Freejacks win 2025 OLW Championship!

The Freejacks finally got over the hump and won their first OLW Championship on Saturday at the Wolfe’s Den. The veteran squad, the third-seed in the OLW playoffs, swept the top-seeded Fighters 2 games to none to win the Griffiths Cup.

In game one, the Freejacks hitters worked Fighters starter Griffin McDowell for 7 walks before starting pitcher Brett Caladie hit a two-run homer off reliever Luke Laurino in the third. The Fighers won 4-0 behind Caladie’s 1-hit, 9-strikeout shutout on the mound.

Game two was, like last year, an epic battle between McDowell and Caladie that extended far beyond regulation. The Freejacks walked it off in the bottom of the eighth (!) on a Mike Sidorov bloop single to win the game 1-0, clinching a series sweep.

Caladie picked up another win in the finale, allowing 1 walk and 2 hits over eight innings, striking out 24.

McDowell went 7 2/3 innings in defeat, allowing just the one run, 8 hits and 2 walks, with 22 strikeouts.

Freejacks championship merchandise is now available in the OLW Team Store.

The 2026 OLW Season will start on Saturday, March 7th. Registration is now open at mdwiffs.com.