OSHAWA, Ont. - They waited a year for this.

The St. Clair Saints defeated the Fanshawe Falcons 3-2 in the final of the Canadian Colleges Baseball Championship at Kinsmen Civic Memorial Stadium in Oshawa on Sunday afternoon.

It was a rematch of the 2016 championship as the Saints lost 2-1 to Fanshawe in the inaugural title game. That loss was the first time in five years that St. Clair did not win a major tournament as they entered the event as the four-time OCAA champions, 2013/2014 OUA/OCAA champions and 2012 CIBA champions.

"The national championship is something that we have been chasing," said Kyle Breitner, who was named the championship's top right handed pitcher and wrapped up his collegiate career on Sunday. "It's nice that we have had one the last couple of years. Last year was a heartbreaker but to have this experience, it means a lot."

After allowing a run in the top half of the first inning, St. Clair bats would come out on fire in the bottom half scoring three runs that included a two-run hit by Matt Bondy, who was named championship MVP.

"To come in and play with the guys, to play with the seniors that lost to Fanshawe last year, it is an honour to play with them and be able to beat Fanshawe," said Bondy. "To be named MVP is amazing. It's been a struggle for me this year so to come out and play my game, it's been nice."

Over the next five innings, the teams would go scoreless with St. Clair's Taylor Pappin and Fanshawe's Tyler Wood and Jeremy Noonan taking control of the game.

With their title hopes on the line in the top of the seventh, Fanshawe would rally to score a run to cut the lead to 3-2. However, with a runner on first, Pappin would get gold glove award winner Carlos Arteaga to strike out swinging for the final out of the game.

Pappin, who was named to the championship all-star team, pitched the complete game allowing five hits, two earned runs while striking out seven.

The host Durham Lords, who lost to Fanshawe in the semifinals, won three championship awards with Brodie Harkness (Bowmanville, Ont.), Logan Stewart (Lindsay, Ont.) and Connor May (Oshawa, Ont.) all being named to the all-star team.

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
MVP - Matt Bondy - St. Clair
Top Pitcher - Taylor Pappin - St. Clair
Gold Glove - Carlos Arteaga - Fanshawe

CHAMPIONSHIP ALL-STAR TEAM
C - Hayden Regnier - Fanshawe
1B - Brodie Harkness - Durham
2B - Logan Stewart - Durham
3B - Matt Bondy - St. Clair
SS - Tanner Banks - Holland
OF - Connor May - Durham
OF - Brendan Robertson -  Fanshawe
OF - Carson Burke - St. Clair
RHP - Kyle Breitner - St. Clair
LHP - Taylor Pappin - St. Clair

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Thursday, October 26
Humber defeated Seneca 10-3
Players of the Game: Sutherland (HUM) & Kim (SEN)
St. Clair defeated Fanshawe 10-1
Players of the Game: Cunningham (SCC) & Regnier (FAN)
St. Clair defeated Humber 8-3
Players of the Game: Bondy (SCC) & Thompson (HUM)
Durham defeated Seneca 12-2
Players of the Game: Storry (DUR) & Acardo (SEN)
Holland defeated Ahuntsic 5-1
Players of the Game: McIsaac (HOL) & Legault (AHU)

Friday, October 27
Fanshawe defeated Holland 4-3
Players of the Game: Wood (FAN) & Banks (HOL)
Durham defeated St. Clair 3-0
Players of the Game: Harkness (DUR) & Gault (SCC)
Seneca defeated Ahuntsic 3-2
Players of the Game: Lewis (SEN) & Tamborini (AHU)
Humber defeated Holland 11-6 (5 innings)
Players of the Game: Marra (HUM) & Beach (HOL)
Fanshawe defeated Seneca 17-2 (Four Innings)
Players of the Game: Robertson (FAN) & Perrier (SEN)
St. Clair defeated Ahuntsic 9-0
Players of the Game: Achard-Groleau (AHU) & Doumani (SCC)
Durham defeated Holland 9-4
Players of the Game: May (DUR) & Dunnett (HOL)

Saturday, October 28
St. Clair defeated Holland 4-1
Players of the Game: McDonald (HOL) & Breitner (SCC)
Fanshawe defeated Durham 4-3
Players of the Game: Brown (DUR) & Hames (FAN)

Sunday, October 29
Championship Game
St. Clair defeated Fanshawe 3-2

Source: Durham College