Arthur Kowara blast puts Kitchener on top

KITCHENER - An Arthur Kowara no doubter to dead centre was the difference, as the Kitchener Panthers opened the 2025 regular season with a 6-5 win in Toronto.

Kowara's solo homer came in the eighth inning of what was a back-and-forth affair between the two teams.

It was 4-2 Toronto when Kitchener scored three runs in the sixth to take the lead. Toronto tied it in the bottom of the inning.

Kowara, Yosvani Penalver and Yunior Ibarra finished the game with two hits each. Trent Lawson went three-for-four.

On the mound, Andy Vargas struck out five in three innings of work, before Yadian Martinez took over and also fanned five in five innings to pick up the win. 

Fellow import Yankiel Mauris struck out two in a perfect ninth to pick up the save.

"What the team showed, in terms of their fight, it's consistent with what they've done during the preseason," said field manager Pete Kiefer.

"Even in games that didn't matter, I always saw that characteristic in this team. These guys like to battle to the very end, they don't give up, no matter what the score is, they always battle, and that's going to take us a long ways.

"If we can clean up some of the little mistakes that we're still making, this season, we're going to be a very competitive team."

There was extra attention on the game, as Ayami Sato started for the Leafs, becoming the first female to play in the Intercounty Baseball League. 

She went two innings of perfect baseball, and got a strikeout.

Kitchener will host Chatham for a School Day exhibition game on Thursday, before playing a home-and-home with the Barnstormers on the weekend. First, a trip to Fergie Jenkins Field on Saturday.

Then, the Panthers open the home portion of its 2025 schedule Sunday against Chatham at 2 p.m.