Barrie Baycats take Intercounty Baseball League title after sweeping Royals in final

The Barrie Baycats were dominant in the Intercounty Baseball League this past weekend.

The Baycats secured a 6-2 victory over the Guelph Royals on Saturday night, clinching the championship final in a four-game sweep.

This win marks Barrie’s first Dominico Cup title since 2019, ending a streak of six consecutive IBL championships. Many of the key players from those championship seasons have either retired or moved on to other teams within the league.

“You’re left with empty cupboards,” said Baycats president, manager, and general manager Josh Matlow, who took over the team post-2019 season.

“We had a lot of work to do, but we’re ready for the challenge. We set out to be competitive early on, and many of the players bought into that vision.”

Barrie took a 3-0 lead in the third inning against Royals’ starter Drew Durst, with designated hitter Ryan Rijo contributing an RBI single among his four hits and two RBIs for the night.

The Baycats extended their lead in the sixth inning with two more runs, courtesy of an RBI single from catcher Hayden Jaco and an RBI groundout from third baseman Adam Odd.

Guelph managed to score their first run in the eighth inning, but Barrie maintained their lead throughout the game.

Left-hander Frank Garces, who pitched eight innings allowing only one run and striking out four, was named the playoff MVP for his outstanding performance.

For the Royals, it was a season of progress as they reached the championship final for the first time since 2004, despite falling short against the Baycats.

“Ultimately, our goal was to win a championship. I couldn’t bring them to that level, but I was really proud of the effort they put in. They did Guelph proud and they did the Royals proud,” said Royals manager Dino Roumel.

It may have been the last game for veteran first baseman Josh Garton, who received a heartfelt send-off from the crowd and his teammates after battling an injury throughout the playoffs.

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