Intercounty Basbeall League (ON)

News: “The Ultimate”: Baseball Lifer Matetich Chases Championship

By Carlos VerdeKitchener Panthers manager Bill Matetich is the prototypical baseball manager: A former player, returning to the ballpark year upon year out of both habit and a genuine desire to help ballplayers develop.At 13-10, with wins over three of the four teams ahead of them, the Panthers are a very real threat to make…

Published

3 months ago

July 11, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

By Carlos Verde

Kitchener Panthers manager Bill Matetich is the prototypical baseball manager: A former player, returning to the ballpark year upon year out of both habit and a genuine desire to help ballplayers develop.

At 13-10, with wins over three of the four teams ahead of them, the Panthers are a very real threat to make a deep run in the Intercounty playoffs — something that would serve as a crowning achievement for the lifelong baseball man in charge.

“I was part of six championships with the (Stratford) Hillers as a player, and five as a coach at other levels (but) to do it in this league would be the ultimate,” reflected Matetich, who is in his first IBL managerial post after stops as a bench coach with Brantford and Hamilton. “It’s something I keep envisioning and telling our guys — they are talented, and have every right to think that way.”

Kitchener is unique, a community-owned club featuring both stellar Cuban imports and strong homegrown talent.

“(GM) Mike Boehmer did a great job in the off-season, (and) we’ve got a good ball club that is deep and versatile,” said Matetich. “Humberto Ruiz who is back now will be a big plus for us, and our statistics on both sides of the ball are greatly improved.”

Coaching with an eye to the mental side of the game — decades from his radar as a player in the 1980s — is important to the Panthers boss.

“We’ve focused on good fundamentals and the right attitude, starting in our winter indoor workouts,” he explained. “We did some mental health coaching, letting them know that ‘hey, you’re going to fail’ and we need to flush things when they happen.”

The Panthers will need to flush their current three-game skid, but have the core pieces to compete on any given night: infielder Raul Gonzalez has driven in an IBL-high 35 RBI, while pitcher Christian Hauck co-leads the league in wins (4).

With nearly four decades of coaching behind him, Matetich understands that the time is now — for him personally, at least — to make run at the Dominico Cup.

“It’s a lot of time, I own a business and have a very supportive family that allows me to do this four nights per week,” he reflected. “I won’t be doing it forever, but I love it — I love coming to the ballpark and seeing these guys grow.”

Matetich manages the same way he played the game: Paying attention to fundamentals and ensuring the men on his club are in the right frame of mind to compete.

“I was a bench player, a backup catcher (and) I studied the game,” remembered Matetich. “I started managing 38 years ago in junior, and I’ve loved the game since I was five years old.

“Baseball is my sanctuary, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Managing Kitchener to an Intercounty championship would be one of the greatest rewards that sanctuary has gifted him over his lifetime in the game.

Ultimately, of course, it will be up to the Panthers themselves — Gonzalez, Hauck and co. — to try and push the baseball lifer at their helm to the promised land.

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Intercounty Basbeall League (ON)

News: IBL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Jackfish wins first IBL championship

BARRIE – The Intercounty Baseball League’s top regular season team was also the IBL’s best in the playoffs, as the Welland Jackfish blew out Barrie 17-1 on Saturday to clinch its first Dominico Cup title. Welland, after dropping the series’ first two games, won the next four in the best-of-seven series. Welland starting pitcher and playoff MVP…

Published

1 week ago

September 16, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

Welland, after dropping the series’ first two games, won the next four in the best-of-seven series.

Welland starting pitcher and playoff MVP James Bradwell allowed an unearned run over 7.2 innings in Game 6. He scattered six hits, walked two and struck out six. Over three playoff rounds, Bradwell went 5-0 with a 1.03 earned-run average.

Offensively, Matteo Porcellato homered twice and drove in five, while Gianfranco Morello went 3-for-6 with a home run, two RBI and three runs. Sam Cawker was 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs, Carlos Martinez doubled and drove in two, Hogan Brown had a pair of RBI and scored twice, and James Smibert drove in a run and scored twice.

For Barrie, the playoff’s third seed, Ryan Rijo drove in Canice Ejoh in the eighth inning. Carson Burns singled twice.

Evan Soules took the loss, allowing six runs on five hits over 2.1 innings. He walked two and didn’t record a strikeout.

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Intercounty Basbeall League (ON)

News: IBL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Jackfish one win from IBL title

WELLAND – More late game magic has Welland one win from an IBL championship. The Jackfish, after scoring twice in the ninth inning to win Game 4 Wednesday, broke a 2-2 tie in Game 5 Thursday with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, which was the difference in a 4-2 victory over…

Published

1 week ago

September 14, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

WELLAND – More late game magic has Welland one win from an IBL championship.

The Jackfish, after scoring twice in the ninth inning to win Game 4 Wednesday, broke a 2-2 tie in Game 5 Thursday with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, which was the difference in a 4-2 victory over Barrie.

Welland leads the best-of-seven Dominico Cup final 3-2. Game 6 is Saturday in Barrie.

Gianfranco Morello had the big blow, a one-out solo home run in the seventh to give Welland the lead. Steven Moretto scored on a fielder’s choice three batters later. James Smibert and Sam Cawker each had a pair of hits in the win.

Deivy Mendez earned the win in relief, allowing a run on two hits over three innings. He walked one and fanned four. Alberto Guerrero started and gave up a run on two hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out five.

Royce Ando had an RBI double for the Baycats, who have lost three straight. Hayden Jaco scored on a fielder’s choice in the seventh, which briefly pulled Barrie even. Starlin Rodriguez singled and doubled.

Juan Benitez took the loss, giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits in 6.1 innings. He struck out three and walked one.

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Intercounty Basbeall League (ON)

News: IBL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Jackfish shocks Baycats to even series

BARRIE – Down to their last strike in Game 4 of the Dominico Cup final, the Welland Jackfish scored twice in the top of the ninth to shock Barrie and win 3-2 to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. After getting a flyout and groundout to open the ninth, Baycats’ closer Brad Grieveson hit…

Published

2 weeks ago

September 14, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

After getting a flyout and groundout to open the ninth, Baycats’ closer Brad Grieveson hit Matteo Porcellato with the first pitch of the next at bat. Grieveson had Jackfish batter Carlos Martinez in a 1-2 hole before Martinez belted a curveball over the left-field fence at Vintage Throne Stadium to give Welland its first lead of the game.

Welland’s Deivy Mendez struck out Canice Ejoh to finish the comeback.

Brandon Underhill earned the win in one inning of relief. He took over from Welland starter Jake Harford, who allowed two runs on eight hits over seven innings with a pair of walks and eight strikeouts.

Royce Ando went 4-for-4 with an RBI for Barrie, which scored in the second and seventh innings and looked headed for a third win. Carson Burns had two hits and drove in a run, and Adam Odd went 2-for-4 and scored once.

Baycats’ starter Frank Garces struck out 10 over eight innings. He gave up a run on four hits with two walks.

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