Titans' season ends with loss to Capitales

The Ottawa Titans’ season ended on Sunday with an 8-7 loss to the Quebec Capitales. Photo: Ottawa Titans

September 8, 2024

Official Ottawa Titans News Release

Québec City, Que. - The Ottawa Titans' 2024 season came to an end with an 8-7 loss to the Québec Capitales on Sunday in Game 3 of the Frontier League Division Series.

In a wild, crazy back-and-forth affair - both clubs had to deal with mother nature - as rain and the cold weather saw the offence take centre stage once again.

The Capitales struck first - with Kyle Crowl knocking in his third run of the series with an RBI single up the middle. Tyler Jandron allowed four hits in the first - as the southpaw got out of a bases-loaded jam by getting a sharp lineout to third - before an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play.

Silenced by right-hander Abdiel Saldaña through three - the Titans' offence erupted for a five-run fourth, jumping in front 5-1.

Jake Hjelle and Michael Fuhrman each posted two-run singles while Aaron Casillas cashed in one with an RBI hit. Four of the five runs came with one out - as the Titans saw six in a row reach base.

After retiring eight in a row - Jandron served up a two-out, two-run homer off the bat of Anthony Quirion (Sherbrooke, Que.) to left in the bottom half, seeing the lead shrink down to 5-3.

In the fifth - the Titans got some insurance, with Brendan O'Donnell homering to left off Ryo Kohigashi to make it 6-3.

However, the Capitales did not go away - as Justin Gideon (Pickering, Ont.) made it a one-run contest with a two-run double in the fifth - seeing Jandron's night end after five runs. The lefty allowed five runs on eight hits, walking one, hitting one, and striking out six - leaving in line for the win.

Out of the bullpen for the third time in the playoffs, Jake Dixon managed to get just two outs - as Ruben Castro tied the game before a Justin Gideon RBI single put the Capitales ahead. McLain Harris entered a few batters later and walked Jonathan Lacroix (Montreal, Que.) with the bases loaded - making it 8-6.

Down to their final out in the ninth - the Capitales committed two errors to see runners stand on the corners. Nick Trabacchi threw a wild pitch to score one - as the tying tally moved up into scoring position. The right-hander completed the four-out save by striking out Brendan O'Donnell to wrap up the series.

Brendan O'Donnell went 3-for-5 with a homer while Jake Hjelle had two hits as part of his multi-RBI performance.

The Québec Capitales move on to face the West Division champion Washington Wild Things in Game One of the best-of-five Frontier League Championship Series - which begins on Tuesday night at Wild Things Park in Washington, Pa.