record slipped below .500 at 2-3-1. The Battlecats host the powerful Erindale Cardinals on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Dave Dash Park. Those teams tied 12-12 in the season opener. On Friday they are on the road at the Etobicoke Rangers.
Battlecats Snap losing Streak - June 1
The Brampton Battlecats snapped a two-game losing streak as they defeated the Erindale Cardinals 8-3 on Thursday at Dave Dash Field in Central Ontario Baseball Association Major play.
The teams were tied at 1-1 until Brampton scored seven runs in the seventh inning. Erindale then added two runs in the eighth. Brampton had a pair of home runs from Brandon Cole and J.R. Crosby.
Cole had three RBIs and scored a run while Crosby finished with three hits with his home run and two doubles.
Waleed Elabed added a pair of hits, including a double, and scored a run. Steve Hough had a single, scored a run, and drove in a run. Mike Benyo had two hits with a run scored. Victor Speciale was on base four times with a hit, two walks, and was hit by a pitch. Alex Levy also had a hit.
Brad McLaughlin pitched six innings for the win allowing five hits and one unearned run, with a walk and two strikeouts.
Brampton’s next home action is on Saturday (June 8) when the Battlecats host a doubleheader with Burlington.
Battlecats Sweep Pair - June 12
The Brampton Battlecats had a tough stretch of four games in seven days but survived with a split in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League.
A doubleheader sweep of the Burlington Brants at home on Saturday was sandwiched between a loss at Oakville last Monday and a setback at Glanbrook on Sunday.
The Glanbrook Grizzlies dropped the Battlecats 6-2 on Sunday. That came after Brampton beat Burlington 3-0 and 3-2 at FCCC Park on Saturday. Some solid pitching carried the Battlecats to victory over the Brants.
Veteran Steve Hough had a complete-game seven-inning victory in the opener, allowing just two hits while striking out seven.
Jared Ferencik, who had taken the loss in Oakville, rebounded with another complete game, yielding just two earned runs while fanning four.
Rookie Daniel Bay went four-for-five on the day, with two doubles and a pair of singles. Victor Speciale, Mike Benyo, and Andrew Thompson each went three-for-six with Thompson stealing three bases.
In Oakville, the Battlecats fell 12-7. Brampton had a one-run lead heading into the eighth but Oakville exploded for four runs. Benyo did have a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Ferencik pitched two innings of relief and took the loss.
The Battlecats host the Erindale Cardinals Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Dave Dash Park and travel to Oakville for a doubleheader on Sunday, June 23.
Battlecats Outslug Cardinals - June 14
The Brampton Battlecats won a slugfest defeating the Erindale Cardinals 13-9 in Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major senior elite play at Dave Dash Park on Thursday.
The teams combined for 30 hits with Brampton improving its record to 6-5-1. Brampton survived the Cardinals onslaught, which included four home runs.
Steve Hough went the full nine innings to get the win. Andrew Thomson was two-for-four, scored three times, drove in two runs, and stole two bases.
Mike Benyo rapped three singles, scored twice, and had three RBIs. Victor Speciale belted a home run, had a pair of RBIs, and scored three runs.
The Battlecats are off until Thursday as they host the Mississauga Twins for a 7:30 p.m. start at Dave Dash Park.
Slumping Battlecats Continue to Struggle - July 10
The struggles continue for the injury-riddled Brampton Battlecats in the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major division as they have dropped six consecutive games.
On Sunday night Brampton fell 13-7 to the Glanbrook Grizzlies in Hamilton. A couple of call-ups contributed to the Brampton offense, Chris Somma had three hits and Brandon Habibi a pair. Brandon Cole was three-for-five with two RBIs.
Waleed Elabed and Joey Nonis also added two hits with Nonis belting a double. Steve Hough and T.J. Broomfield also had hits. Victor Speciale, Elabed, Hough, and Broomfield all collected RBIs.
Hough took the loss on the mound. Although he allowed 11 hits and 10 runs (eight earned) overseen innings, he also fanned 10.
On Thursday at FCCC Park, the Oakville A’s blanked the Battlecats 10-0. The call-ups once again had strong efforts, Somma was one-for-three and Habibi went three-for-five. Jeff Chapin pitched two innings in relief, allowing no hits or earned runs with two strikeouts.
Team stalwart Speciale belted a single and double to raise his batting average to .448. Cole and Jaineel Purohit also had hits.
Brampton has a stretch of three games in three days to try to right the ship. The Battlecats host the Etobicoke Rangers on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Dave Dash Field. They visit the Rangers on Friday and then travel to the Milton Red Sox on Saturday afternoon.
Short-handed Battlecats Drop Three Games - July 18
A tough stretch continued for the Brampton Battlecats who lost three games in three days in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major Senior Elite division.
Brampton, which won the league regular season crown last season, has now lost nine games in a row. The club has seven starters out of the lineup and that is taking its toll.
On Saturday the Battlecats dressed just nine players and with a lack of pitching were forced to use position players on the mound, losing 15-5 at the Milton Red Sox.
Five different Battlecats saw pitching duties for the tired team.
Brampton got five runs off of five hits with Waleed Elabed getting two hits, scoring two runs, and driving one in.
On Friday at the Etobicoke Rangers, the Battlecats fell 5-4, despite a strong pitching performance from Jared Farencik. He went the distance, allowing just three earned runs.
Brampton did collect 10 hits. Steve Hough was three-for-four while Elabed and Victor Speciale each added two.
Thursday night at home at Dave Dash Field, the Battlecats were blasted 14-1 by Etobicoke. Hough smacked a double and stole a base while Speciale drove in the lone run.
After a bit of time to rest up this week, the Battlecats head to Milton for the Hap Walters Tournament.
Their first action is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. when they face Martingrove.
Brampton which was scheduled to host Mississauga Southwest on Thursday, July 25, has rescheduled that game as part of a doubleheader at Mississauga on Sunday, July 28.
Battlecats Have an Up and Down Week - July 24
After a positive weekend at the Hap Walters tournament in Milton, the Brampton Battlecats weren’t able to keep things going as they returned to Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major Senior Elite play on Monday.
Playing at the Erindale Cardinals, the Battlecats lost a slugfest 20-10. While their losing skid in league games reached 10 contests, the Battlecats did break their skid in overall play at the Hap Walters tournament. They won their first two games and overall, they finished 2-2.
Because of heavy rain on Friday, the tournament began on Saturday and that meant the Battlecats played three times on that day. They began by defeating Ilderton 9-4. That was followed by a 6-2 victory over the Newmarket Hawks.
Their third game of the day was a close one with Martingrove. The teams were tied at 3-3 but Martingrove scored the winning run from third when Brampton was called for a balk.
Despite that loss, the Battlecats had a good enough record to be the fifth of six teams to advance to the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, they ran out of steam and were eliminated with a loss to Thornhill.
Brampton had some good individual performances over the course of the tournament. Victor Speciale batted .456, with five stolen bases.
Jaineel Purohit hit for .500, which included a triple. Steve Hough smacked a home run, with a batting average of .550. Chris Somma scored five times and hit .400.
The winning pitchers were Jared Ferencik and Mike Burke.
The Battlecats did not get much of a chance to rest as they were back in league play on Monday and could not keep the momentum going against the Cardinals.
Erindale scored 14 runs in the first inning and then added three more in the second, making the score 17-3 at that point. The Battlecats were able to hit, pounding out 14 hits, the same number as Erindale. Kyle MacKinnon drove in two runs with a double.
Purohit was tagged with the loss after allowing six hits and 14 hits in one inning, but was a spark offensively, getting three hits, including a pair of doubles, and driving in one run.
Mike Cappuccitti had a pair of hits, including a double. Daniel Bay had two hits and stole a pair of bases. Hough and MacKinnon also smacked doubles.
On Sunday the Battlecats head to Erindale Park, this time to take on the Mississauga Southwest Twins. Their next home action is on Friday, Aug. 9 when they host the Niagara Metros at 7:30 p.m. at Dave Dash Field.
2014
Senior Royals Split Contests – May 12
The Brampton Royals opened their Central Ontario Baseball Association Senior Elite Major League season by splitting a pair of one-run games.
On Saturday, the Royals had their first road game, losing 8-7 to the Milton Red Sox. That followed a 7-6 victory over Oakville in their home opener on Thursday over the Oakville A’s at Dave Dash Park.
Brampton carried a 5- 2 lead into the fifth inning as starter Mike Cappuccitti, pitching his first league game, allowed three hits and just two earned runs in his 2 2/3 innings. In the fifth, the Red Sox got to veteran pitcher Mike Burke with four earned runs on three hits.
The Royals fought back, getting a pair of runs on a booming double from DH Steve Hough in the eighth. Milton took the lead for good in its half of the eighth as the Red Sox scored two runs off of losing pitcher Joey Nonis.
Brampton’s offensive leader was Hough, with two doubles and a pair of RBI. Rookie Yannick Rickli stole three bases and scored three runs. Rookie pitcher Nick Anton threw two scoreless innings, striking out five Red Sox, without allowing a hit.
The Royal’s home opener was a back-and-forth contest. Oakville scored a run in the first inning. Brampton came back in the bottom of the second as Fabio DiRoma smashed a two-run single.
Oakville regained the lead as it scored two runs off a home run allowed by Royal’s third pitcher Jared Ferencik and then scored three more in the sixth. In the sixth, the Royal’s Marco DiRoma walked, advanced to second, stole third, and came home on a ground-out by Matt Pileggi. Rickli smashed a two-run single in the seventh.
In the eighth, Anton and Fabio DiRoma each walked and advanced on Travis Fanset’s sacrifice bunt. The runners scored on a wild pitch, followed by an error by the A’s catcher, which put Brampton up 7-6.
The Royals used four pitchers in the contest: Burke, Nonis, and Ferencik each three two innings while rookie Kevin Lagerquist got the win, pitching the final three innings, yielding one hit and striking out four.
Brampton is scheduled to play its next four games at home, all at the Flower City Community Campus diamond. On Thursday, the Royals host Erindale at 7:30 p.m. and the following Thursday (May 22) Mississauga Southwest Twins at 7:30 p.m. Both those games were originally scheduled for Dash Field.
Brampton also plays a doubleheader against the Niagara Metros on May 24 scheduled to begin at noon.
Senior Royals fall to Oakville - May 21
The revamped Brampton Senior Royals are still trying to find their game in this still young Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League season.
They slipped to 1-2 on Monday with a 10-8 loss in Oakville to the Oakville A’s Brampton jumped out to a three-run lead in the top of the first inning on RBIs by Yannick Rickli and Steve Hough.
Hough continued his hot play with a two-run double in the third inning. Oakville finally got to Brampton pitcher Kevin Lagerguist in the third, scoring five runs, only one earned. The A’s scored five more runs in the fourth off of rookie Ryan Bauer as the Royals booted the ball around again, resulting in two more unearned runs.
Brampton fought back scoring three runs in the seventh but was unable to get more. Marco DiRoma belted a single and two doubles while scoring twice and stealing two bases. Veteran Vic Speciale walked four times and scored three times with two stolen bases.
Rookie pitcher Nick Anton stuck out the side in the bottom of the eighth and now has eight strikeouts in three innings pitched.
Brampton has three home games scheduled this week. The Royals face the Mississauga Twins Thursday and host the Niagara Metros for a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon. Those games are all at the FCCC diamond near Queen St. and McLaughlin Rd.
Royals Dropped by Metros - May 28
The Niagara Metros swept both ends of a doubleheader with the Brampton Royals on Saturday in the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major Senior Elite Baseball League.
After winning their season opener the Royals have dropped five consecutive games with three of those coming against the two teams tied with the best record in the league, Niagara and Mississauga Southwest Twins.
In the second game of the twin bill played at Flower City Community Centre Park, the Metros outslugged the Royals 10-7. Brampton had 10 hits with Brandon Cole collecting three and scoring two runs.
Andrew Thomson had a pair of hits and drove in three runs. Niagara had 11 hits. Steve Hough was the losing pitcher, going three innings and yielding eight hits.
In the opener, Niagara won 11-4. The Metros scored seven runs in the first inning. Kevin Lagerquist started and lasted two innings, yielding seven hits. Mike Burke pitched five innings and allowed just two hits and one run, striking out four.
Victor Speciale had two hits and drove in two runs Marco DiRoma had a pair of hits, drove in a run, and scored one.
On Thursday, May 22 the Royals fell 12-6 to the Mississauga Southwest Twins at FCCC. A bad start again cost Brampton with the Twins getting five runs in the first inning and three in the second.
DiRoma had three hits, stole two bases, and scored twice. Waleed Elabed had a pair of hits, including a home run, and cashed in three runs. Speciale had three hits with one RBI and one run scored.
Hough, Cole, Joe Ferreira, and Alex Levy had two hits apiece. Ryan Bauer took the loss, pitching the first inning, allowing five hits, seven runs, and four earned. Jared Ferencik had a solid outing in relief, allowing two hits in three innings, with no runs against.
Despite the losses, the Royals did receive some good news as DiRoma was selected as the league’s Player of the Week. In four games he belted six singles, and a pair of doubles, scored six times, had two RBIs, and stole four bases. He batted a lofty .563 during those games. Honourable mention went to the Royal’s Hough.
The Royals are in Milton on Wednesday (May 28) and then host the Erindale Cardinals on Thursday (May 29) at 7:30 p.m. at Dave Dash Field.
Royals Split Doubleheader - June 3
After a slow start to their season, the Brampton Senior Royals have turned things around and have won three of their last four games in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major Senior Elite league.
That leaves the Royals with a 4-6 mark. On Sunday, the Royals split a doubleheader on the road against the Burlington Brants. Brampton won its third consecutive game by taking the first game 3-1 but Burlington won the second 6-2.
Steve Hough pitched a gem in the opener, allowing just one run on three hits. Eight different players had one hit each for the Royals with Yannick Rickli, Vic Speciale, and Alex Levy getting RBIs.
In the second contest, Burlington jumped ahead in the third inning with a three-run home run off Royals’ rookie pitcher Zachary Sloan. The Royals got two back in the fifth but the Brants got three more runs to put the contest away.
Andrew Thomson was three-for-three with an RBI.
On Thursday, in Brampton at Dash Park, the Royals combined good pitching and team defense to a 9-3 victory over the Erindale Cardinals. The trio of Royals pitchers — Mike Burke, Mike Cappuccitti, and Sloan — held the powerful Cardinals to just two earned runs.
Burke got the win, pitching a strong six innings. Hough continued his hot hitting, belting a two-run double. Marco DiRoma, named the league’s Player of the Week last week, had a two-run single. Fabio DiRoma smacked two singles and had one RBI as the team got a good all-around effort.
The night before in Milton, the Royals ended their five-game losing skid with a 5-3 victory over the Milton Red Sox. The trip of pitchers Jared Ferencik, Joey Nonis, and Joe Ferreira only allowed the Red Sox three runs on six hits.
Nonis got the win, yielding just two hits and one run while striking out three in 3 2/3 innings. Ferreira got the save, allowing a walk and fanning two in 1 1/3. Ferreira also provided the big bat with a two-run home run, and two singles with three RBIs.
Brampton has back-to-back games coming up. On Thursday, the Royals host the Oakville A’s at 7:30 p.m. at Dash Park. On Friday, they are at Etobicoke to face the Rangers.
Lights go out on Royals – June 10
The Brampton Senior Royals have been on a good roll lately in Central Ontario Baseball Major Senior Elite play and it seems like external elements have been their biggest foe.
In their last four games, the Royals have just one loss and one tie. They were denied a chance to keep that going on Monday (July 7) as their contest in Oakville was postponed because of poor field conditions. No make-up date has been announced.
In their previous contest at home at Dash Field on July 3, the Royals had to settle for a 5-5 tie with Burlington when the lights at their home field, which are on a timer, shut off at 10:45 p.m. That is the third consecutive home game in which that has happened to the Royals.
In all three cases, Brampton was at bat in its half of the inning when the field went dark. In their latest game, the Royals fought back from a 5-0 deficit to tie the game but were denied a chance to finish off their at-bats in the 11th.
Rookie starter Ryan Thompson recently put on the roster, struggled as he allowed five earned runs in the first two innings but he settled over the next four innings, not allowing another run. Another rookie Ryan Bauer threw five solid innings, yielding no runs and five hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
Andrew Thomson, Yannick Rickli, and Brian Stormer each had two singles and an RBI with Rickli stealing three bases. Marco DiRoma and Vic Speciale added RBIs. Enrique Carrera scored a pair of runs.
On July 1, the Royals traveled to Clarkson Park and defeated the Mississauga Twins 3-2, earning a hard-fought victory. Brampton starter and winner Joey Nonis pitched seven innings holding the powerful Twins to seven hits and two earned runs.
Rookie Kevin Lagerquist got the save, allowing just two hits while striking out three over the final two innings. Jonathan Minchella had two singles and drove in two runs. Ricky James also had a hit and RBI.
On June 28, the Royals went to St. Catharines where they split a doubleheader with the Niagara Metros.
In the opener, the Royals scored three times in the seventh and held on for a 4-3 victory. Joe Ferreira pitched a complete game, seven innings, allowing just one earned run and five hits.
Speciale had a single and double, drove in two runs, and scored twice. Steve Hough contributed three hits with Thomson and Minchella getting two each.
Niagara won the second game 4-1, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after the third inning. Zachary Sloan was tagged with the loss, pitching a complete game, allowing three earned runs on six hits.
The Royals also had six hits, including a pair by Rickli, who drove in the only run in the fifth.
Brampton sits third in the Andrews division standings with a 7-11-2 record for 16 points. Second-place Mississauga also has 16 points but has played 14 games and has eight wins. First-place Etobicoke is 14-4 with 28 points. Erindale is last at 5-12 and 10 points.
Today (July 10), Brampton hosts Milton at 7:30 p.m. at Dash Park. Tomorrow, the Royals head to Etobicoke.
Rollercoaster Ride for Senior Royals - June 17
It has been a rollercoaster ride for the Brampton Senior Royals in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major Senior Elite division.
The ups and downs continued in recent play. On Monday, the Royals fell 11-7 to the Erindale Cardinals at Erindale’s Ninth Line Park. The same two teams were scheduled to play on June 17 at the same location. This is a rain-out date from a previous game in Brampton that was moved to Erindale because no field was available in Brampton.
In earlier play, Brampton outslugged the Mississauga Southwest Twins 13-7 on June 10 but also lost 12-2 to the Etobicoke Rangers, on June 12. In the Mississauga game, Yannick Rickli belted a home run and added two singles, a double with three runs batted in.
Vic Speciale also smacked four singles and had three RBIs. Marco DiRoma contributed a single, double, an RBI, and three stolen bases. Mike Burke was the winning pitcher.
In the Etobicoke game, three Rangers pitchers combined to hold Brampton to just two earned runs. Rickli continued his hot play belting two doubles. Brandon Cole had two singles and scored a run. Royals’ rookie pitcher Zachary Sloan took the loss.
From Friday to Sunday the Royals are scheduled to play at a tournament in Vaughan. They are due to return to league action on June 26 when they host the Milton Red Sox at 7:30 p.m. at Dash Park.
Royals Eliminated from Vaughan Tournament – June 23
The Brampton Senior Royals took a break from the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major schedule to participate in a tournament in Vaughan, winning one of their three games and failing to advance to the playoffs.
On Friday (June 20), the Royals topped the Newmarket Hawks 3-1. Zach Sloan was the winning pitcher.
Brampton played twice on Saturday (June 21), losing both contests. The Pickering Red Sox topped the Royals 5-1. Joe Ferreira was tagged with the loss.
The Royals finished off with an 11-7 loss to the Etobicoke Rangers seniors. Steve Hough was the losing pitcher. Ferreira smacked a home run for Brampton.
In COBA league play, Brampton sits third in the Andrews Division with a 5-9-1 record. The Royals are scheduled to host the Milton Red Sox on Thursday (June 26) at 7:30 p.m. at Dash Park. Then on Saturday (June 28), they head to St. Catharines for a tough doubleheader against the Niagara Metros.
Niagara won the Vaughan tournament and is first in the Johnson Division.
Royals Drop Two of Three - July 15
The Brampton Royals scored 27 runs in three games but only managed one win in recent Central Ontario Baseball Association Major senior elite play.
On Sunday, the Royals lost a slugfest 15-13 to the Erindale Cardinals at Cardinals Park. The Royals had 15 hits but the Cardinals had 18.
A seven-run seventh inning made the difference for Erindale.
For Brampton, Vic Speciale had two hits including a home run, and drove in three runs. Yannick Ricki had three hits, two stolen bases, and three RBIs. Ryan Thompson had three hits and scored three runs while Brian Stormer also had three hits, scoring twice.
On Friday at Etobicoke, the Royals were held to five hits by the Rangers in a 6-2 loss. Rickli and Steve Hough each had doubles while Marco DiRoma and Brandon Cole drove in runs. DiRoma also stole a couple of bases.
Starting pitcher Joe Ferreira struck out five over six innings but allowed 10 hits and six earned runs and was tagged with the loss. Joey Nonis yielded just one hit with one strikeout over two innings of relief.
On Thursday, at Dash Park, the Royals scored five runs in the ninth inning to defeat the visiting Milton Red Sox 12-11. Brampton was able to overcome four errors to get the win.
An 11-hit attack was led by DiRoma with three hits and three RBIs, with a pair of stolen bases. Jonathan Minchella smacked a two-run home run. Hough and Waleed Elabed had a pair of hits each.
In relief, Ryan Bauer pitched a one-hit inning to earn the win. Starter Mike Burke gave up six runs, five earned, and seven hits over six innings.
Brampton, with an 8-13-2 record, has 18 points and is in third place in the Andrews Division. The Royals are two points back of second-place Mississauga and four points up on last-place Erindale. Etobicoke with an 18-4 record and 36 points has a 16-point lead on the rest of the division.
This weekend, the COBA schedule takes a break while teams participate in the Hap Walters Memorial Tournament. Games are scheduled to begin on Friday at fields in Mississauga, Milton, and Etobicoke. The Royals play in Milton in a division with Milton, the Windsor Stars, and Bolton.
Brampton is right back at league play on Monday, visiting Erindale. The next home game is scheduled for Thursday, July 24 at Dash Park against the Mississauga Southwest Twins at 7:30 p.m.
Senior Royals Outslug the Cardinals - July 24
The Brampton Senior Royals returned to Central Ontario Baseball Association Major Senior Elite play on Monday, defeating the Erindale Cardinals 13-6 at Ninth Line Park in Mississauga.
The Royals were trailing 4-2 heading into the sixth but scored three runs to take the lead, highlighted by Joe Ferreira’s solo home run. Yannick Rickli had four singles, drove in three runs, stole two bases, and scored four times.
Vic Speciale singled, doubled, and had three RBIs. Ryan Thompson got the win, pitching eight innings, allowing just six hits and five earned runs. He also struck out three. Ryan Bauer allowed just one hit in pitching the ninth in relief.
Brampton’s league record improved to 9-13-2 and the team sits in third place in the Len Andrews Division. With their 20 points, they are fourth overall in the eight-team league.
On the weekend, Brampton participated in the Hap Walters Tournament, with games being played throughout the GTA. The Royals had a 2-1 record but because of weather issues, they were unable to advance to the playoff round.
Because of rain on Sunday, the tournament was abbreviated. The two teams with 3-0 records, Niagara and Windsor both advanced to the semifinals. The names of the remaining teams with good enough records to advance were put into a hat but Brampton was not lucky enough to be picked to move on.
In Brampton’s opening game of the tournament, the Royals downed COBA rivals the Milton Red Sox 1-0. Joe Ferreira had a masterful pitching performance as he threw a four-hit shutout.
Brampton got its lone run from Brian Stormer, who singled. He advanced to second on a fielder’s choice and came home on a single by Steven Fleischer.
Next up for the Royals was a tough test against the defending national champions, the Windsor Stars. It was a close contest tied at 1-1 after five innings but Windsor broke things open with three runs in the sixth and another in the seventh to earn a 5-1 victory over starter Mike Burke.
In its final game, the Brampton bats were alive in a 9-2 victory over the Bolton Brewers. Speciale doubled home two runs in the first inning. Waleed Elabed also had two RBIs.
Andrew Thomson added two singles and a double. Rookie pitcher Zach Sloan was the winner going five innings. Call-up Eric Ferreira finished up, not allowing a hit.
After a scheduled league game with Mississauga SW Twins at Dash Park on Thursday, the Royals have a week off before they head to the Ontario Baseball Association eliminations beginning on Aug. 1 in Windsor. League action is scheduled to resume on Aug. 7 with Brampton hosting the Etobicoke Rangers at 7:30 p.m. at Dash Park.
Royals Bats Silenced by Twins – July 28
The Brampton Senior Royals bats finally woke up in the seventh inning but it was too little too late as they lost 12-5 to the Mississauga Southwest Twins in Central Ontario Baseball Association senior elite play on Thursday at Dave Dash Park.
Twins ace Billy Hurley held the Royals to just three hits and no runs over the first six innings, striking out 11. With a 12-0 lead, the Twins were on the verge of a mercy victory but Brampton extended the game with three runs in the seventh.
Jon Minchella belted a two-run single in the eighth to make things closer. Vic Speciale and Waleed Elabed each had two hits and one RBI as the Royals finished with nine hits.
Brampton used five pitchers with starter Joey Nonis taking the loss, although in two innings he only allowed two hits and one run while striking out three.
That victory allowed Mississauga to move two points up on Brampton and into second place in the Andrews Division.
Brampton takes a break from league play this week as it heads to the Ontario Baseball Association (OBA) tournament in the Windsor area. Play begins on Friday (Aug. 1) with the Royals taking on the Lakeside Lizards at 7:15 p.m. The tournament continues until Monday (Aug. 4).
League action resumes on Thursday, Aug. 7 with the Royals hosting the first-place Etobicoke Rangers at 7:30 p.m., at Dash Park.
Senior Royals Advance to Final Four - August 18
The Brampton Senior Royals have earned a spot in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major AAA Senior Elite final four.
In the opening weekend of the playoffs, Saturday and Sunday the Royals won two of three games allowing them to advance to the final four on Aug. 23 and 24. All the playoff games are being played in Milton.
On Sunday, the Royals faced a do-or-die day game with the Milton Red Sox. Both teams were 1-1 with the winner advancing and the season over for the loser. Brampton pitcher Joe Ferreira tossed a gem, allowing just two hits over the full seven innings.
Milton pitcher Justin Volpato was also sharp, allowing only six hits. Brampton got its lone run in the fourth. Vic Speciale hit a single, advanced to second on a ground out, and came home on Steve Hough’s RBI single.
Earlier the Royals lost to the league’s No. 1 team, the Etobicoke Ranger 5-1. Rookie pitcher Zach Sloan limited the Rangers to just six hits but that wasn’t enough as Etobicoke pitcher Gary Rose yielded just three hits and one unearned run.
In its playoff opener, the Senior Royals defeated the Burlington Brants 3-0 as Mike Burke tossed a seven-inning shutout. Waleed Elabed stroked two singles and scored twice.
Brampton is scheduled to face Burlington on Saturday (Aug. 23) at 10 a.m. The Erindale Cardinals and Etobicoke have also advanced to the finals. Etobicoke and Erindale play in the other 10 a.m. game. The two winners face each other with the two losers also playing at 1 p.n.
The winner of the loser game faces the loser of the game between the two winners at 4 p.m. The two surviving teams meet on Sunday at 11 a.m. with a possible second game in the double-knockout format at 2 p.m.
Royals Season Ends with Third Place Playoff Finish - September 8
The Brampton Senior Royals roller coaster season in the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major Senior Elite division has come to an end.
The Royal’s campaign ended on a high note as they reached the final four of the playoffs, played in Milton, and wound up finishing third. They were one win away from advancing to the championship game but lost to the league’s overall winning team, the Etobicoke Rangers.
In their opening game of the championship weekend, the Royals downed the Burlington Brants 6-4. Mike Burke was the winning pitcher with Eric Hammerl belting a home run for the Royals.
The eventual league champs, the Erindale Cardinals, got an 8-2 victory over Brampton. Joe Ferreira took the loss for the Royals. The season came to an end with a 5-2 loss to Etobicoke. Ryan Thompson was the losing pitcher.
In the gold-medal final, Erindale defeated Etobicoke 6-4. The Cardinals, who had a 9-19 record during the regular season, wound up the league champs.
The Royals went 9-16-2. With 16 new faces in the line-up, it took them a while to gel but they did that as the season came to an end. Some of the team’s veterans, along with the rookies, put up good numbers.
Perennial all-star Vic Speciale finished in the league top ten for batting average, hitting .415, on-base percentage, and hits. Rookies Marco DiRoma and Yannick Rickli were in the top ten for stolen bases.
Andrew Thomson was tied for first in triples. Rookie Zachary Sloan was among the leaders in strikeouts. Veteran Joey Nonis was a leader in the ratio of strikeouts to walks.
The Royals were on the verge of advancing to the finals of the Hap Walters Tournament until the weather led to the cancellation of games. The Royals management is excited about the prospects for next season as the majority of players who were rookies this season are planning to return. There have also been inquiries from talented players to join next year.
Royals Players Honoured - November 18
A pair of Brampton Royals players received major awards at the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major league held its end-of-season and banquet awards night.
Brampton’s Victor Speciale was honoured with the Sportsman of the Year Trophy. The Royals Steve Hough was selected to the Len Andrews Division all-star team. Hough was also nominated for the Comeback Player of the year.
The Royals Yannick Rickli was also nominated for Rookie of the Year. Encouraged by reaching the Final Four this past season the Royals are looking forward to an even better season in 2015.
The Senior Royals are made up mainly of graduates of Brampton Minor Baseball Inc., with many of the players also helping to coach in BMBI now. The Royals will be helping BMBI on its “Sports Day in Canada” exhibit on Nov. 29.
Former National League MVP and Etobicoke native Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds will be at the Try-It Day Open House at the Brampton Soccer Centre from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
2015
Senior Royals Ready for Season Opener – April 30
After months of preparations, the Brampton Senior Royals are ready to begin their season in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League.
The club is scheduled for its home opener on Thursday, May 7 hosting Oakville at 7:15 p.m. at Dave Dash Park. This year the Royals will start their home night games at 7:15, rather than 7:30 p.m. as in past seasons, with the majority of the games once again at Dave Dash Park. The team has been working out, beginning with indoor sessions at Upper Deck Baseball Academy during the depths of winter.
This is the 12th season since the revival of senior baseball in Brampton by Blake Frost and Ron Lutz who are back with the team in administrative roles – Frost as president and Lutz as general manager.
The coaching staff includes field manager Dave Doherty, Joe C. Ferreira, and David Flannagan as third base coaches, Bruce Wrigley as a first base coach, and Scott Stephenson as bench coach. Doherty, Flannagan, and Wrigley are all in their second season with the senior club with Stephenson in his ninth season. Ferreira is in his first season with the Royals but he has more than 34 years of coaching experience, with more than 1,000 games in the rep system.
Last season the Royals had an overall record of 16-24-2, including 9-16-2 in the regular season for third place in the Andrews Division. That’s an improvement from just eight wins in 2013.
Brampton has 15 players back from the 2014 team. Among the key returnees is Andrews Division all-star outfielder Steve Hough, a nominee for the COBA Major Comeback Player of the Year. He hit .328 with six doubles and 14 RBIs.
COBA Major Sportsman of the Year Victor Speciale is also back at first base after hitting .415 with a home run and 25 RBIs, scoring 17 runs with eight doubles during the regular season.
Rookie of the Year Yannick Rickli also had a strong year in the outfield, hitting .337 with a home run and 19 RBIs, scoring 18 runs and stealing 15 bases.
Other key players returning include Joe Ferreira who had a .292 average with three home runs and 12 RBIs. Ferreira will also pitch, last season he had a 1-1 record with a 4.96 ERA and 14 strikeouts.
Also returning on the mound are Mike Burke (2-2, 5.87 ERA, 24 strikeouts) and Joe Nonis (2-2, 3.55 ERA, fanning 23).
Back after spending last season in the Quebec Independent League is right-handed pitcher Brad McLaughlin who pitched for the Royals in 2013. Infielder Matt Forer comes to the Brampton Royals after being with the Guelph Royals of the Intercounty Baseball League last season. The second baseman hit .278 with Guelph collecting 15 hits and five RBIs.
Following their home opener, the Royals are scheduled to visit Milton on May 9 at 1:30 p.m. Besides league play, Brampton is also participating in three tournaments. They will be at Vaughan from June 19 to 21 and will participate in the Hap Walters Tournament from July 17 to 19 with some of their games at Teramoto Field in Brampton, and at Ontario Baseball Association Eliminations beginning July 31 in Windsor
Senior Royals Drop Home Opener - May 10
The Brampton Royals had a perfect weather night for baseball as they opened their Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major Senior Elite season on May 7 at Dash Field in Brampton, but the Oakville A’s put a damper on it.
The A’s edged the Royals 8-7. Brampton had jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. However, Oakville stormed back with one run in the third, three in the fifth, and four more in the seventh.
The Royals managed a run in the fifth when Yannick Rickli was hit by a pitch, stole second and then third base, coming home on a wild pitch. In the sixth the Royals got a rally going. Steven Fleischer singled, Marco DiRoma walked and Daniel Bay was hit by a pitch.
Then 2014 all-star Steve Hough doubled in two runs and Andrew Thomson drove in a third run with a long drive to centre field. Hough scored Royal’s final run on a single by rookie Matt Forer.
Returning to the Royals after a one-year absence, pitcher Brad MacLaughlin started the game and held the visitors scoreless for three innings on two hits. He was followed by Mike Burke and Joey Nonis, who each pitched two innings, allowing four runs each. Of those eight runs, five were earned.
Nonis took the loss. R.J. Page and rookie Brandon Habibi held the A’s scoreless for the final two innings.
The Royals host last season’s playoff champions, the Erindale Cardinals at Dash Field on Thursday (May 14) at 7:15 p.m.
Royals Edge Defending Champs May 15
The Brampton Senior Royals improved to 1-1 in their Central Ontario Baseball Association Major Senior Elite season by defeating the defending league playoff champions the Erindale Cardinals 7-5 on Thursday (May 14) at Dash Park in Brampton.
The Royals lost their season opener one week earlier, also at home. Brampton rallied from a 4-2 deficit after three innings to claim the win.
Erindale started the scoring in the top of the second with the big hit a double by Greg Dodwell that drove in two runs. Pip Murray Smith drove in another run.
The Cardinals added another run in the third. All those runs came off of starting pitcher Mike Burke. A quartet of relievers, Brad McLaughlin, R.J. Page, Brandon Habibi, and Joe Ferreira followed and were able to hold down the powerful Cardinals hitting attack over the final six innings.
Habibi finished as the winner with Ferreira earning the save. Ferreira also helped the cause with a two-run home run and added a single with another RBI. Ferreira started the game at DH but came in to pitch the ninth.
Steve Hough also provided plenty of offense, going three-for-five with a triple, two singles, two RBIs, and one run scored. Andrew Thomson singled, doubled, scored once, and had one RBI.
Brampton is scheduled to play its first road game of the season on Monday (May 18) at Oakville and then visits Burlington on Wednesday (May 20). The Royal’s next scheduled home game is on Thursday (May 21), hosting the Etobicoke Rangers at 7:15 p.m. at Dash Park
Twins Edge Royals to Stay Unbeaten - May 27
The Mississauga Southwest Twins remained undefeated by scoring four late runs to edge the visiting Brampton Royals 6-5 Tuesday night at Clarkson Park.
Mississauga, the only undefeated team in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League, improved to 5-0. Brampton fell to 1-4-1.
Outfielder Ian Campbell went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Twins, who scored four unanswered runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead.
Reliever Kyle Porter was credited with the win while Adam Banski pitched a scoreless ninth to earn the save. Brampton's Ryan Thompson took the loss.
Billy Hurley started for the Twins, giving up three runs and seven hits over five innings while Royals starter Mike Burke surrendered two runs and five hits through six innings of work.
Offensively, Rickey James led the Royals by going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Teammate Waleed Elabed recorded two doubles, a single, and an RBI.
The Twins visit the Etobicoke Rangers Friday night (May 29) while Brampton will play a doubleheader in Niagara against the Metros on Saturday.
Brampton Tops Etobicoke - June 5
The Royals traveled to Connorvale Park on Friday, June 5/15, and came away with an impressive 14 - 4 victory. Brampton's offense was led by Vic Speciale who had a single, double, and batted in 6 RBIs. Andrew Thomson belted 2 doubles and Yannick Rickly had 3 singles with 2 RBIs. The pitching was led by the trio of Mike Burke, Brandon Habibi, and RJ Page. Burke got the victory with a strong 5 innings not allowing the Rangers an earned run and only issuing 2 hits. RJ Page finished the game throwing 2 - 2/3 innings and also not giving up a run.
Royals Crush the Rangers - June 9
The Brampton Senior Royals are on a roll in the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major Senior Elite division.
On the road, they dropped the Etobicoke Rangers 14-4 on Friday. With their recent play, the Rangers have improved their record to 5-5-1 and have jumped into second place in the Andrews Division.
At Etobicoke, the Royals lit up four Rangers pitchers for 14 runs, 12 earned on 18 hits with three Etobicoke errors. Vic Speciale led the Brampton hitting, collecting six RBIs with a single and double, and scored twice.
Yannick Rickli was three-for-six with three singles, had two RBIs, stole a base, and scored three times. Andrew Thomson had two doubles and scored three runs.
Starter Mike Burke threw five solid innings, yielding just two hits and no earned runs. R.J. Page got the hold, pitching two-and-a-third innings, giving up one hit and no runs. The Rangers were held to six hits.
Brampton scored two runs in the first and got six more in the fourth. Another pair of runs in the fifth gave the Royals a 10-0 lead. Etobicoke did get closer with one run in the fifth and three more in the seventh. Brampton, however, bounced back with an unearned run in the eighth followed by three more runs in the ninth.
On Wednesday, Brampton traveled to Oakville and earned a 6-3 win over the A’s. Steve Hough earned a complete game win, allowing seven hits and striking out 11.
Speciale led the offense going three-for-five with two singles and a double, driving in three runs and with one stolen base. Waleed Elabed was two-for-three with one RBI.
The Royals are scheduled to host the Erindale Cardinals on Thursday (June 11) at 7:15 p.m. at Dash Park. Four of Brampton’s next five games are home
Brampton Blanks Burlington - June 18
Brampton Senior Royals playing their final league game before going to the Vaughan Tournament defeated the Burlington Brants by a convincing, 6 - 0 score. Both teams, in an effort to conserve arms before the tournament, used multiple pitchers during the game. The Royals used a quintet comprising Mike Burke, Brandon Habibi, Joey Nonis, Brian Stormer, and RJ Page. They combined to limit the Brants to only two singles. The win went to Mike Burke. Offensively Brampton was led by Yannick Rickli and Andrew Thomson. Both players went 3 for 5 with Rickli hitting 3 singles, scoring twice, and having a stolen base. Thomson had 2 singles, a double, scored once, and had a stolen base.
Royals Have a Solid Outing in the Vaughan Tournament - June 22
Game 3 saw Brampton facing their league rivals, Etobicoke Rangers. It was a pitcher’s duel with Royals Mike Burke up against Ranger's Andrew McBride. The game ended in a 2 - 2 tie after seven innings according to OBA tournament rules. With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, Brampton had to wait for the results of the other games going before learning whether they will go on or not. As it turned out the Royals earned the wild card spot and had to face the Leaside Leafs once again in the quarter-finals. The results were a lot different this time with Brampton coming out victorious downing the Leafs 11 - 6. The game featured a towering 3-run home run by Joe Ferreira and a solid night for Andrew Thomson who went 4 for 4 with 2 triples, 2 singles, a stolen base, and an RBI. The winning pitcher was reliever Brandon Habibi.
Royals Lose a Tight One in Erindale 3-2 - June 30
On Monday, June 29/15 Brampton Royals and the Erindale Cardinals played an unusually low-scoring game with the Cards coming out on top 3 - 2. Royal's pitcher, Mike Burke, took a one-hitter and a 2 - 0 lead into the 8th inning when Erindale sluggers, Chris Novia and John DeWolfe blasted home runs to score 3 runs. Earlier in the game, Brampton's Joe Ferreira hit his 5th home run of the season. Burke took the hard-luck loss with Erindale's Mark Taplin the win.
The Happ Walters Tournament Results - July 21
Although the Royals earned a winning record in their division of the Hap Walters Tournament they weren't able to move on to the medal round because their runs against were just slightly higher than the teams that advanced. Game one saw veteran Mike Burke take the mound against league rivals, Oakville A's. Burke survived two solo home runs by Oakville to earn the win. The game was tied at 2 going into the sixth inning that’s when the Royal third baseman, Waleed Elabed singled home Vic Speciale and Steve Hough. Matt Forer rounded out the three-run inning by singling in Fabio DiRoma for a 5 - 2 victory.
Brampton Royals Double Up on Erindale Cardinals - July 23
The Brampton Senior Royals and the Erindale Cardinals returned to Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League senior play on Monday at Ninth Line Park in Mississauga with Brampton holding on for a 4-2 victory.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the third inning, Brampton’s Marco DiRoma belted a three-run RBI double. The Cardinals got one run back in the seventh that completed the scoring.
Starting pitcher Brandon Habibi held the Cardinals to two runs on six hits. Joey Nonis pitched the final two innings to earn the save. Erindale did outhit the Royals 6 -5, with Brandon Fox taking the loss. Brampton is third in the Andrews Division with a 9-9-1 record while Erindale is fourth at 6-14.
On the weekend, Brampton went 2-1 at the Hap Walters Tournament. Several locations were used through the GTA with Brampton playing its games in Brampton. However, that record was not good enough to advance to the playoff round by percentage points.
On Friday, Brampton defeated COBA rivals the Oakville A’s 5-2 in the tournament opener for both teams. Mike Burke started and got the win with R.J. Page earning the save.
The next day the Royals fell 4-2 to eventual tournament champion Windsor Stars. Brampton starter Joe Ferreira held the Stars to five hits but ended up taking the loss.
To complete round robin, Brampton faced a talented St. Thomas Junior’s squad who gave the Royals all they could handle before Brampton pulled out a 10-7 victory. St. Thomas led 3-1 in the fourth inning before Waleed Elabad smacked a two-run home run to tie the contest.
Ferreira belted another two-run homer in the fifth to put Brampton ahead. St. Thomas scored four runs in the sixth and led 7 -5. A five-run rally gave Brampton the victory, highlighted by another two-run home run, this one by Andrew Thomson.
Habibi earned the win in relief of starter Steve Hough. Page pitched the seventh to record a save.
The Royals continue a busy stretch of games as they host the Burlington Brants at Dash Field tonight at 7:15 p.m. The next day they are in Etobicoke while on Saturday they visit the Mississauga Twins at Clarkson Park at 3 p.m. in a make-up contest.
Rangers Squeak by Royals - July 25
The Royals traveled to Etobicoke to play the Rangers in what turned out to be a tight pitchers duel. Brampton lefty, Mike Burke, tossed 8 strong innings only allowing the Rangers 2 runs on 7 hits. Their lone run came in the 6th when Andrew Thomson singled and came home on Steve Hough's double. The team played well considering they were short-handed. Next on the table is a make-up game with Mississauga on Saturday, July 24/15 at Clarkson Park. The game time is 3:00 pm and it will be Brampton's home game.
Royals Dropped by Twins - July 28
It has been an exhausting stretch of games for the Brampton Senior Royals of the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major division.
Including tournament play, the Royals played seven games in eight days, completing the stretch on Saturday (July 25) with a 6-4 loss to the first-place Mississauga Twins. During that hectic stretch, Brampton went 4-3. The Royals are sitting in third place in the Andrews Division with a record of 11-11-1 and 23 points.
The Twins lead the Andrews with a 16-6 mark and 32 points.
Saturday’s games were the make-up of one game from a doubleheader rained out earlier in Brampton. Because of the lack of an available diamond in Brampton, the game was shifted to Mississauga’s home field at Clarkson. The game was also shortened to seven innings because the Twins played a league game earlier in the day, defeating the Etobicoke Rangers 3-2.
Brampton starting pitcher, R.J. Page took the loss. Andrew Thomson led the Royals in hitting going three-for-four with two stolen bases. Vic Speciale and Waleed Elabed each went two-for-three. Steve Hough belted a double.
On Friday (July 24), the Royals were at Etobicoke where they lost 2-1 to the Rangers. Mike Burke went the distance going eight innings, allowing two earned runs and eight hits. Hough smacked a double.
Last Thursday (July 23) Brampton defeated the Burlington Brants 11-3 at home. Joe Ferreira pitched six innings and struck out nine. Hough was two-for-five, including a home run, driving in four runs.
Catcher Brian Stormer was two-for-four with a pair of RBIs.
The league is quiet this week to allow teams to attend the Ontario Baseball Association Eliminations in the Windsor area. Brampton plays its first game on Friday (July 31) at 3 p.m. against the Kingston Ponies in Woodslee.
Royals return to league action on Tuesday (Aug. 4) playing Mississauga at Clarkson Park at 7:30 p.m. in another make-up game. The next home action for the Royals is on Aug. 6 against Etobicoke at 7:15 p.m. at Dash Park.
2015 Senior Eliminations - August 3
The Royals fought their way to a 2 - 2 result in the Elimination tournament. Congratulations to the Tecumseh Thunder for winning the tournament and will now represent Ontario at the Nationals. Our congrats go to all the COBA teams for representing our league well. A special high fives go to Mississauga for being a finalist and Etobicoke and Niagara for making it to the final five.
GAME 1
Brampton 7 vs Kingston 2
3:00 pm Woodslee:
WP: Mike Burke;
Joe Ferreira 2 - 4, 3 RBIs, Marco DiRoma, 2 - 4 2 RBIs, Andrew Thomson 2 - 4
GAME 2
Brampton 8 vs East York 7
12:00 pm Soulliere Field:
WP: Ryan Thompson. Save Brendan Habibi.
Marco DiRoma, 3 - 4, scored 3 runs, 2 RBIs, Vic Speciale, 2 - 4 3 RBIs.
GAME 3
Etobicoke 13 vs Brampton 10
5:30 pm Soulliere Field
GAME 4
Niagara 9 vs Brampton 0
9:30 am Woodslee:
The Royals are eliminated from the 2015 Elimination Tournament
Twins Edge Past Royals - August 5
Mississauga Twins fought their way back from a 4 - 2 deficit to down the Royals 5 - 4. Both teams playing with short benches again played a good game with Brampton pitcher Mike Burke holding the Twins to 2 runs over six innings and left leading 4 - 2. Mississauga got to reliever RJ Page for the final 3 runs. Brampton got off to good start when Vic Speciale blasted a 3-run home run in the first inning. The Royals are at home for the next 3 games. Etobicoke comes to town on Thursday, Aug. 6/15, and Niagara visits on Saturday, Aug.8/15 for a doubleheader. The first game starts at 12:00 pm.
Royals Lose One Run Games - August 7
It was a tough week for the Brampton Senior Royals of the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major Senior League with a pair of one-run losses.
On Thursday (Aug. 6) at home at Dash Park, the Royals fell 4-3 to the Etobicoke Rangers. Both teams were short of pitchers having played at the Ontario Elimination Tournament the previous weekend and with league play but the pitchers for both teams managed to keep the score low.
Brampton’s Johnathan Minchella and Etobicoke’s John Suomi hit home runs. On Tuesday (Aug. 4) in Mississauga, the Royals lost 5-4 to the Andrews Division-leading Mississauga Twins in a make-up game.
The Royals were leading until the seventh inning when the Twins tied it and then won the contest in the eighth with a walk-off single. Brampton’s Vic Speciale smacked a three-run home run.
Those games leave the Royals in third place in the Andrews Division at 11-13-1 for 23 points.
The regular season continues for Brampton on Saturday (Aug. 8) with a noon doubleheader against the Johnson Division front-runners the Niagara Metros. Then on Monday (Aug. 10), the Royals complete the regular season with a make-up game against Mississauga at Clarkson Park, in a make-up game that is a Brampton home game but had to be moved to Mississauga due to lack of diamond availability in Brampton.
Royals and Metros Split a Doubleheader - August 11
The Royals and Niagara split their weekend doubleheader with the Metros winning game 1, 7 – 3, and ironically Brampton winning game 2 by the same score.
In game 1 it was Andrew Thomson who led the way offensively for Brampton scoring all three of their runs. He tripled, singled, and stole 2 bases. Marco DiRoma and Vic Speciale both went 2 for 4 and stole a base each. Mike Burke was the starting pitcher going 4 scoreless innings. Joe Ferreira relieved Burke and was tagged for 7 runs, 6 earned. For Niagara, it was Phil Steer leading the way going 3 for 3 and scoring a run. Geoff Strong got the win.
Royals Take First Two Games of the Playoffs - August 19
The Senior Royals had a very successful opening weekend of the Cobamajor playoffs winning both of their preliminary games. With the two wins, the team automatically advances to the final four weekends. In their first game, Brampton defeated the Oakville A's 7 - 3. It was the veteran lefty, Mike Burke, tossing 6 innings for the win. Game 2 had Joe Ferreira throw a complete 7 innings for the victory. The team's next game will be on Saturday, August 22/15 at Milton Sports Park at 11:00 am. Their opponent in game one will be the Niagara Metros.
Royals Advance in COBA Playoffs - August 19
The Brampton Senior Royals of the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major Senior Elite division have earned their way to the league’s final four.
The Royals won both their games during the opening weekend of the league playoffs to earn the right to compete in the second weekend on Saturday (Aug. 22). All the playoffs games are at Milton Sports Park.
The Royals are scheduled to face the Niagara Metros at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The next game has Etobicoke taking on Milton. Win or lose Brampton will have a second game on Saturday. The championship will be determined on Sunday.
In their playoff opener, Brampton topped the Oakville A’s 7-3. Reliable veteran Mike Burke threw six solid innings only giving up three runs to earn the victory. R.J. Page came in relief and shut out Oakville in his one inning of work.
Joe Ferreira provided the big bat going four-for-four with three singles, a double, and two runs driven in. Vic Speciale was three-for-four and Andrew Thomson two-for-three.
In the second game, Brampton topped the Erindale Cardinals 6-1. Ferreira pitched a strong seven innings, allowing the Cardinals just one hit and an unearned run. The Royals took advantage of some Erindale miscues, scoring four unearned runs.
On Thursday (Aug. 13), the Royals completed their regular season with a 13-12 walk-off win over the Mississauga Twins. This was a make-up contest that had to be postponed several times because of weather. Although it was a Brampton home game, it was played in Mississauga.
Both teams were trying to rest players for the playoffs and the weary Twins were playing their third game in three nights. The Twins led 12-9 in the final inning. Brampton loaded the bases and the coaches inserted Speciale in as a pinch-hitter and he belted a grand slam home run that allowed the Royals to finish the regular season at 12-14-1.
Ryan Thompson was the last pitcher standing for the Royals and picked up the victory
Senior Royals Finish Third in COBA Playoffs - August 28
The Brampton Senior Royals have completed their season by finishing third at the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major playoffs held on Aug. 22 and 23.
The Royals advanced to the final four by winning a pair of games during the opening weekend of the playoffs. All COBA playoff games were played in Milton. Under the format for the finals, teams would not be eliminated until they had two losses.
Brampton opened play on the morning of Aug. 22 with a solid 7 -1 win over the Niagara Metros. Lefty Mike Burke continued his strong season, pitching a one-hitter. Joe Ferreira belted a home run while Andrew Thomson was three-for-four with a run scored and one RBI.
Later in the day, the Royals lost 4-2 to the eventual tournament champions the Milton Red Sox. This was a pitcher’s duel between Brampton’s Zach Sloan and Milton’s Ian Zettle. The game was tied at 2-2 after the regulation seven innings.
R.J. Page came in relief of Sloan and took the unlucky loss, with Milton pushing a couple of runs across against him.
In order to advance, Brampton had to face Niagara once again but this time came up short, losing 6-2. The Metros were up 3-1 going into the sixth but scored three runs in their half of the inning.
Brampton managed a solo run in the seventh but that was not enough to keep the season going. Despite that loss it was a rewarding season for the Royals who were ranked in the top ten in Ontario.
It was a young team with the core of players expected back with a few additions. The Royals thank the coaching staff of head coach Dave Doherty, and assistants Scott Stephenson, Bruce Wrigley, Joe Ferreira and Blake Frost.
The annual COBA Major awards night and banquet is scheduled for Oct. 22.
Senior Royals Selected to the All-Ontario All-Star Teams - September 21
Congratulations to the following Senior Royals for their selection to the All-Ontario All-Star Teams;
First Team: Vic Speciale 1B
Joe Ferreira DH
(Joe was also a runner-up for the most valuable player award)
Second Team; Marco DiRoma C
Andrew Thomson OF
Third Team: Mike Burke LHP
Doherty Honoured by Baseball Ontario - December 5
Dave Doherty might have been the most surprised person in the room when Baseball Ontario announced its 2015 Volunteer of the Year at its annual general meeting recently in Sault Ste. Marie.
The long-time volunteer with Brampton Minor Baseball Inc. was shocked when he saw his name appear on the screen. He said he had no idea that he was even under consideration for the honour.
“I was totally oblivious,” he said. “There are so many people that contribute to baseball, that do a lot of work. You don’t consider yourself one of those.”
There is no doubt that Doherty, 55, has put in countless hours of work for BMBI. He has been a volunteer with the association for 22 years, with the last 14 as president. That has involved chairing all BMBI meetings.
But he has also headed the sponsorship committee and was mainly responsible for bringing in-house league sponsorships. Doherty was the main contact with the City of Brampton for diamond scheduling. He umpired at the T-Ball and Atom Day of Champs.
He also coached the Brampton senior men’s team. He sat on the BMBI rep committee; cleaned equipment at the BMBI shed and sat on the coach/player development committee. Every weekend in February and March of 2015 he ran grassroots house league clinics.
“I just love the game,” said Doherty. He initially became involved because his two sons were in BMBI, but has continued even though they are adults and no longer playing. He began as a house league coach and went on to being a rep coach. He has convened regular season and playoff house league seasons.
Although he has decided to step down as president, Doherty will still remain on the executive committee. Doherty said he feels comfortable in leaving the president’s position because the organization has a strong replacement in long-time coach and player Frank Fascia, who Doherty feels will provide a fresh perspective to that role.
2016
Senior Royals Begin Training – January 31
Spring training is beginning for the Brampton Senior Royals baseball team.
The Royals have scheduled their first night of training at the Upper Deck Baseball Academy, at 36 Van Kirk Dr., beginning Feb. 4 at 9 p.m. Following the opening, the team will switch workouts to Sunday nights.
In addition to a number of returning players the team said it has confirmed three new pitchers for this season. The coaching staff will also be looking at other candidates.
The full training schedule and information for prospective players who wish to try out is available at bramptonseniorroyals.ca.
Brampton Royals Aim to Improve as Baseball Season Gets Rolling - April 29
The arrival of spring always brings optimism for baseball teams and this year there is plenty of reason for that for the Brampton Senior Royals of the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major division.
The core of last year’s team, which finished third overall in the playoffs has returned and added some strong junior graduates. The team has been working out indoors during the winter months. Brampton went 13-14-1 during the regular season to wind up third in the Andrews Division.
While the league schedule is due to begin on May 6, the Royals don’t get going until a week later on May 12, hosting Mississauga Southwest at Dash Park at 7:15 pm, in what should be a good test. The Twins were the first-place team overall at 21-7 but were eliminated quickly in the playoffs going 0-2.
Mississauga is returning a number of award winners and all-stars from last season, but so too does Brampton. Joe Ferreira, who finished second in the league home run race with seven and third in the MVP voting, is back for the Royals.
Last season he played as a DH and pitched, hitting for a .398 batting average and on the mound struck out 54 in 57 1/3 innings pitched, allowing just 19 walks. First baseman Victor Speciale who batted 360 and had 43 RBIs, finished third in voting for the Sportsman of the Year Award.
Also returning is all-star pitcher Mike Burke, who was 6-2 with a .305 ERA in 76 2/3 innings. Other key returners are pitchers Steve Hough and R.J. Page and catcher/first base Marco DiRoma.
As with last season, most of the Royal’s home games will be at Dash Park on Thursday nights. Brampton is again participating in a tournament in Vaughan in June, the Hap Walters Tournament, with some games at Teramoto diamonds in Brampton in July and the Ontario Baseball Association eliminations at the end of July in the Windsor area.
The season wraps up with playoffs at the end of August.
Senior Royals Ready for Season Opener - April 30
After months of preparations, the Brampton Senior Royals are ready to begin their season in the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League.
The club is scheduled for its home opener on Thursday, May 7 hosting Oakville at 7:15 p.m. at Dave Dash Park. This year the Royals will start their home night games at 7:15, rather than 7:30 p.m. as in past seasons, with the majority of the games once again at Dave Dash Park. The team has been working out, beginning with indoor sessions at Upper Deck Baseball Academy during the depths of winter.
This is the 12th season since the revival of senior baseball in Brampton by Blake Frost and Ron Lutz who are back with the team in administrative roles – Frost as president and Lutz as general manager.
The coaching staff includes field manager Dave Doherty, Joe C. Ferreira, and David Flannagan as third base coaches, Bruce Wrigley as a first base coach, and Scott Stephenson as bench coach. Doherty, Flannagan, and Wrigley are all in their second season with the senior club with Stephenson in his ninth season. Ferreira is in his first season with the Royals but he has more than 34 years of coaching experience, with more than 1,000 games in the rep system.
Last season the Royals had an overall record of 16-24-2, including 9-16-2 in the regular season for third place in the Andrews Division. That’s an improvement from just eight wins in 2013.
Brampton has 15 players back from the 2014 team. Among the key returnees is Andrews Division all-star outfielder Steve Hough, a nominee for the COBA Major Comeback Player of the Year. He hit .328 with six doubles and 14 RBIs.
COBA Major Sportsman of the Year Victor Speciale is also back at first base after hitting .415 with a home run and 25 RBIs, scoring 17 runs with eight doubles during the regular season.
Rookie of the Year Yannick Rickli also had a strong year in the outfield, hitting .337 with a home run and 19 RBIs, scoring 18 runs and stealing 15 bases.
Other key players returning include Joe Ferreira who had a .292 average with three home runs and 12 RBIs. Ferreira will also pitch, last season he had a 1-1 record with a 4.96 ERA and 14 strikeouts.
Also returning on the mound are Mike Burke (2-2, 5.87 ERA, 24 strikeouts) and Joe Nonis (2-2, 3.55 ERA, fanning 23).
Back after spending last season in the Quebec Independent League is right-handed pitcher Brad McLaughlin who pitched for the Royals in 2013. Infielder Matt Forer comes to the Brampton Royals after being with the Guelph Royals of the Intercounty Baseball League last season. The second baseman hit .278 with Guelph collecting 15 hits and five RBIs.
Following their home opener, the Royals are scheduled to visit Milton on May 9 at 1:30 p.m. Besides league play, Brampton is also participating in three tournaments. They will be at Vaughan from June 19 to 21, and will participate in the Hap Walters Tournament from July 17 to 19 with some of their games at Terramoto Field in Brampton, and at Ontario Baseball Association Eliminations beginning July 31 in Windsor.
Royals Top Mississauga - May 27
The Senior Royals got back on the winning track downing the Mississauga Twins, 11 - 2. Leading the offense was Joe Ferreira who went 3 for 5; with 3 singles and 3 RBIs. Newcomer CJ Fearon playing in his first game also went 3 for 5 with 2 singles, a triple, and 2 RBIs. Veteran Pitcher, Mike Burke, threw a strong 7 innings for the win. Burke only allowed 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 6. RJ Page pitched the final 2 innings only allowing the Twins 1 hit.
Brampton’s Ferreira COBA Major Player of the Week – July 8
Brampton Royals first base and DH Joe Ferreira has been named the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major League Player of Week for Week No. 9, which ended July 2.
He played in two games over the week, helping the Royals split their games. They beat Burlington 8-7 and dropped a 16-6 decision to Etobicoke. For the week he was four-for-seven (.571) with one single and three home runs. He scored four runs and drove in five.
That lifted his batting average for the season too. 314 (15 for 57) with four doubles and four home runs, 12 runs scored, and 13 RBIs.
He is the second member of the Royals to earn the Player of the Week this season. Outfielder Andrew Thomson was honoured in Week 3.
Brampton Senior Royals Eliminated in Tournament - July 19
With a 1-2 record, the Brampton Senior Royals of the Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major League were eliminated from play at the Hap Walters Tournament held July 15 to 17 at parks in Brampton, Milton, Oakville, and Toronto.
The Royals played all their games in Brampton at Teramoto Diamond. Brampton got its lone win on Saturday (July 16) defeating the Windsor Stars 5-1 in an afternoon contest. Ryan Pollard was the winning pitcher.
In a morning game, the Royals dropped a 2-1 contest to the Thornhill Reds as Joe Ferreira took the mound loss. On Friday (July 15, Brampton lost 13-2 to the Newmarket Hawks. Mike Burke was tagged with the defeat.
The Royals return to league play on Wednesday (July 20) at Burlington and return home to face the Etobicoke Rangers on Thursday, at 7:15 p.m.
Erindale Cardinal’s moves onto COBA Championship weekend – August 22
The Erindale Cardinals have advanced to the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League championship weekend by surviving the first set of playoff games held Saturday and Sunday in Milton.
Erindale, ranked third out of eight teams in the league heading into the playoffs, defeated the Brampton Royals 11-5 before losing 5-0 to the Burlington Brants on Saturday.
They advanced to the championship round with a 3-2 walk-off win over the Milton Red Sox on Sunday.
The Cardinals will be joined by the Brants, Oakville A’s, and Niagara Metros in the championship round.
Like the first round of the playoffs, it will be played in Milton under a double-knockout format on Saturday and Sunday.
The Mississauga Southwest Twins also played in the opening round and were eliminated Sunday after an 8-5 loss to Oakville.
Ranked second heading into the playoffs, the Twins opened with a 1-0 loss to Burlington before defeating Brampton 3-2.
Brampton Royals Battle with baseball division Leaders – August 9
The Brampton Royals went 1-2 during a difficult stretch of games as they faced the division leaders of the Central Ontario Baseball Association Majors league.
In a doubleheader on Saturday (Aug. 6) at home, Brampton split its contests with the Johnson Division leading Niagara Metros. The Royals lost the first game 4-2 but came back to take the nightcap 10-9. The Metros sit at 12-12 with a three-point lead on top of the Johnson Division.
On Thursday (Aug. 4) the Andrews Division-leading Etobicoke Rangers outslugged the Royals 16-6. The Rangers have an impressive 22-3 record and are 12-points up on second-place Mississauga SW Twins.
SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1 Etobicoke's second baseman Mark Capone makes the out against Brampton Royal's Andrew Thomson in COBA Major action at Dave Dash Park in Brampton Thursday night.
Those games left Brampton with a 10-15 record, last in the Andrews, five points back of third-place Erindale Cardinals.
In Week 11, ending July 16 a pair of Royals were honoured by the league. Shortstop Patrick Pinlac was selected Player of the Week. In two games he was four-for-eight (a .500 average) with three doubles and a home run. He scored four runs, drove in two runs, and stole a base.
Brampton’s Brad McLaughlin was named Pitcher of the Week. He made one appearance during a 12-11 win over Erindale. In that game he threw seven innings, yielding one unearned run on four hits. He walked two and struck out five in collecting the win.
2017
Brampton Senior Royals Begin Winter Workouts – January 12
Spring may seem like a long way off but the Brampton Senior Royals are already thinking about the upcoming Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major AAA Senior season.
The team is slated to begin winter indoor workouts on Jan. 29 at the Upper Deck Baseball Academy, 36 Van Kirk Dr.; beginning at 9 p.m. The fee for the session is $10.
This will be the team’s 14th season and there will be a number of changes made at the management level. David Flannagan is the new general manager with J.R. Pinlac head coach and Joe Ferreira assistant. Last year’s management team of Dave Doherty, Scott Stephenson, Bruce Wrigley, Blake Frost, and Ron Lutz have retired. Frost and Lutz brought senior baseball back to Brampton.
Brampton Senior Royals to Open Season - May 2
Weather permitting, the Brampton Senior Royals are scheduled to begin their Central Ontario Baseball Association major schedule on Thursday, May 4.
The Royals' first contest, set for Dave Dash Park at 7:15 p.m., is against the Oakville A’s. Although Brampton is at home, this is an away game for the team. Because there is construction on the A’s home field, Oakville is being forced to play all its games on the road this season.
SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1 Pitcher Steve Hough (43) for the Brampton Royals against Milton last season. He is one of the returning players for the 2017 season.
A new management group is in charge of the A’s with David Flannagan as the new general manager with J. R. Pinlac as the head coach and Joe Ferreira as an assistant coach. They have run indoor winter workouts for the players since January.
Returning players signed are catcher Brian Stormer, catcher/third base Marco DiRoma, first base/pitcher/DH Joe Ferreira, first base/DH Vic Speciale, shortstop Pat Pinlac, pitcher/third base Ryan Thompson, outfield Andrew Thomson, outfield/pitcher Steve Hough, outfield Yannick Rickli, left-handed pitcher Mike Burke, pitcher Brad McLaughlin, and pitcher R.J. Page.
Newcomers added include outfield/pitcher Eric Ferreira, infield/pitcher Keegan Murphy, Brandon Manly, Adam Velocci, Christian Hopski, and pitcher Cory Hayden.
Other players could also be added. The official Brampton home opener is set for May 11 against Burlington at 7:15 p.m.
Royals Defeat Brants in the Home Opener - May 14
The Brampton Senior Royals brought their bats to their home opener by defeating the Burlington Brants 16 - 1. The Royals received solid pitching from game-winner, R J Page and Mike Burke in relief. A solid offensive effort was highlighted by a 3-run base clearing triple by Andrew Thomson and a 2-run home run from rookie Brandon Manley. Joe Ferreira and Andrew Thomson each drove in 3 runs. Yannick Rickli, Marco DiRoma, Brian Stormer, Pat Pinlac, and Brandon Manley had multiple hits. The team's next game is on Saturday, May 13/17 when they travel to Milton to take on the Red Sox at 1:30 pm start.
Brampton Senior Royals Win First Two COBA Contests - May 16
The Brampton Senior Royals are off to a great start in Central Ontario Baseball Association (COBA) Major play, with two one-sided wins, scoring 32 runs.
On Saturday, May 13, the Royals went on the road and rolled 16-5 over the Milton Red Sox. Marco DiRoma went four-for-four with three RBIs. Joe Ferreira blasted a three-run home run and Patrick Pinlac added a solo blast.
Those with multiple hits included Marco DiRoma, Fabio DiRoma, Pinlac, Vic Speciale, C.J. Fearon and Ferreira.
In the home opener on Thursday, May 11, the Royals blasted Burlington 15-1 with the game shortened to seven innings due to the mercy rule. Andrew Thomson had a three-run triple with rookie Brandon Manley cracking a two-run homer.
R.J. Page got the win.
Brampton Royals Are at 3-2 - May 23
After starting the Central Ontario Baseball Association Major League season with three consecutive wins, the Brampton Senior Royals have dropped two in a row.
The most recent came on Monday, May 22, falling 18-8 to the Erindale Cardinals.
Because of their fast start, the Royals were named the team of the week for the first two weeks of the schedule. Third baseman Marco DiRoma of the Royals was also named the player of the week.
In the two games he played, DiRoma was six-of-eight, batting 0.750 with five singles and a double. He also walked once and scored four runs, collecting five RBIs and four stolen bases.
Brampton plays a doubleheader on Saturday, May 27 against the Niagara Metros, beginning at noon at Dave Dash Park.
Royals and Metros Split Their Doubleheader - May 29
After dropping their last two games the Royals jumped back with a 4 - 3 win in game 1 of a doubleheader against the St. Catharines Metros. Lefty Mike Burke threw a solid 6 innings for the win. Down 3 - 2 rookie Keegan Murphy singled in two which proved to be the winning runs. O'Neal Barnes got the save.
Game 2 saw the Metros defeat the Royals 10 - 4. A bright note was a homerun by Marco DiRoma. Marco and CJ Fearon had multiple hits.
Royals 9 Mississauga 6 - June 15
Royals top Twins 9 - 6.
Brandon Maley and Andrew Thomson had multiple hits. Marco DiRoma continued his base stealing with 2. The winning pitcher was Steve Hough in relief of Mike Burke.
Royals Play two Against the Cardinals - August 18
After giving up 3 runs early the Royals fought back scoring 10 runs and going on to a 10 -7 win in
Game 1. WP Arman Lakhani SV: Steve Hough
Game 2: Brampton 5 - Erindale 4 (Completed Aug 15/17)
WP: Mike Burke SV RJ Page