Pirates Rally, Raiders Roll as 2026 Williams Cup Opens in Calgary

September 11, 2026 | Crawford’s Fields

The 2026 Williams Cup, brought to you by Calgary Industrial Softball Association, Country Hills Chrysler and Perfect Home, officially got underway Friday night with a pair of games that delivered two very different opening chapters at Crawford’s Fields.

On Diamond 1, the Calgary Pirates erased an early four-run deficit and rallied past the Calgary Jays, 5-4, in a back-and-forth tournament opener. Over on Diamond 2, the Calgary Raiders wasted little time making their presence felt, exploding for six runs in the first inning on their way to an 11-0 victory over the Calgary Bandits.

It was a night that featured a dramatic comeback, dominant pitching and plenty of early tournament intensity as the 2026 Williams Cup got off and running.

Pirates Erase Four-Run Deficit to Edge Jays

The Jays could hardly have asked for a better start.

Calgary sent four runs across in the top of the first inning, putting the Pirates in an immediate hole before they had even stepped to the plate.

Dantin Winnipeg opened the scoring by drawing a bases-loaded walk before Paul Hickey brought another run home on a fielder’s choice. Brandon Doering followed with another fielder’s choice that pushed two more runs across, and suddenly the Jays were in command with a 4-0 lead.

The Pirates, however, refused to let the opening inning define their night.

Calgary began chipping away at the deficit and eventually completed the comeback in the bottom of the third. Cooper Finch delivered an RBI single before Garrett Russell drove in another run with a double, helping the Pirates erase what had once been a four-run Jays advantage and pull even at 4-4.

That set the stage for the decisive moment one inning later.

With the game tied in the bottom of the fourth, Nathan McGregor stepped up and delivered the biggest hit of the opener, coming through with an RBI single that brought home the go-ahead run and gave the Pirates their first lead of the night, 5-4.

From there, Ryan Simpson shut the door.

After navigating a difficult opening inning, Simpson settled into a rhythm and kept the Jays off the scoreboard over the final four frames. The Pirates right-hander went all five innings, allowing three hits and four runs — two earned — while striking out five and walking five to earn the victory.

The Jays countered with Paul Robb to begin the game before turning to Chax Tshambani in relief.

Offensively, the Pirates received contributions throughout the lineup. Russell, Finch, McGregor and Jay Derrington each drove in a run, while Finch paced the club with a 2-for-4 performance.

Robb led the Jays from the top of the order, going 2-for-3, while Winnipeg, Hickey and Doering each drove in a run. Winnipeg also reached base three times by drawing three walks as part of a patient Jays attack that collected five free passes on the night.

What began as a commanding Jays advantage ultimately became the first comeback story of the 2026 Williams Cup, with the Pirates absorbing the early punch and responding when it mattered most.

Final: Calgary Pirates 5, Calgary Jays 4

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Raiders Strike Early, Asselin Dominates Bandits

While Diamond 1 featured a comeback, there would be no such suspense across the park on Diamond 2.

The Calgary Raiders came out swinging and running against the Calgary Bandits, putting six runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning and never looking back in an 11-0 victory.

The Raiders applied pressure immediately.

Jamie Scholten, Tony Chiarot, Joey Brunel, Dixon Tarr, Matt Walton and company helped fuel a relentless opening frame that combined timely hitting, patient at-bats and aggressive baserunning.

By the time the inning finally came to an end, Calgary had built a 6-0 lead and firmly taken control of the game.

The Raiders continued piling on in the second.

Chiarot, Brunel and Walton were among those producing runs as Calgary added three more to stretch the advantage to 9-0, giving starter Jordan Asselin more than enough support.

Asselin was overpowering in the circle.

The Raiders starter completely neutralized the Bandits’ lineup, working four scoreless innings without issuing a walk and piling up double-digit strikeouts in a dominant Opening Night performance.

With Asselin controlling the game from the circle, Calgary’s offense kept the pressure on from virtually every direction.

The Raiders drew eight walks as a team and repeatedly created havoc on the bases, turning walks and singles into scoring opportunities with an aggressive running game.

Contributions came throughout the order, with Dwayne Romanchuk, Cam Cote, Brunel, Chiarot, Tarr, Scholten, Walton and Asselin among the Raiders making an impact offensively.

For the Bandits, opportunities were difficult to come by against Asselin and the Raiders’ defense. Calgary remained composed in the field despite the early deficit, turning a double play and playing clean defense behind its pitching staff.

But on this night, the Raiders’ combination of early offense, baserunning pressure and dominant pitching proved too much to overcome.

Final: Calgary Raiders 11, Calgary Bandits 0

Opening Night Sets the Stage

With two games in the books, the opening night of the 2026 Williams Cup provided an early glimpse of just how different the road through a tournament can look.

The Pirates had to battle from four runs down and manufacture a late comeback to earn their first win.

The Raiders took the opposite route, seizing control almost immediately and pairing an explosive first inning with a commanding performance in the circle.

Both left Crawford’s Fields with victories — and both put themselves on the board as the Williams Cup moved into a full Saturday schedule.

The Calgary Pirates return to action against the Calgary Bandits, while the Calgary Raiders meet the Calgary Jays, giving both Opening Night losing clubs an immediate opportunity to respond as tournament play continues.

From a dramatic comeback on Diamond 1 to a dominant showing on Diamond 2, Opening Night delivered a little bit of everything and officially set the 2026 Williams Cup in motion.

Opening Night Results

Calgary Pirates 5, Calgary Jays 4
Calgary Raiders 11, Calgary Bandits 0

The 2026 Williams Cup is proudly brought to you by Calgary Industrial Softball Association, Country Hills Chrysler and Perfect Home.