Summer of Sundays: Orillia Slo-Pitch delivers a season to remember
From towering home runs and breakout stars to dramatic finishes and the Fall Classic, SportsKlub Slo-Pitch at Tudhope Park had a little bit of everything
A week after the final out was recorded, the story of the 2026 SportsKlub Orillia Slo-Pitch season is bigger than who walked away with the trophy.
The Wagner Lawn Care Angels were the team left standing at the end, completing a season in which they set the pace from the beginning and ultimately captured the Fall Classic championship.
But across the summer at Tudhope Park, all four teams had their moments, new stars emerged, familiar faces delivered huge performances and the championship was still hanging in the balance deep into September.
The Angels finished the regular season atop the standings at 13-2-3, scoring 278 runs while allowing 189. Studabakers Beachside finished second at 11-7, followed by CMF Automotive at 5-11-2 and NKD Deer at 3-12-3. Those records didn't tell the whole story.
Wagner Lawn Care opened the championship series with a 9-5 victory over Studabakers Beachside, but the Rockies refused to let the Angels cruise to the title. Studabakers answered with tight defence and timely hitting in Game 2, making Wagner Lawn Care battle right to the end.
Ultimately, the Angels would hold on for the 11-10 victory, clinching the Fall Classic championship sweep. It was a fitting conclusion to a season dominated by the Angels but filled with enough resistance to make them earn it.
Big bats were everywhere
The final individual leaderboard showed just how much offence was produced throughout the summer.
Studabakers Beachside's Austin Dyck finished with a season-high 42 hits, scoring 27 runs while driving in 18. He was recognized with a Silver Slugger Award after becoming one of the most consistent hitters in SportsKlub.
The Angels weren't far behind. In fact, they were everywhere. Jeff Carey collected 40 hits, 34 RBI, 23 runs and two home runs in only 14 games. His production continued when the games mattered most, earning him both a Silver Slugger Award and Playoffs MVP.
Devin Coombs finished with 39 hits, 33 RBI, 27 runs and three home runs, earning another Silver Slugger for Wagner Lawn Care.
Then there was Oswell James. James put together one of the most complete offensive seasons in SportsKlub Baseball, recording 39 hits, 30 RBI and 29 runs while adding a home run. His performance earned him Most Valuable Player honours. Kauner Lehtonen added 38 hits, 32 RBI and 22 runs across 18 games for the Angels, giving the eventual champions another dangerous bat in an already deep lineup. The numbers help explain how Wagner Lawn Care reached 278 runs.
Five of the top nine hitters on the final leaderboard wore Angels colours, with Carey, James, Coombs, Lehtonen and Owen McCool combining to pile up hits throughout the summer.
Plenty of production beyond the champions
The season wasn't simply an Angels highlight reel.
Dyck led everybody in hits for Studabakers, while teammate Mitchell Hurtubise supplied some of the summer's biggest power. Hurtubise hit four home runs, the highest total among the players shown on the final leaderboard, while driving in 30 runs and scoring 21 times in 12 games.
Jason Coldwell finished with 34 hits and 22 runs, while Jessie Eyers developed into one of the year's notable breakout performers. Eyers finished with 42 hits, 27 runs and 18 RBI and was named Most Improved Player.
For NKD Deer, Jesse Bremner put together another strong summer with 36 hits, 27 RBI, 18 runs and two home runs. His contribution went beyond the scorebook, with Bremner receiving the Most Sportsmanlike Player award.
JJ Healy was recognized with a Gold Glove Award after a strong defensive season for the Muskies. CMF Automotive also had one of the year's Gold Glove recipients in Rob McMinn, who combined his defensive play with 26 hits, 17 runs and eight RBI.
Brittney Low was named Rookie of the Year after recording 18 hits, 16 runs and five RBI in her first SportsKlub season. And the Angels added one more piece of hardware with Lehtonen receiving a Gold Glove Award to go with his offensive production.
A summer that became more than the standings
The final standings will always show Wagner Lawn Care at the top. But the summer was also filled with the moments that don't fit neatly into a standings table.
There were inside-the-park home runs, diving and circus catches, players discovering they could hit a ball considerably farther than they thought, the Great Canadian Bun Run on Canada Day and Sunday mornings at Tudhope that increasingly felt less like scheduled games and more like a weekly gathering.
That was the point.
SportsKlub's summer wasn't built around finding the best slo-pitch team in Orillia. It was about giving people a reason to show up every week, be part of a team, meet some new people and play ball.
We can’t wait to build on the momentum of an unforgettable summer and return to the diamond for an even bigger season in spring 2027.
SportsKlub players, friends and family are invited to the SportsKlub Halloween Party on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 7–11 p.m. at Barnfield Point Recreation Centre.
Throw on a costume, grab your teammates and come celebrate another SportsKlub season with music, food, a costume contest and one more night with the Klub.
🎃 Tickets are available now. Grab yours here.
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