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New Lowell Knights claim back-to-back Strother Cup titles after defeating Bolton

September 24, 2026   ·   0 Comments

The New Lowell Knights successfully defended their Strother Cup title in the North Dufferin Baseball League. The team defeated the Bolton Brewers in five games and closed out the senior championship series with three consecutive wins.

New Lowell captured Game 3 by a 14-2 score last Thursday, followed with a 10-1 win in Game 4 on Saturday, and sealed the title Sunday with an 8-1 victory in Game 5. The Knights won the best-of-seven final four games to one.

Game 3 opened with the Knights scoring five runs in the first inning, followed by one in the third, four in the fourth and four more in the sixth to end the contest by the mercy rule. Bolton managed a run in the third inning and another in the fourth in the 14-2 loss.

It was a complete team effort for the Knights, as every player in the lineup recorded at least one hit. Zack Hayward went 3-for-3 with a solo home run in the third inning, while Jake Nicholson added three hits and finished 3-for-4.

Brad Greiveson earned the win for the Knights, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven.

Carson Burns started for the Brewers and pitched four innings, allowing 10 runs on 11 hits with two walks, one hit batter and four strikeouts.

Logan Hart worked the final two innings, allowing four runs on four hits while walking one, hitting two batters and striking out two.

Saturday’s Game 4 ended in a 10-1 New Lowell victory, although the outcome remained close until the late innings.

Both teams scored once in the opening inning before the Knights took a 2-1 lead in the third. New Lowell added two more runs in the fifth and put the game away with a six-run sixth inning.

Bolton was limited to five hits. Ben Sterritt recorded a single and a double, Amin Juarez doubled, and Brett Chater and Greg Keenan added singles.

Hayward homered and doubled for New Lowell, while Nicholson, Kurt Roy, Brandon Norrie, Dale Lightheart and Chris Greer each doubled. Caleb Lightheart collected two hits and Carson Lightheart added one.

Norrie controlled the game from the mound, allowing one run on five hits over seven innings. He walked one batter, hit another and struck out four.

Bolton starter Paul Cota worked five and two-thirds innings, surrendering 10 runs on 10 hits while walking seven, hitting two batters and striking out one.

Hart recorded the final out in relief.

The Knights completed their championship run Sunday with an 8-1 victory in Game 5.

New Lowell jumped ahead with three runs in the first inning, added two more in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth to build an 8-0 lead.

In the sixth inning, Sterritt led off with a solo home run for Bolton’s lone run of the game.

For the second straight game, the Brewers were held to five hits. Sterritt added a single to his homer, Chater doubled, and Mike Wallace and Carter Burnside contributed singles.

Nicholson paced the Knights offence with two doubles. Carson Lightheart had a double and a single, Roy doubled, Tanner Zeggil and Dale Lightheart singled, while Norrie and Greer each collected two singles.

Greiveson went the distance for New Lowell, allowing one run on five hits over seven innings while striking out seven.

Bolton starter Matteo Stothers pitched six innings, allowing eight runs on 11 hits. He walked six batters, hit one and struck out three.

For his outstanding defensive play and timely hitting throughout the playoffs, Nicholson was named playoff most valuable player and received the Paul Carruthers Memorial Award from former league executive Sean Hayward.

During the post-game presentation, league secretary and series convenor Scott Anderson presented the Strother Cup to Chris Rettie, Dale Lightheart and coach Pete Kinghan.

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