The Leaside Leafs have captured the 2025 Ontario Men's AAA National Qualifying Tournament Championship Monday afternoon in Windsor. The defeated the Etobicoke Rangers 12 - 2 in a winner take all final game at Rev. Ronald Cullen Stadium at the Micmac Sports Complex in a game that was carried on our CABC Baseball National Livestream on YouTube.

On Friday, the Leafs opened their 2025 Elimination Tournament with a tilt against the Burlington Brants. Veteran Chris Goodale drew the starting assignment for the Leafs and delivered a gem as Leaside took this game by a score of 5 - 3. Goodale went the distance allowing three runs (all earned) on five hits while walking five and striking out three. Luke Connors took the loss for Burlington. He went 3 1/3 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out six. Offensively, Leaside was led by Graham Henry who was 3-for-3 with a run scored. Joe Woods and Kevin Henry each had a hit and an RBI while Dan Goldberg had the other RBI for the Leafs. Max Von Gemmingen, Noah Bertin and Tim Sogan each had a hit and an RBI for the Brants.

With the win, Leaside (1 - 0) played their next game on Friday night as they locked horns with a familiar foe in the Newmarket Hawks (1 - 0). The Leafs bats stayed hot in this game as they rolled to a 13 - 6 win over the Hawks. Fellow veteran hurler Jorge Frugoni went the distance in this game as well on the hill. He allowed six runs (four earned) on 10 hits. He walked none while striking out two. Tyler Pridham, the 2nd of three Hawks hurlers, took the loss going one inning allowing six runs (all earned) on four hits while walking two. At the plate, the Leafs were led by SS Mac Mitchell who was 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Ryan Ricci was 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and three RBI while Joe Woods was 1-for-4 with a run scored and a pair of RBIs. Reid Lunney was 3-for-4 with a HR, a run scored and an RBI while Cooper Tomkinson was 2-for-4 with a HR, two runs cored and an RBI to lead the Newmarket offence. 

Leaside (2 - 0) now advanced into Saturday afternoon and a date with another GTBL foe in the Ajax Spartans (1 - 0). Pitching and defense once again were at the fore front for the Leafs as they took this game by a score of 3 - 0. Leafs hurler Jacob Finlayson was spot on this game as he went the distance allowing no runs on four hits while walking one and striking out five. Pat Vecchiarelli also went the distance for Ajax allowing three runs (all earned) on seven hits while walking four and striking out two. Offensively, Ben Jones was 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs while Graham Henry was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Peter Ricciardi was 2-for-3 in a losing cause for the Spartans. 

With the win, Leaside (3 - 0) received a bye through the 4th round and into Sunday monring where they took on the Sarnia Brigade (3 - 0) in the undefeated game at Rev. Ronald Cullen Stadium. In a very tightly contested and well played game, he Leafs prevailed in this one by a socre of 5 - 3. Noah Falkenberg drew the start in this game going four innings allowing three runs (all earned) on two hits while walking seven and striking out one. Roberto Pagliero grabbed the win in relief throwing three innings allowing no runs on one hit and striking out two. Greg Ross took the loss for the Brigade going 5 1/3 innings allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits while walking four and striking out two. At the plate, Leaside was led by Ben Jones who was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI. Ryan Ricci was 1-for-2 with a double, a runs cored and an RBI while Michael De Luca 1-for-3 with an RBI. Logan Buntrick and Keegan Brandon each had a hit and an RBI to lead Sarnia at the dish. 

The Leafs (4 - 0) marched on into Super Sunday and had a date with the Waterloo Tigers (3 - 1) at Soulliere Field on Sunday afternoon. In another very well played game, it was Mac Mitchell playing hero in this one with a walk off single to give Leaside a 4 - 3 victory in this game. The Leafs got another gutsy effort on the mound this time from RHP Andrew Morales as he threw a complete game allowing three runs (none earned) on four hits while walking two and striking out four. Lefty Jack Anderson took the hard luck loss in relief of starter Adam Robertson. Anderson went 1 2/3 innings allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits. He walked one while striking out two batters. Offensively, Graham Henry led the way going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored while Mac Mitchell was 1-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Justin Skorupski was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored while Tyson Mifflin was 1-for-3 with an RBI to led the Waterloo offense. 

The win moved the Leafs to 5 - 0 on the tournament and gave them another bye into Monday morning as the only undefeated team left in the tournament. In that game, they met up with the Etobicoke Rangers (5 - 1) in the tournament championship game. The Rangers needed to defeat the Leaside club twice on this day to grab the championship. In the 10am game, Etobicoke was able to cool off the Leafs bats as they won this game by a score of 3 - 0. Jorge Frufoni took the loss in this game. In his second start of the weekend, he went the distance allowing three runs (one earned) on eight hits while walking two and striking out three. Justin Teichman, the 2nd of three Etobicoke hurlers, earned the win going 2 1/3 innings aloowing no runs on two hits and a strikeout. Mark Rizzotto earned the save with three innings of shutout ball on just one hit. At the dish, Ben Jones, Ben Baker and Michael De Luca each had a hit for Leaside. For Etobicoke, Alex Thrower was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored while Tanner Young-Schultz was 1-for-3 accounting for the other run in the game with an RBI. 

That took the Leafs (5 - 1) to a winner take all final game against the Rangers and in this game Leaside was able to end their lull at the plate as they won by a score of 12 - 2 in five innings to capture the 2025 Ontario Men's AAA National Qualifying Tournament Title. Workhorse Chris Goodale toed the slab again and delivered another gem as he went all five innings allowing two runs (none earned) on three hits while walking five and striking out four. Rangers starter Max Skoropadsky took the loss going one inning allowing three runs (all earned) on two hits while walking two batters. Offensively for Leaside, Dan Goldberg was 2-for-2 with a HR, a walk, two runs scored and four RBIs. Kevin Henry was 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI while Mac Mitchell was 1-for-2 with a walk and the game winning hom run along with a pair of runs scored and four RBIs. Ryan Ricci also had a 3-run HR. Dan Franceschetti and MArk Capone each had an RBI for the Rangers to lead their offense. 

The Leaside Leafs finished this year's tournament with a 6 - 1 record and capture the teams first ever Ontario Men's AAA National Qualifying Title in team history. However, it is the teams 12th Ontario provincial title in club history. A huge congratulations goes out to Head Coach Matthew Nailer, Asst Coach Henry Yap and all of the players on the Leaside roster. Being an old guy myself (lol) a special tip of the cap to veterans Jorge Frugoni, Chris Goodale and Jeff Gruchy whom I played against for years. This was a long time coming for all of you and couldn't be happier for all three of you. Special tip of the cap to Mr Leaside Baseball himself Howie Bernie who has done so much for baseball in Leaside including the Men's AAA club and I am sure is loving celebrating this title with the team as well. Best of luck to all of you in Regina!!