RHP 13U Select Cap Off Their Dream Season As Provincial Finalist 

After an undefeated season and newly crowned champions of the YSBA, the Richmond Hill Phoenix found themselves in Waterdown with a well-earned spot in the OBA Playoffs.

It was clear from the start that every game would be hotly contested. The Sault Ste Marie Black Sox put all their strengths on full display against RHP. The Sox took the early lead and never looked back with a 9-4 victory over the Phoenix.

Now playing every game knowing their next loss will mean the end to a dream season, the Phoenix had to reset immediately as the 2nd game started just an hour and a half later against the highly motivated host team, the Waterdown Wolves. Both teams were playing for survival, and it showed in this tight scoring game. Phoenix pitching managed to hold the lead, preserving a 6-5 win to conclude Friday play.

The only storyline missing from the 2024 season was a come from behind win. Saturday’s first game against Leaside was an emotional roller coaster as the RHP built an early 6-0 lead only to have Leaside claw back and take the lead 9-7 going into the last inning. RHP dug deep and found their groove at the plate scoring 3 runs. Grayson P. led the RBI parade and Michael J. shut down Leaside in the bottom of the final inning for a 10-9 victory.

With more rest between the 2 Saturday games, the Phoenix looked and played refreshed on offence and defence, earning a 12-2 win over Whitby.

Sunday’s path to the finals would involve 2 wins to get there. And to add to the challenge, the injuries began to pile up. The first opponent was the undefeated London West. RHP got off to a great start and held a 7 run lead that slowly whittled away. A truly gutsy and emotional performance as the team lost their captain/starting pitcher JP H. to a head injury that sent him to hospital. Another check in the win column for RHP as they downed London West 11-9.

It was a high-scoring, see-saw battle versus Burlington in game #2 for both teams as London West drew a bye to the finals. Once again, last inning heroics at the plate tallied 6 runs to seal the win 14-11 and onto the OBA Playoff Finals game.

With 5 injured players, beating a well-rested London West proved elusive in the final game. However, the moral victory was immense for the Richmond Hill Phoenix as they fought to the very end with 9 hours of scorching sun beating down on their battered and bruised bodies.
Congratulations to the Phoenix on a brilliantly played year!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 10U AA "Champions at RH Phoenix Tournament" (2024) 

Congratulations to the players and coaches for their championship at their home, Richmond Hill Phoenix Tournaments. They went again undefeated and going beyond that, all games W by mercy. 🏆 

This is their third championship of the 2024 season. All their hard work and dedication continue to pay off 💪🏼 

It was a 16-team tournament. In the round robin, they defeated Pickering Red Sox (12-1), Aurora King Jays (11-2), and Stouffville Yankees (12-2). All great games versus great opponents. In the quarter finals, they faced a great team Niagara Falls Falcons, but kids were on fired, and they won (14-5). In the semi-finals, they faced another great team, Mississauga Majors, but again, kids were very focused, and they won (14-4). The championship game was versus the other undefeated team, a strong team Northumberland Jacks, great two teams made to the championship game, but the Phoenix boys had one thing in mind, they wanted all, the bats were on fire and the defense was solid. It was a fantastic game that our boys won (12-1). 

Again, congratulations boys, let's keep working with the same dedication and effort. This is not over yet. Now, let's continue to prepare for the next one, the OBAs. With top-notch baseball staff, we have fun working hard.

Players: #0 Idris Andrade, #1 Aditya Shah, #3 Nathan Ye, #8 Leo Veltri, #9 Max Van Der Valk, #13 Ethan Cho, #26 Ken Nieri-Horiuchi, #27 Nathan Paau, #45 Nathan Dekker, #87 Reid Berwick, #99 Evan Santilli

Coaches: #10 Kaz Nieri-Horiuchi, #15 Frank Veltri, #19 Gianni Nieri, #95 Joe Van Der Valk 

Thank you to our eleven families for helping to host the tournament and for all the hard work you did. Your support is always much appreciated. You are our MVPs. 👏🏻 

Thank you to all relatives and friends who came to watch all the games and those that were around the world following the games via GameChanger. And to those fans in GC that we don't know (well, we have an idea) but are always curious about our team, all contribute 🤣👍🏻 

Also, thank you to our club @rhphoenixbc for all the support. We defended our home! 💪🏼 

And finally, but not the least, thank you to our proud sponsors. 

It is a team effort! 💪🏼⚾️👍🏻 

Let's go Phoenix!!!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 10U AA "Champions at Barrie Baycats Tournament" (2024)

Congratulations to the players and coaches for their championship at Barrie 🏆, they went undefeated in the tournament.

Back to back champions. All hard work and dedication are paying off 💪🏼.

It was a fantastic weekend for the boys. They played well and hard the round robin games that secured the first position in their group. They defeated Waterdown Wolves (12-5), Brampton Royals (8-4) and Barrie Baycats (14-5). All great games versus great opponents.

In the semi finals they played TNT Thunder, the bats were hot and they won the game (17-8). The boys made to the finals and they were thinking only in one thing, "we want the 'ship", in the finals they played versus Barrie Baycats, it was a great game, the boys played well and hard, and they won the game (12-2), all and every single player contributed to winning the tournament.

Again, congratulations boys, we are sure you will keep working hard to keep improving and to keep having fun playing the sport you love. With top-notch baseball staff, we have fun working hard.

Players: #0 Idris Andrade, #1 Aditya Shah, #3 Nathan Ye, #8 Leo Veltri, #9 Max Van Der Valk, #13 Ethan Cho, #26 Ken Nieri-Horiuchi, #27 Nathan Paau, #45 Nathan Dekker, #87 Reid Berwick, #99 Evan Santilli

Coaches: #10 Kaz Nieri-Horiuchi, #15 Frank Veltri, #19 Gianni Nieri, #95 Joe Van Der Valk

As always thank you to our eleven families who are always ready to help with anything that is needed and to support all and each player. Thank you as well to all the relatives that were there to support the team, you presence was also important and helped the kids in this championship.

And finally but not the least, thank you to our proud sponsors.

It is a team effort!

Let's go Phoenix!!!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 10U AA "Finalists at Seaway Surge Shootout Tournament" (2024)

Their first tournament of the season and the RHP 10U AA team were finalists at the Seaway Surge Shootout Tournament on May 24-26, 2024. Congratulations!

Players: #0 Idris Andrade, #1 Aditya Shah, #3 Nathan Ye, #8 Leo Veltri, #9 Max Van Der Valk, #13 Ethan Cho, #26 Ken Nieri-Horiuchi, #27 Nathan Paau, #45 Nathan Dekker, #87 Reid Berwick, #99 Evan Santilli

Coaches: #10 Kaz Nieri-Horiuchi, #15 Frank Veltri, #19 Gianni Nieri, #95 Joe Van Der Valk

All hard work and dedication are starting to pay off 💪🏼.

The team played good and was undefeated until the championship game. They faced a strong Cambridge Cubs team and lost 12-3 game.

Players, coaches, and all families had an awesome weekend.

They thank to their proud sponsors: Osborne Landscaping Ltd, TACC Construction Ltd, ArtSoft Expo Solutions, Classic Fire Life Safety.

Let's go Phoenix!!!

Richmond Hill 13U Select Team Wins Brampton Tournament

Congratulations to the Richmond Hill Phoenix 13U Select Team on winning the BMBI 13U Select Tournament 2024 on May 24-26.

The tourney started on a positive note with a matchup against the Bradford Tigers at 8:30 pm Friday night. Jeffrey Z. took to the mound and performed brilliantly as he kept the Tigers off-balance inning after inning with Evan S. held ground behind home plate providing a great pitch location. Playing under the ballpark lights added a bit of challenge on pop-ups. Offensively, RHP weren't firing on all cylinders, but multiple hitters supplied plenty of support along with team speed on the bases to walk away with a 10-3 victory.

It was clear that the biggest challenge would be game 2 10:00am Saturday morning against Mississauga North Tigers due to short sleep. Phoenix scored 4 runs to start the game, but it wasn’t last long for Tigers to tie it up bottom of inning. Rain started falling, RHP pitchers battled to control a very wet and muddy ball and the baseball wasn't getting any grippier for Phoenix before the game was suspended due to thunder rolling in at the top of the 3rd inning, down 8-4. This game was postponed to 8:00pm.

In game 3 on Saturday evening, it appeared as though the team was refreshed after a long break between games as the offence was plentiful and the pitching had Royal York Cardinal Girls bats under control for most of the game with a combination of Tyson C., Kingsley H., Eric P., and Alison C. sharing duties on the mound for 14-3 win.

Game 2 resume right after game 3, down 8-4, top of the 3rd, 1 out, bases empty. Phoenix continued their hot hitting from last game, plus the weather was no longer a factor and Phoenix hurlers allowed only 1 run for the remainder of the evening. Clutch hitting by the team earned a 9-9 tie late leaving a showdown of power vs power - Tigers’ big bats vs the gladiator arm of Michael J.  A dominating closeout to this game firing only 6 pitches strike to record 2Ks and preserve the tie 9-9. Team finished #3 seed and advanced to the semi-finals.

In the Semis on Sunday morning against home team Brampton Royals 13U Select, another early morning after another late-night game. Now the RHP are running on adrenaline. Even the parents were feeling the fatigue of very long days and commutes. Pitching was strong on both sides early in the game. JP H. showed good pitch command for 4 and 1/3rd innings on 58 pitches, while reliever Tyson C. needed 18 pitches through 1 and 2/3rd innings to close out the game. Showing patience with the Royals quality pitching, RHP bats came alive to build a big lead. Brampton was still showing fight offensively until Jonathan C. made a spectacular sliding basket catch in shallow left field to neutralize any threat of a comeback.  Final score 12-3 and we head to Finals for the first time, Woohoo!

After an hour break, the Finals was showtime rematch against Mississauga North Tigers. With no time limit and 7 inning Finals, game was settled after 2 hours and 40 minutes. RHP hitting just kept getting hotter with the rising temperatures, scoring runs in every inning. Grayson P. and Evan S. were out to prove that they were better than the rain-soaked performance a day earlier, tamed the Tiger bats enough for 5 and ⅓ innings while Michael J. closed another game with 16-7 victory for the Richmond Hill Phoenix – the Champions of 2024 BMBI 13U Select Tournament.

To celebrate, the team did not need a water cooler dunk, they were happily drenching themselves and Head Coach Benson Hsu in the Sesqui Centennial Park’s splash pad!

Richmond Hill 9U AA Silver Medalists at the Corbett Cubs Classic

Four straight losses … Three losses to begin the 2024 regular baseball season, and a first game loss at the first tournament of the year had the Richmond Hill Phoenix REP 9U AA team feeling a little down and looking for answers. We thought we were better, but the results weren’t there.

The 13 players all aged 8 or 9 years of age (all born in 2015) came together and did something after a disheartening 10-0 loss to open the Corbett Cubs Classic tournament. At dinner, in a restaurant, the players came together put their heads together and discussed, collaborated, and considered a new batting lineup. The 13 players had put together a batting lineup and presented it for consideration to the coaches of the 9U AA team. I spoke to the other coaches, gave it some thought, and in the end, the coaching staff decided that this was a show of great team bonding, and it might work to turn the fortunes of the team’s non-winning ways. Nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

Well... the results speak for themselves. The 9U AA team won the next game 18-8, then the next game 18-3, and made it to the semi-finals. The Richmond Hill Phoenix team won the semi-finals 10-8 versus a strong Leaside Leafs 9U AA. We had made it to the Finals!

Sparked by a player made batting lineup, and possibly my superstition to not change out of our practice shirts until we lost (probably not the reason), we were headed to the Finals almost 12 hours after waking up.

In the Finals, we were up 1-0 after three complete and 4-2 after 4 innings of play. Both teams played extremely strong defense and runs were at a premium. The President of the Cambridge Cubs called it, “one of the best games at this age that I have ever watched.”

The Richmond Hill Phoenix 9U AA team ultimately lost to the Oakville A’s 9U AA team. But there were so many wins this past weekend for our kids. The team won games, made stronger bonds with one another, and cheered louder than any other team. The team won games as a team, and lost games as a team. It’s not always about winning the game, the team wins at this age are just as important. Coach John

Richmond Hill 11U Select Team are Finalists in 2023 Clarington Classic

Congratulations to the Richmond Hill Phoenix 11U Select team on finishing as Finalists in the 2023 Clarington Classic on July 23rd.

The team went undefeated in Division play to secure a spot in the Semi Finals. This was the 3rd consecutive Semi Finals for this team, a huge accomplishment on its own! But on Sunday, July 23rd, this team would not be denied the chance to compete in the Finals. They defeated a very good team from Burlington to secure their spot in the Finals.

Time of the big championship game, battle of the two undefeated teams in the Tournament. We were up against a very tough Agincourt team. It was 5-4 going into the bottom of the 3rd, but the Agincourt team pulled away with the win. Very proud of the team on how they competed this weekend and throughout the season. The team keeps on getting better with every practice, every game.

A big shout out and thanks to all the coaches (Swapnesh, Mark, Stephen, Angelo and Michael), team manager (Debbie), trainer (Susan) and our scorekeeping guru (Wilson) for all your hard work. A special thanks to our parents for all your support and dedication throughout the season.

GO PHOENIX!

 Richmond Hill Phoenix 18U Rep A Team finalists at the Kincardine Minor Baseball Association tournament

Congratulations to our Richmond Hill Phoenix 18U Rep A Team on finishing as finalists at the Kincardine Minor Baseball Association tournament on June 9-11. Great weekend of baseball for the players, coaches and their families.

2022/2023 Release information for Rep and Select

Hello Richmond Hill Phoenix players and parents,

The 2022 season is complete and plans for the 2023 Rep and Select teams are underway. The 2023 coaches have been selected, the try-out dates and locations will be scheduled by division and posted on the respective Rep or Select portals on the website. The names and contact information of the coaches will also be available should you wish to contact them directly.

Select Program:
The Select program is an extension of the Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club's House League program. It is competitive baseball for skilled players requiring some travel. Tryouts are required and take place after the Rep tryouts in September and early October. Selected players will practice with their teams during the winter, in preparation for the upcoming summer season. Select players do not play in the house league division and releases are not required to play Select. Should a Select player wish to move to a Rep team, a release may be required.

Any questions regarding the Select program can be sent to : dnepton@yahoo.com

Rep Program:
The REP program consists of teams that represent Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball and play in highly competitive games against teams in the York Simcoe Baseball Association (YSBA) and Inter-Lock games with the Toronto Baseball Association (TBA) and Eastern Ontario Baseball Association (EOBA). There is a high level of commitment required as teams play in league games as well as weekend tournaments. Travel to and from other cities for games and tournaments is a requirement. For further information on tryouts, please contact the respective coaches. Tryouts take place each year in early September to mid-October. Teams practice during the winter in preparation for the following summer season.

The open tryout period (12U and above only) will commence from the day after the Labour Day holiday to October 31st. During this period ONLY, any 12U player or above, who resides within the boundaries of the YSBA may try out for any other York Simcoe Baseball Association (YSBA) club without a release. Players who wish to tryout for teams outside of the YSBA must have a release from both their local association and the YSBA. After October 31st, any player who resides outside a Club’s boundaries, MUST have the proper releases before he/she will be allowed to participate in any workouts or tryouts whether or not they take place in a gym or any other facility where it can be recognized as a team work out.

The free tryout period does not apply to 11U players or below, in accordance with the YSBA rules governing Player transfers and releases. If no Rep team exists for a specific division, or a player is “cut” from a team, the Player may then appeal to the RHPBC Executive for a release which would allow them to tryout and potentially play for another team in the YSBA.

Any non Richmond Hill residents, 11U or below, must have releases before they will be allowed to tryout in Richmond Hill. If a player is coming from outside the YSBA, they must also have an Affiliate release before they can step onto the field. Any coach caught allowing non-resident players on the field without the proper paperwork may be subject to suspension and/or removal.

Any questions regarding the Rep program can be sent to : vinman@sympatico.ca

Written release requests as per RHPBC’s policy, must be mailed to:

Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club
P.O. Box 31372
Bayview 16th Avenue PO
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 0V7
Att: Release Committee

Release requests can be E-mailed for consideration up to September 30. A text message requests will not qualify as a request.

All releases received will be brought to the next immediate business meeting of the Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club (the first Tuesday of each month) for review and action. Please refer to the Rep Release form on the Rep page of the website.

See you in 2023!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 9U A Team Finishes 1st in the 2022 YSBA Regular Season and are 2022 YSBA Playoff Finalists

Congratulations to our Richmond Hill Phoenix 9U A Team who tied for 1st in YSBA League play, finishing with a record of 12-4! This is an amazing result for this first-year team!

In YSBA Playoff action, Richmond Hill went undefeated into finals and but unfortunately fell runner-up to Markham.

The great news is that the team advances to the OBA Championships over the Labour Day weekend. We wish the players: Adam P, Adrian T, Aidan Y, Berton M, Hudson K, Jonah R, Justin D, Klayton L, Mateo D, Rachel Y and Zachary A, the best of luck in their pursuit of becoming OBA champs.

Our season’s success comes in no small part to all the parents and extended family members, and sponsors (William Hon Exp Realty, Lexus of Richmond Hill, Seba-Med, Markham District Energy and SportsChek) for their amazing support and the coaching staff for all their dedication and time: Addison L, Eddy Y, Farrah R, Helen A, Kelvin Y, Lincoln K and Steve P.

GO PHOENIX GO!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 9U A Team are Finalists in 2022 Muskoka Cup

Congratulations to the Richmond Hill Phoenix 9U A Team finishing as finalists in the 2022 Muskoka Cup in July.

Richmond Hill, went undefeated in division play and kept rolling through to the finals where they played a tough Thornhill team. The Championship game provided an excellent match-up as the two teams required double extra innings to decide a winner.

The Muskoka experience provided this first year team with a great opportunity to bond and build their relationships…enjoying a team BBQ, swimming, fishing, and other activities during their stay.

A big shout out to all of our team members: Adam P, Adrian T, Aidan Y, Berton M, Hudson K, Jonah R, Justin D, Klayton L, Mateo D, Rachel Y and Zachary A. And a big THANK YOU to all the parents and sponsors (William Hon Exp Realty, Lexus of Richmond Hill, Seba-Med, Markham District Energy and SportsChek) for their support and also the coaching and admin staff for all their hard work: Addison L, Eddy Y, Farrah R, Helen A, Kelvin Y, Lincoln K and Steve P.

GO PHOENIX!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 11U Rep AA finalists at 2022 Richmond Hill Tournament

Congratulations to our Richmond Hill Phoenix 11U AA Team on finishing as finalists in our Richmond Hill Tournament this past June 2022.

The event was loaded with excitement. Foot Locker was on site as a sponsor offering skills competitions for the players, a shoe and bat shine station, music, and plenty of treats.

Our Richmond Hill Phoenix opened up the tournament with an exciting first game against the Royal York Cardinals. It was back to back all game long, but the Phoenix pulled off the victory with a final score of 9-8 to win the first game of the tournament on Friday night.

Back at it for Game 2 on Saturday morning, Richmond Hill went up against the Mississauga Twins scoring another 9 runs to win the second game of the tournament 9-5.

Then it was time for Game 3 vs the Oshawa Legionnaires. It was a close battle all game long, but Oshawa pulled off the 4-3 win to hand Richmond Hill their first loss of the tourney.

Finishing with a 2-1 record in the round robin, it was moments of pins and needles for our Phoenix while waiting in anticipation to find out if we were moving on to the semis.

After a few minutes (which seemed like hours) Richmond Hill was informed that we finished 1st overall in the group and we'd be moving on to Sunday. The players exploded in excitement, it was a very genuine moment for our 11U AA squad!

Full of energy playing in our home tournament, the Phoenix came ready to play opening the semi final game up with a 4-0 lead. Never looking back, the final score was 10-7, and the Phoenix were moving on to the finals.

Time for the big championship game, up against a tough Markham Mariners squad, it was a 3-3 tie going into the 5th, but the Mariners ended up pulling away to win the championship finishing as the top team on the weekend.

All in all, it was an incredibly successful tournament all around for everyone involved, and we couldn't be more proud of our 11U AA Team for finishing 2nd overall on the weekend.

We thank all the Teams who participated in this year's event. If you thought this one was good, make sure to join us again next year because we're already planning to take it to another level. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!

Super proud of our 11U AA Team, way to go Phoenix!!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 16U Rep AA win 2022 Kanata Cubs Classic Tournament

Congratulations to the Richmond Hill Phoenix 16U Rep AA team on winning the 2022 Kanata Cubs
Classic Tournament on June 3-5.

The boys played focused and disciplined baseball, leading to their final game, where they
earned the title of tournament champions over East York, in an exciting and well played final!

Thanks so much to the Kanata Association, the volunteers, the managers, the officials, and
fellow competitors. Special thanks to parents, families and friends who have encouraged the
team along the way and during the tournament. Special thanks to the coaches for their training
and support that have brought us to this point as a team! What a weekend!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 16U Rep A win Richmond Hill Tournament in 2022

Congratulations to the Richmond Hill Phoenix 16U Rep A team on winning their first tournament of the 2022 season on May 27-29 at home.  Surprisingly, with all the success this team has had in past years, this was their first tournament win!

In Game 1 on Friday evening, the team played Scarborough Stingers.  They were losing 3-1 when play was suspended due to heavy rain, but they continued the rest of the game Sat morning only to lose 3-2.

In Game 2 on Saturday afternoon, the team bats came alive and they beat Kingsville Knights 18-1.  

In Game 3 on Saturday evening, the team played Peterborough Tigers.  In this game Phoenix were down by 3 runs going into the last inning, when the offensive exploded for 12 runs, taking the game 15-6.  This come-from-behind win, combined with the lowest runs against/defensive innings total in their pool, broke a 3-way tie which secured first place.

In the Semis on Sunday morning, the team played Vaughan Vikings and controlled the game from start to finish, winning convincingly 12-3.

The Finals which took place on Sunday afternoon, was rematch against Scarborough Stingers.  The team came out of the gates smashing, scoring 8 runs in the bottom of the first inning to eventually mercy them 12-2!

This year marked the return of the Richmond Phoenix Tournaments since 2019 and after a disappointing first game loss, the Phoenix 16U Rep A team remained focused and won the next 4 games to take the title of Champions.

Special thanks goes out to all the Phoenix 16U Rep A families!  Hosting this tournament for the first time was not easy with the extreme rain on Friday and early mornings and long days on Saturday and Sunday.  The families were committed to making this tournament a success and ensured it ran smoothly, from the beginning to end.  

Congrats to Sabino B. (#77), Owen Y. (#27), Brendan G. (#11), Adrian P. (#20), Niyan G. (#44), Leo H (#7), Sebastian G. (#00), Ethan W. (#16), Arya S. (#13), Miles R. (#5), Dougie L (#12), Thomas M. (#24) and the entire team staff on a fantastic weekend of baseball.

Richmond Hill Phoenix 12U Rep A are the 2021 YSBA Finalists

Congratulations to our 12U Rep A team, 2021 YSBA Finalists!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 10U Rep A are the 2021 YSBA Finalists

Congratulations to our 10U Rep A team, 2021 YSBA Finalists!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 16U Rep A are the 2021 YSBA Finalists

Congratulations to our 16U Rep A team, 2021 YSBA Finalists!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 13U Rep A are the 2021 YSBA Champions

Congratulations to our 13U Rep A team that won the 2021 YSBA Championship!

The top 6 of 10 teams in our loop participated in the 13U YSBA double-elimination tournament in which Richmond Hill Phoenix was the number 1 seed.

The YSBAs was hosted by Stouffville over the Labour Day long weekend this year, and the Richmond Hill Phoenix games were:

Game 1: Friday Sept. 3: Richmond Hill Phoenix defeated Aurora-King Jays by a score of: 15 – 0

Carson Wong, one of our ace pitchers, shut down Aurora-King Jays, throwing a complete game shutout! Our defense was spot on as we gunned down Aurora-King Jays runners trying to steal second, third, and home.

Game 2: Saturday Sept. 4: Richmond Hill Phoenix defeated Barrie Baycats by a score of: 10 – 3

Barrie had a good start testing our defense early, as our bats were silent for the first two innings. However, once our bats came alive, our team never looked back as we tore through the bases racking up runs. Lights-outs pitching by Blair Eminovski neutralized Barrie’s offense by going the distance of 5 and a third innings.

Game 3: Sunday Sept. 5: Richmond Hill Phoenix defeated Muskoka Hornets by a score of: 9 – 5

Muskoka won all three of their games the previous day to reach the finals on Sunday. However, they were ill-prepared to face our strong starter Joshua Wen and a flawless relief performance by Evan Panetta on the mound. Our batters chipped away the competition and produced runs in almost every inning.

Players: #2 Joshua Wen, # 5 Aidan Ng, #11 Blair Eminovski, #16 Ethan Cheung, #18 Carson Wong, #23 Christian Rovito, #24 Noah Franzone, #26 Sebastian Rovito, #29 Aaron Duck, #30 Stephen Koukoulidis, #34 Evan Panetta, #42 Ilya Hanarah

It was a short but sweet season where the boys amazed us coaches and parents with their talents as individuals and as a team. The team had an impressive regular season and post-season record of 13-1.

Head Coach: #3 Dominic Wen, Assistant Coaches: #22 Sammy Eminovski, #36 Ray Cheung, #76 Ted Koukoulidis, Manager: #17 Ruby Wong

The coaching staff could not be more proud of these 12 boys. We’re looking forward to moving up to AA next season!

Richmond Hill Phoenix 13U Select Green are the 2021 YSBA Consolation Champions

Congratulations to our 13U Select Green team for being the 2021 YSBA Consolation Champions.

As the number one seed, they took full advantage of being the home team in game 1 of the semi-final, scoring 5 runs in the bottom of the last to deliver the 7-4 win vs. Vaughan D. Game 2 was another come from behind victory scoring 4 in the top of the last and only giving up 1 in the bottom. The 7-5 victory and the sweep in two games was sealed by a great running catch towards the left field foul line by the SS.

Green happily trekked up to Midland for the final series vs. Vaughan E.

Game 1 was a pitcher's duel on a cool night by a picturesque lake. Vaughan's starter was on fire and threw a no-hitter. Green's starter matched him and also shutout Vaughan.

Green played great defence. Key plays were a pitcher pickoff in the 1st to deter the running game, a strong throw from 1st for a key force out at third and a running catch in center field.

A great 8-pitch at bat from Green exhausted Vaughan's starter's pitches, starting the battle of the bullpens. In extra innings, Vaughan was held to 1 run. After a double steal, Green cashed in with a sac fly to tie the game and relieve the pressure. Green's walk-off hero did it again, next driving home the winning run to finish off the amazing, memorable 2-1 win.

As the morning of game 2 warmed, the bats came to life. Each scored 2 in the 1st. The seesaw battle continued but Green slowly opened up an 8-4 lead, not quite being able to break it open despite some chances. Green's closer returned. In a nail-biter, Vaughan closed to 8-6, runner on 2nd and the tying run at the plate. The sorrow of a single to left quickly turned to joy as Green's left fielder threw the runner out at the plate for a spectacular finish to win the championship.

So proud of this group who were able to progress from 2019's South Division title but playoff struggles, through a pandemic, growing during the season and achieving playoff success. Looking forward to continue to develop this great group of boys.

Keep your eyes on Aaron A, Alvin C, Brandon K, Eric Y, Ethan W, Jake C, Justin N, Kaeden M, Karam R, Nathan G, Noah A, Owen V, Sebastian C and Xander B.

Thanks to all the parents for your support and the staff for all your hard work: David A, Glen G, Joe C, Karson N, Asif M and Zahra B.

Richmond Hill Phoenix 22U Rep are the 2021 YSBA Champions 

Congratulations to our 22U Rep team, they had a small season but it ended up be a big one for them!

4 teams participated in the 22U YSBA Playoffs, it was a double knockout format:
- Georgina Bulldogs
- Markham Mariners
- Thornhill Reds
- Richmond Hill Phoenix

Games were played in 4 locations Georgina, Markham, Thornhill and Richmond Hill.

The Richmond Hill Phoenix games were:
- Game 1, Aug 11th @ Richmond Hill: Georgina Bulldogs vs Richmond Hill Phoenix, win for us 16-8.
- Game 2, Aug 13th @ Georgina: Thornhill Reds vs Richmond Hill Phoenix, win for us 5-4, game was fought every inning, with this win we got the Bye to the final game as the undefeated team.
- Game 3, Aug 14th @ Markham: Thornhill Reds vs Richmond Hill Phoenix, unfortunately we lost the game 8-2, Thornhill Reds forced the IF NECESSARY game, it seems the boys didn't want to win on a Saturday.
- Game 4, Aug 15th @ Thornhill: Thornhill Reds vs Richmond Hill Phoenix, the battle of the Hill, our team performed very well, the best game they played and the most important one, the defense was amazing and the bats were hot, we won the game 12-2 in 6 innings, where in the last inning we score 3 runs to win the game by mercy.

It was a fantastic mini season for the big boys, with a record of 7-3-0. Great effort of 17 players and only one coach.

Players: #2 Robbie Blackburn, #3 Daniel Wong, #5 Robert Cserveny, #6 Andrew Ouellette, #10 Kazuo Nieri-Horiuchi, #11 Jayden Rai, #12 Joseph Gervasi, #13 Kian Alipanah, #15 Ben Wong, #16 Jake Nuernberger, #17 Jordan Birfir, #20 Eric Loeng, #21 Kyle Gillies, #24 Adrian Russo, #27 Arjun Aujla, #34 Aaron Preiano, #35 Ethan Seymour

Coach: #19 Gianni Nieri

Thank you boys for a good season and for making this coach very proud and very happy!

 Richmond Hill Phoenix Roadmap to Reopen

To the Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Community:

Yesterday afternoon, the Ontario government released its Roadmap to Reopen.   While beginning May 22^nd, the Province of Ontario will re-open many outdoor recreational amenities, the province will remain in a stay-at-home order at this time. While the City of Richmond Hill will reopen the baseball diamonds as of May 22, it will be for individual use only. Team sports cannot be practiced or played.

We have been advised that the City will not be issuing permits for any outdoor recreational amenities until June 14^th or later at which point the Province is poised to enter Step 1 of its Roadmap to Reopen.   Once in Step 1, outdoor sports can resume for training purposes only and in groups of 10 or less.

With the hope of offering some level of baseball to our Registrants starting mid-June, the Board will be working on a plan to allow us to offer training programs while we are in Step 1. Adjustments to league play while in Step 2 will be coming soon once we hear from our governing bodies regarding what Return to Play protocols would look like for all 3 Steps in the new framework. Please continue to check our website and social media accounts for future communications.

The health and safety of our Baseball community remains our top priority and RHPBC will continue to comply with the regulations outlined by the City of Richmond Hill, York Region Public Health in collaboration with provincial and national health agencies.

 Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club and Canadian Tire Jumpstart

We are pleased to announce that Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club has been selected by Canadian Tire Jumpstart to receive a grant from its Sport Relief Fund.

Thank you Jumpstart for your support!

 Phoenix Minor Midget 16U Team Finishes Top 4 in Ontario at OBA Provincials!

It was an an in Kitchener, ON with the Top 12 Teams in Ontario representing 16U Minor Midget A!

Phoenix Minor Midget Team was undefeated heading into Saturday evening against very strong competition and beating Teams earlier in the Tournament from Hamilton, Ottawa and Orillia.

The team came up short on the Sunday of the OBA Provincials and losing in the Semi-Finals.

Halton Hills Eagles who had beaten Phoenix earlier went on to win the OBA Provincial Championship.

It was an AMAZING Baseball Year and the ‘Journey To Become Provincial Champions’ came up a little short.

CONGRATULATIONS to the following Players and Coaches for a TERRIFIC achievement and incredible 2019 Season!

PLAYERS
Sam Charlton - # 2, Conner Durocher - #20, Sam Edmands - #34, Alex Mascioli - #17, Hayden McCartney - #4, Khyle Moledina - #10, Mark Petruk - #77, Justin Philip - #5, Justyn Rajadurai - #9, Andrew Schleicher - #11, Connor Snelgrove - #8, Ryan Stewart - #14

COACHES
Joel Durocher, Jerrold Potter, Charles Snelgrove, Sal Moledina

 Richmond Hill Phoenix 15U Rep Team Wins Provincial Championships

The Richmond Hill Phoenix 15U Rep Team brought home a 2019 provincial championship thanks to their efforts in Guelph over the Labour Day Weekend. Competing within a 12-team field for the title, the Phoenix were able to deliver five high-quality wins against the top teams in Ontario (including London West, Cambridge, Sarnia and LaSalle), finishing with a 3-2 win in the championship game against the talented LaSalle Titans. With a solid combination of pitching, defense, hitting, and base running, the Phoenix went 5-0 in the tournament (building on their 5-1 record in the YSBA's). All told, the team won 10 of their last 11 games against the top competition in York-Simcoe, and impressively, across Ontario. With the provincial championship win, every member of the Phoenix received Baseball Ontario provincial championship rings and New Era championship hats.

The provincial championship was the culmination of a special season for the 15U Phoenix. With an overall seasonal record of 31-7-2, the team finished first in YSBA league play with a 14-2-1 record, and they were also able to win the YSBA Playdown Tournament on the August 9th – 11th weekend, earning the only YSBA spot for the provincial tournament championship. It was the second consecutive YSBA regular season title and playdown tournament championship for the team.

Congratulations are extended to all the players, coaches and families for their impressive accomplishment and season. Most importantly, the 15U Phoenix received praise throughout the season from their opponents for competing hard, but always cleanly. Sportsmanship and respect were the prevailing traits most often mentioned.

Congratulations to Adrian (#5), Jake (#7), Jaden (#18), Ryan (#36), Alex (#14), Cayden (#16), Colm (#8), Ross (#2), Sohum (#10), Sajjan (#6), Nate (#42) and Junhee (#21). Special thanks to coaches Chris, John, Mark, and Sean. Heartfelt appreciation is also extended to Team Manager, Lisa.

 Phoenix Minor Midget 16u Team Wins The 2019 YSBA Playdown Qualifier, Heading To OBA Provincials In Kitchener On Labour Day Weekend

It was an incredible weekend of YSBA Playoff Baseball hosted by Vaughan Baseball Association. There were several thrilling Baseball Games for the Players, Coaches and any of the Parents/Families/Friends, etc. that attended and watched the Games!

Game #1
On Friday Night, Phoenix had to really battle to beat the Barrie Baycats Team 3-2. Phoenix played solid defensively and Barrie would not go away, but Phoenix prevailed.

Game #2
Phoenix played an incredible Saturday Game in the afternoon against a fantastic Orillia Royals Team! Phoenix won 3-2 with a Walk-Off Win in ‘Extra Innings’ in the Bottom of the 8th Inning!

Game #3
Phoenix then beat a very tough Markham Mariners Team 16-14 on Saturday evening, in an emotional and thrilling roller-coaster game that once again went to ‘Extra Innings’ and Phoenix prevailed in 8 innings!

Game #4
Phoenix closed out an UNDEFEATED YSBA Playoff Qualifier Weekend by soundly beating Orangeville Bengals 13-1 to officially clinch the YSBA #1.

It was just an incredible weekend of Baseball for our Phoenix Team to go UNDEFEATED with 4 Wins and 0 Losses!

Back in the Fall (October 2018), each of the Players and Team Coaches set a TEAM GOAL: WIN THE 2019 YSBA QUALIFIER AND REACH THE PROVINCIAL OBA TOURNAMENT. Hard work persistence perseverance paid off and our team was rewarded in achieving this goal.

The Top 12 Teams in Ontario for Minor Midget 16U will be represented in the OBAs by the various Baseball Associations.

It will be an exciting and challenging OBA Provincials in Kitchener on Labour Day Weekend with so many terrific Baseball Teams!

CONGRATULATIONS TO PHOENIX MINOR MIDGET 16U 2019 YSBA CHAMPIONS #1 TEAM!

THANK YOU TO ALL THE AMAZING PARENTS, FAMILIES & FRIENDS FOR ALL THE TERRIFIC SUPPORT OF OUR TEAM ALL SEASON LONG!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING PLAYERS & COACHES ON A FANTASTIC ACHIEVEMENT!

PLAYERS
Sam Charlton (#2), Conner Durocher (#20), Sam Edmands (#34), Alex Mascioli (#17), Hayden McCartney (#4), Khyle Moledina (#10), Mark Petruk (#77), Justin Philip (#5), Justyn Rajadurai (#9), Andrew Schleicher (#11), Connor Snelgrove (#8), Ryan Stewart (#14)

COACHES
Joel Durocher (#23), Jerrold Potter (#32), Charles Snelgrove (#27), Sal Moledina (#66)

 Richmond Hill Phoenix 15U Rep Team Wins 2019 YSBA Regular Season Title and YSBA Playdown Tournament: Provincials Next

The Richmond Hill Phoenix 15U Rep Team has had a successful season to date. Finishing first in YSBA league play with a 14-2-1 record, the team was also able to win the YSBA Playdown Tournament on the August 9th – 11th weekend, earning the only YSBA spot for the upcoming 12-team Provincial Tournament Championship. The team played 6 games in 33 hours, finishing with a 5-1 tournament record against strong YSBA competition. This was the second consecutive YSBA regular season title and playdown tournament championship for the team. Kudos are extended to all the players, coaches and families on this team accomplishment. Congratulations to Adrian (#5), Jake (#7), Jaden (#18), Ryan (#36), Alex (#14), Cayden (#16), Colm (#8), Ross (#2), Sohum (#10), Sajjan (#6), Nate (#42) and Junhee (#21), not pictured. Special thanks to coaches Chris, John, Mark, and Sean. Appreciation is also extended to Team Manager, Lisa.

The team now prepares for the Provincial Tournament Championship scheduled for August 30th to September 2nd in Guelph.

 Richmond Hill Phoenix 11U Major Mosquito AA takes Second Place at Ajax Tournament

The Richmond Hill Phoenix 11U Rep AA team finished in second place at the Ajax Mega Tournament on Aug 2-4.

Friday night against local rival Vaughan, the team fell behind 6-0 after three innings. Instead of hanging their heads and welcoming defeat, the boys remained focused and fought back scoring six runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game. Three more runs in the fifth before time expired gave Richmond Hill the first game victory we wanted.

Saturday's first game was versus an under-aged Ajax team. Richmond Hill did not take their opponent lightly and took a commanding 18-0 lead after scoring 13 runs in the second inning. Ajax scored one run in the top of the third but Richmond Hill completed the mercy by plating one run in the bottom of the third inning and were very excited to start the tournament with two wins. Saturday's second game was against TBA rival Leaside. Knowing that a win would guarantee a berth in the semi-finals, Richmond Hill struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning. Leaside chipped away, eventually walking off with a 3-2 victory. After a complex tie-breaking formula, Richmond Hill finished as the third seed and qualified for Sunday play.

Sunday's semi-finals was versus North Toronto. Timely hitting, some good fortune, and lights-out pitching performances by Carson W and Noah F combining for a 2-hit shutout gave Richmond Hill a 3-0 win to give the team its first finals appearance this year.

The championship game was against an undefeated team from Whitby that cruised through round robin play and the semi-finals in dominant fashion . Richmond Hill fought hard after falling behind 9-1 but in the end, time expired with a final score of 9-5.

It's been a challenging season for the team and the tournament was approached with a must win attitude. The success and confidence gained with this second place finish will help as the team enters the YSBA playoffs on Aug 16 - 18 in Markham.

Congratulations to Aaron D (#29), Aidan N (#5), Carson W (#18), Christian R (#23), Ethan C (#16), Evan A (#27), Evan P (#34), Ilya H (#42), Jacob H (#7), Joshua W (#2), Noah F (#24), and Sebastian R (#26). Thanks to the coaches and to all the parents for their continued support.

 Richmond Hill Phoenix Peewee Select Gold Team - Perfect Regular Season and Finalists at YSBAs

 Richmond Hill Phoeinx Rookie Rep A takes Second Place at Chatham Tournament

The Richmond Hill Phoenix Rep Major Rookie (9U) team finished in 2nd place at the Chatham Minor Baseball Association Annual Tournament on July 5-7. It was a tough road to the finals, with no playoffs, only the top team from each division would qualify. Phoenix was in tight on Friday night against Kitchener, yo-yoing back and forth before finishing in a nail-biting 17-17 tie. Saturday morning, Richmond Hill used timely rallies and a few shutdown innings to defeat the hometown team (17-9), Chatham’s only defeat in the tournament. In the late-afternoon the Phoenix bats were on fire against Blenheim ending the game early (25-11). The Phoenix were in a must win situation Sunday afternoon and grabbed a clean win against London (14-5), securing a 3-0-1 record in the round robin. This set up the final against the undefeated team from Dresden. The Phoenix battled and threatened multiple rallies but in the end the Dresden bats were too much (15-5). This was the Major Rookie team’s first finals appearance. Congratulations to Dylan N. (tournament MVP), Ernest C., Deenpal A., Caleb D.F., Owen S., Adrien L., Tylor L., Christian G., Matthew S., Kian N., and Jay T.

 Mosquito Select Green takes Second Place at Southwest London Tournament

In a weekend of extreme hot weather (July 19-21, 2019), the boys of the Mosquito Select Green team went into Southwest London and took Second Place in a 16 team tournament. The tourney started with Phoenix Green taking the first game with a commanding 13-3 win against Ancaster. In the second game, the team had a tough matchup against a well rounded Wyoming team. With the score down 2-1 going into the bottom half of the 7th (last inning), the boys battled to tie the score and earn a much valuable point. The boys then took care of business in the last game with an easy 19-1 win against Lucan-Ilderton. The team's great starting pitching and tight defence in the round robin carried them to a 2 win, 1 tie and no losses record. The Phoenix Green team qualified to the semi-finals by finishing a top its group with 5 points and an impressive 6 runs against in 3 games of round robin play.

The semi-finals was a roller coaster game against the host team Southwest London. The boys in green were rattled after the first inning of play because of the small strike zone given by the umpire. Luckily, the umpire was consistent with the strike zone for both teams and the boys in green quickly adjusted in the second inning and took a commanding 14-2 lead. However, the boys relaxed and in no time the big lead quickly evaporated into a 17-15 lead after 4 innings. Head coach Asif could sense his team started to press and feel the disbelief of losing such a big lead; he urged the team to refocus and play as a team that wanted to go to the finals. The boys then scored 11 unanswered runs in the next inning to put the game away 28-15 and move to the finals.

The finals against North London saw the boys in green lose some stamina with the long roller coaster game in the semis. The team tried to battle each inning but had little luck in their at bats and eventually went on to lose the game 12-2. It concluded a successful and fun tournament for the boys in green, coaches and families. Congratulations to Aaron A., Noah A., Alvin C., Adam C., Benjamin H., Nathan H., Kaeden M., Lucas N., Justin N., Karam R., Owen V., and Eric Y.

 Richard Reid has been chosen as Head Coach of the 2019-2020 Elite team

RICHMOND HILL PHOENIX BASEBALL CLUB is pleased to announce the selection of Richard Reid as the Head Coach of our Elite baseball team for the 2019-2020 season. Richard has been involved in high level baseball coaching and teaching for the past 20 years, following his college years which he attended on a baseball scholarship in the United States.

The Elite Program will include a Fall schedule with games and practices, a Winter indoor program (including scholarship seminars), and a Summer schedule with showcase U.S. tournaments.

With this announcement we are now looking for aspiring baseball players who would like to be part of this Elite team. Tryout forms can be found on our website. Click on the “News” link and then the “Documents” tab. Download the Tryout form and forward it to: richardreidbaseball@gmail.com

 The Stanley Cup is Coming to Richmond Hill

Friday, July 12 at 10 a.m. Richmond Green Park (1300 Elgin Mills Road East) 2019 Stanley Cup Champion and Richmond Hill native, Jordan Binnington from the St. Louis Blues is bringing home the Cup! The rookie netminder was a key to victory earning all 16 of the Blues’ wins en route to their first Stanley Cup. To mark the occasion, he's bringing the Cup to Richmond Green Park to celebrate with fans. Everyone is invited to come out and join the fun. Attendees are encouraged to wear their hockey jerseys to show support.   Visit RichmondHill.ca/StanleyCup to see the route map.

 Peewee Select Gold takes Second Place at Richmond Hill Tournament

Richmond Hill Phoenix Peewee Select Gold finished in 2nd place this past weekend in our Richmond Hill Peewee Select Tournament.  The boys went 3-0 in the round robin beating North York Blues (6-4), Mississauga Majors (8-5) and North Toronto Athletics (7-4).  They beat Markham Mariners 14-2 in the quarter finals and then beat Brampton Royals 10-9 in the semis.  In the finals, they lost to Thornhill Reds 15-5.   This is the second time this year this team were finalists in a tournament!. Congratulations to Owen Y. (MVP-G1), Gregory F. (MVP -G2), Nathan S. (MVP-G3), Sabino B. (MVP-Qtrs), Leo H. (MVP - Semis), Sebastian G. (MVP - Finals), Adrian P., Brendan G., Niyan G., Ethan W., Xavier G. and Nicholas L. on a great tournament!

This year the Richmond Hill Phoenix Baseball Club will honour two high school graduating student-athletes with the RHPBC Scholarship and two grade school students with the Character Award who have demonstrated academic success, athletic achievements and who embody the clubs values of leadership, commitment, equity, respect and sportsmanship. Recipients will receive a $1,000 Scholarship or a $500 Character Award.

If you would like to apply for the Scholarship or would like to nominate a student-athlete for the Character Award for whom you believe to be deserving of recognition, please submit an application by email attachment to: scholarship@richmondhillbaseball.com

Complete the application and submit it no later than the deadline date of July 15, 2019. Instructions for completing the application and requirements for the Scholarship and Character Award can be found in the application package.

If you have any questions, please direct any questions to Fortunato Colangelo, Scholarship Committee Coordinator to scholarship@richmondhillbaseball.com

Thank you & Good Luck!

 Peewee Select Gold takes Second Place at Buck Pringle Tournament in Orillia

RHP Peewee Select Gold team played in the Buck Pringle Peewee Select Tournament in Orillia and finished in 2nd place!. We went 3-0 in the round robin beating Peterborough Rep A (20-0), Orillia Minor Rep A (7-3) and then Essa Select (15-3). We then advanced to the semi-finals and played Cambridge Select. We came from behind in that game to win 6-4 and moved on to the finals. In the finals, we battled against a very good hitting Saugeen Shores Rep team but unfortunately couldn't match their power and lost. This was the first major accomplishment for this Select team and second tournament of the season that we've played well in (played in the Vaughan AA and below tournament 2 weeks ago). We're really proud of the boys. Great weekend and great way to start off our 2019 season!

 Head coaches wanted for 2019-2020 season Elite teams

RICHMOND HILL PHOENIX BASEBALL CLUB is now accepting Applications for the position of Head Coach for Elite Baseball for the 2019-2020 Fall/Summer seasons for both the Bantam Elite League (BEL) and for the Midget Elite League (MEL). Successful candidates will be Provincially Certified (or will complete this requirement prior to January 2020). Candidates should have prior experience as a Head Coach of a Rep team, or equivalent, or as an Assistant Coach of an Elite Baseball program. References are requested.

Candidates should submit a Pro Forma Team Business Plan, including, but not limited to, the proposed number of Assistant Coaches (names are not required at this time), roster size (minimum and maximum) and an estimated number of tournaments (both Canada and the United States) to be attended.

The successful candidate will commit to a minimum 3-year program, subject to annual review by the Board of Directors of the Club. Each successful candidate will remain with the team for which they are approved. To be clear, if the successful candidate is approved for the 15U (Bantam) team (for example), the successful candidate will remain with that team for the full 3-year term. Coaches do not move with players who graduate to an older team. By the start of the third year of that term, the Head Coach will submit a declaration of intent to remain (i.e. a request for renewal for another 3-year term). In the absence of that declaration, the Club will accept new applications to be considered for that team, prior to the completion of the third year for the coaching staff of the current term.

The Club’s goal is to run a permanent BEL team and a permanent MEL team (with a dedicated coaching staff for each team), but will initially run one team only, if the demand indicates that as the prudent course of action.

For further information, please contact Larry Greenberg, Chair-Coach Selection Committee @ larry.greenberg21@gmail.com or any member of the Club’s Executive: Stephen Chan: President, Joanne Joachimstaler: VP-Administration or Gianni Nieri: VP-Operations.

For older news, click [Archive News], above, and select a year.