If the 2025 version of the Milton Red Sox will be remembered for one thing - it was how their explosive offence took off in the season's last month.

 

Entering the COBA Major playoffs this past Saturday, the Sox offence had carried the weight; propelling the club to a 5-win improvement over the 2024 version, and giving them a healthy chance to take the COBA crown. 

 

The Friday evening 'play-in' game saw the 7th seeded Oakville A's top the 6th seeded Erindale Cardinals 9-6 to advance to the playoff round and the right to face Milton in one of the first two games held Saturday at Ninth Line Sports Park.

 

As they have all season, Nate Hamel and Jake Siracusa led the team when it mattered most. Siracusa collected 3 hits in 3 trips - adding 3 RBI; and Hamel threw a complete game (5 IP) as the Sox battered Oakville 13-3. A great start to what would be a fantastic all-around weekend of baseball for the Red Sox.

 

Game two for Milton pitted them against #2 seed Burlington for the right to bypass to Sunday's semi-final. The Sox jumped out to a 3-1 lead, and extended their advantage to 7-1 heading to the 6th inning. The scrappy Brants would not go quietly, chipping away at the lead and eventually getting to 7-6 before reliever Oliver Reyes would induce the final Burlington batter to fly out to deep centrefield. Chris Cloes earned the win for the Red Sox, pitching 5 2/3 innings, before giving way to relievers Ryan Carey, and Reyes. Siracusa again led the team with 3 RBI courtesy of his two doubles. The Milton catcher was again 3 for 3 at the plate, earning a perfect 6 for 6 in the two games. On. To. Sunday.

 

By way of their win against Burlington, Milton would face COBA newbies; Waterloo Tigers in the semi finals. The Tigers would advance to the final 4 by way of their 1-run win over Canadian Nationals' bound, Etobicoke Rangers.

Waterloo took an early 3-0 lead off starter Dylan Clark, but the offence awoke big in the Sox 2nd inning, scoring 14 runs and putting the game virtually out of reach. Final: Milton 17, Waterloo 6. (5 innings) Siracusa continued his perfect weekend with a 4 for 4 day at the plate, cashing 3 more RBI. Matt Fusco, and Liam Butchereit both had multiple hits, while Butchereit had 4 RBI to lend to the 13-hit Milton attack. Finals bound!

 

Unlike the previous games held on this playoff weekend, the Championship Game was played in quite different circumstances, weather-wise. A windy, wet system came in at the conclusion of the Sox win vs. Waterloo and all but wiped out the sunshine, warmth, and humidity that had been hanging over the province for much of the week. While the rain eventually subsided, the high winds stuck around and wreaked havoc on anything hit in the air.

 

The Oakville offence would take advantage of the winds, cranking out 4 home runs for the game. The A's led 5-2, 10-3, and 14-3 before the Sox' bats came to life. Down 11 runs, with 2 out in their half of the 5th inning, Aaron Nash came off the bench to save the day, hitting a 2-run double to open the floodgates for the rest of the offence.  Milton would put up 8 in the 5th to cut the lead to 14-11. Unfortunately, that's as close as they would get, as Oakville kept the pedal down offensively and outlasted the Red Sox to take the COBA Championship 16-12. Milton would crush 3 home runs of their own, led by Owen Dobosh's two no-doubters, while Liam Butchereit added one. Butchereit would go 4 for 5 on the day and hit for the cycle, totaling 10 bases. The Sox offence was led by Dobosh's 5 RBI, and 3 by Butchereit. Jake Siracusa would go 3 for 5, ending his perfect playoff weekend at the plate, but would hit .867 over the 4 playoff games.

 

Not the ending the team wanted, but one that they would have (possibly) accepted at the season's beginning. A much improved team from 2024 with quite a number of key additions, and new faces to energize the morale around the Milton dugout. A successful season and looking forward to a promising 2026!

 

GO SOX!!