March 31, 2000


Longhorns' Emond earns honours
Player of the Week, Week Eight Honours

By BOB ELLIOTT
           



 The argument as to which Canadian college player, of the 355 playing south of the border, is most important would go on for hours.
 
 The pitcher who throws complete games? The slugger who drives in the clutch run? Well, we suggest that centre fielder Ben Emond, who bats third for the University of Texas Longhorns, one of the highest-ranked programs in the NCAA, rates either at the top of the list or not far from it. Emond (senior, Farnham, Que.) was 6-for-11 as the Hook 'Em Horns swept a three- game series from Oklahoma State at Austin, Tx. to earn Player of the Week honors.
 
 The Baseball Weekly/ESPN poll ranks the Longhorns as the No. 2 team in the NCAA behind Florida State, while Collegiate Baseball has Texas listed No. 3. Baseball America also has Texas listed No. 3.
 
 In a 16-14 win over Oklahoma State, Emond went 3-for-4 with a double and scored five runs in front of 4,415 at Disch-Falk Field.
 
 In a 6-1 win, Emond squeezed in a run in the first inning and doubled in two official trips in front of 5,051.
 
 In an 8-4 victory, Emond was 2-for-5 with an RBI and a double, in front of 4,191.
 
 Since Emond cracked the UT starting outfield in the 10th game of the season, he hasn't missed a beat offensively. He's not only maintained a .400 or better average since making his way into the lineup, but is currently leading the Big 12 players with a .429 overall batting average.
 
 Emond has nine multiple-hit and four multi-RBI games this season, while batting a club-best .483 with runners in scoring position. In addition, Emond posted a career-best 12-game hit string earlier this season and tied a UT single-game record with five runs scored versus OSU.
 
 Emond Leads UT with a .429 overall batting average, while ranking second on the club in runs scored (16) in Big 12 action. Has recorded multi-hit games in five of the last seven contests.
 
 Emond is hitting .429 with five doubles, two triples and 20 RBIs. He owns a .536 slugging percentage and a .538 on-base percentage.
 
 How Canadians fared in tournament play:


_ Conrad Funk (freshman, Waldeck, Sask.) had a key single in the 12th as the Winthrop Eagles survived a scare to edge Pepperdine Waves 6-5 in the opener of the 25th GTE Rainbow Easter Baseball Tournament Monday at Rainbow Stadium in Honolulu. It took Winthrop three hours and 57 minutes for the Eagles to score two runs in the top of the 12th inning and allow one in the bottom half. Reliever David Patterson (senior, Brampton, Ont.) picked up the win to move to 4-0.

_ RHP Jeremy Herauf (junior, Regina, Sask.) pitched a complete game shutout in the Winthrop Eagles 14-0 thumping over Howard University. Herauf, now 3-4, allowed three hits. Shortstop Jordan Webb (junior, Courtenay, B.C.) was 2-for-2, scored a pair of runs and stole three bases. Herauf allowed only one hit after the first inning but was tagged with a 3-0 loss to the Lewis-Clark State College Warriors in the 25th GTE Rainbow Easter Baseball Tournament in Honolulu. Herauf pitched 7 2/3 innings.



There were a lot of Canadians who enjoyed good weeks, including:
 
 
_ RHP  Ryan Armstrong (freshman, Mississauga, Ont.) is pitching so well opposing hitters are going to think they named the school after him. Armstrong picked up the win as Armstrong Atlantic beat Newberry 10-5. Armstrong pitched six innings allowing three earned runs and fanning three.
 
 
_ CF Jason Bay (senior, Trail, B.C.) hit a game-winning, two-run homer in the top of the eighth against a Santa Clara reliever as the Gonzaga Stags rallied from behind for a 5-4 win. The homer was his 11th of the season and puts him a homer away from being in the Zags all-time top five. He moved into a tie with current Bulldog Adam Stokey and St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguer Bo Hart with 26 career home runs.
 
 
_ 2B Jess Bechard (senior, Brantford, Ont.) had another week that was for the Kent State Golden Flashes. The former Canadian Player of the Week, had a solo homer, his third, in Kent's 8-2 victory over Coastal Carolina. Then, Bechard had a two-hit game in Kent's 4-2 victory over Coastal Carolina. And in an 8-4 romp over Coastal Carolina he was 5-for-6, with a double and a homer, his fourth, three RBIs and two runs scored. In a 7-6 loss to Dayton he tripled. Bechard was 9-for-22 (.409) in five Golden Flashes games, hitting two home runs, doubling twice and hitting a triple once. Besides the offence he made an outstanding defensive play to turn around a Coastal Carolina inning and rally when he dove into shallow right and then double off the runner. He became the all-time Mid-America Conference leader in career doubles with 69 and his 258 career hits place him two shy on the MAC hit record.
 
 
_ C Jon Boruch (freshman, Revelstoke, B.C.) drove in the winning run in Nicholls State's 3-2 win over Lamar. With the scored tied in the fourth and two out Boruch knocked what proved to be the decisive run. Boruch also doubled in Nicholls State's 8-6 win over Texas A&M Community College.
 
 
_ PH  Paul Brown (senior, Chatham, Ont.) hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning of Louisville's 9-7 loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats. It was Brown's third homer of the season.
 
 
_ C  Kent Brunen (junior, Vanscoy, Sask.) had a pair of hits and left-fielder Kyle Brunen (junior, Vanscoy, Sask.) as the Arkansas State Indians edged the Florida International Golden Panthers 5-4 at Homestead, Fla. DH Mike Eskildsen drove in a run for the Panthers. Kent Brunen delivered a pair of hits as the Indians edged the Panthers 3-2 in another game during the series. Left fielder Matt Huntingford (junior, Vancouver, B.C.) drove in a run for the Panthers. Eskildsen drove in a run as Florida International salvaged one game of the series, a 13-1 romp. Left fielder Kyle Brunei had one hit for the Indians.
 
 
_ RHP Matt Buckle (junior, Surrey, B.C.) gained the win as the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs edged the Western Kentucky Hilltops 3-2 at Blowing Green, Ky. Buckle, a former Player of the Week winner, pitched 7 2/3 innings, giving up eight hits, allowing two runs and striking out five. With the win, Buckle upped his record to 4-3.
 
 
_ C Luke Carlin drove in a run in (freshman, Gatineau, Que.) drove in a run in Northeastern's 10-7 win over Stoney Brook.
 
 
_ RP Ryan Chenard (freshman, Port Alberni, B.C.) pitched two scoreless innings for the save as Winthrop defeated Brown University 8-4. Chenard allowed one hit and fanned two after taking over in the eighth with a 6-4 lead. He also pitched a 1-2-3 final inning for the save in a 3-1 win over Howard. Against Brown, Winthrop received offence from shortstop Jordan Webb (junior, Courtenay, B.C.) with a 1-for-4 day, left fielder Conrad Funk (freshman, Waldeck, Sask.) had a pair of hits with two RBIs, centre fielder Chris Wallace (junior, Parksville, B.C.) drove in two runs and Luc Riopel (senior, St. Albert, Alta.) also drove in a run.
 
 
_ 2B Jay Corrigale (senior, Brampton, Ont.) drove in a run in the Charleston Southern Bucaneers 10-5 loss to the Coastal Carolina Chanticlers at Charleston, S.C. Third baseman David Martindale (sophomore, Mississauga) also had a hit. Corrigale also had a pair of hits, including a double, in Charleston Southern's 6-3 loss to Georgia Teach at Russ Chandler in Atlanta, Ga.
 
 
_ CF  Ishmael Cox had a pair of hits in the Canisius Golden Griffins 9-1 loss to Albany Great Danes.
 
 
_ SS Lee Delfino (sophomore, Pickering, Ont.) was 3-for-4, with three RBIs as the No. 21-ranked East Carolina Pirates beat the James Madison Dukes 13-7 at Greenville, N.C. Delfino was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs in 15-6 win over JMU and in a 16-4 win, Delfino was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Delfino also homered in the Pirates 12-0 win over Youngstown State in support of right-hander Jason Mandryk (sophomore, Langdon, Ont.) who pitched six scoreless innings allowing five hits with one walk and two strikeouts for his second victory of the season.
 
 
_ LHP Mike Duperron (junior, Presto, Ont.) benefited from a record Louisiana Tech offensive onslaught as the Bulldogs scored a 21-2 victory over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Dupperon pitched seven innings, giving up only two hits and striking out five.
 
 
_ OF  Len Elias (sophomore, Mississauga, Ont.) hit a two-run homer as Bowling Green Falcons won their home opener against University of Buffalo Bulls by a 7-1 score at Steller Field in Bowling Green. Elias helped the Falcons to a 4-1 week by hitting .533 (8-for-15) and scoring nine runs. Elias singled twice and drove in two runs as the Falcons beat the University of Buffalo Bulls 15-11. Elias is hitting .431 with 10 RBIs.
 
 
_ DH Mike Eskildsen (junior, Maple Ridge, B.C.) had a pair of hits in the Florida International Golden Panthers loss to Ohio State at Homestead, Fla.
 
 
_ LHP Jordan Gerk (junior, Kelowna, B.C.) pitched a complete game as Oral Roberts Golden Eagles beat the Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis Jaguars 8-4 at J.L. Johnson Stadium. Gerk, who allowed four runs in the third inning, struck out a career-high 12 men in the game. Gerk now has a 2-3 mark with a 4.39 ERA.
 
 
_ RHP Deryck Griffith (freshman, Mississauga, Ont.) pitched 4 2/3 innings as the Bowling Green Falcons edged University of Buffalo Bulls 3-2. It was Griffith's first collegiate victory. He struck out three and walked two, while allowing one run (earned) on two hits. Griffith owns a 3.18 ERA.
 
 
_ RHP Tyler Hosick (freshman, Oakville, Ont.) registered his first college win as the Canisius College Golden Griffs scored an 8-3 victory over the St. Peter's Peacocks. Hosick allowed four hits and two earned runs. Hosick (1-3) pitched a complete game. Ishmael Cox () provided support with an RBI-single.
 
 
_ RHP Scott Jellous (sophomore, Ingersoll, Ont.) pitched a complete game as Dowling College beat New Jersey Tech 8-1. Jellous allowed one run on five hits, while fanning eight. He now owns a 3-0, with a 1.70 ERA.
 
 
_ SS Geoff McCallum (senior, London, Ont.) doubled and drove in a run as the Stetson University Hatters lost 10-6 to North Florida at DeLand, Fla.
 
 
_ RP  Les McTavish (senior, Slave Lake, Alta.) provided three innings of three-hit, scoreless ball as the Washington State Cougars edged Lewis-Clark State Warriors 11-7 at Bailey-Brayton Field in Pullman, Wash. McTavish held the Warriors, the No. 1 in the NAIA rankings, in check by not allowing a hit until his third inning of work.
 
 
_ OF Mike Mannella (senior, Niagara Falls, Ont.) doubled and homered in the Canisius Golden Griffs 8-6 loss to the University of Buffalo Bulls. Mannella had an RBI double down the left field line to give the Griffs a 1-0 lead. Mannella's first homer of the season came in the fourth.
 
 
_ LHP Craig Mosher (junior, Richmond, B.C.) worked six innings as the Florida Gators edged Arkansas 8-7 in front of 2,447 at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. Mosher allowed four hits in a career-high six innings, giving up four runs (three earned).
 
 
_ 1B Craig Munroe (senior, Thornhill, Ont.) homered as the Maryland Terps beat the University of Maryland Baltimore County 13-2 at Catonsville, Md. After a scoreless first three innings, Munroe launched his two-run home run to center field in the top of the fourth inning, giving the Terps a 2-0 lead. It was his team-leading fifth home run of the season.
 
 
_ LHP  Zach Murray (junior, Edmonton, Alta.) picked up his first victory as Nicholls State blanked Lamar 3-0. Murray worked the first five innings allowing two hits, walking one and striking out two as his record moved to 1-2.
 
 
_ C Paul Schlosser (junior, Medicine Hat, Alta.), a former Canadian Player of the Week, homered as the Georgia State Panthers hammered Western Carolina 21-8. Schlosser's homer keyed a three-hitter stretch where Schlosser and two teammates combined to hit back-to-back-to-back homers.
 
 
_ RHP Angus Roy (junior, Mississauga, Ont.) was a workhorse on the mound for Valparaiso pitching a complete-game victory over Lewis. He allowed alllowed eight hits and two earned runs, while striking out six and walking four. Roy (1-2) also pitched 5 2/3 innings in a loss to Butler, striking out seven. For the week, he threw 14 2/3 innings, striking out 13 and recording a 3.68 ERA.
 
 
_ OF Adam Stern (sophomore, London, Ont.) and second baseman John Cole (sophomore, Kanata, Ont.) each had a pair of hits as the Nebraska Cornhuskers edged the Texas Tech Red Raiders 7-6 in 10 innings at Lincoln, Neb. Cole singled to lead off the 10 and went to second on a bunt single by Stern. After a walk, Cole scored the winner on a wild pitch. In the Corhnuskers 7-5 loss to Texas Tech in 11 innings, Stern's RBI single to right in the fifth scored Cole from second and broke a 1-1 tie. Stern also had a pair of hits in Nebraska 11-0 win over Texas Tech. Stern is hitting .355 with 14 RBIs, while Cole is batting .340 with two homers and 27 RBIs.
 
 
_ RHP Mike Tisdale (freshman, Peterborough, Ont.) came within two outs of a complete game as St.Petersburg Junior College beat Pasco-Hernando College 5-1 at New Port Richey, Fla. Tisdale pitched 8 1/3 innings giving up his only run against in the ninth inning as his record climbed to 4-3. Tisdale scattered nine hits and fanned four and pitched with little cushion as the score was 2-0 in the seventh.
 
 
_ LF Chris Wallace (junior, Parksville, B.C.) scored the winning run with one out in the bottom of the 12th and reliever David Patterson (senior, Brampton, Ont.) picked up the victory as Winthrop beat Brown 4-3. Patterson pitched two hitless inning to raise his record to 3-0. Left fielder Conrad Funk (freshman, Waldeck, Sask.) had a pair of hits and drove in a run in, while shortstop Jordan Webb (junior, Courtenay, B.C.) had a 1-for-4 day, with a stolen base and DH Luc Riopel () went 1-for-3. Right-hander Jeff Reeves pitched 5 2/3 inning allowing one run.
 
 
_ RHP Mark West (senior, Newmarket, Ont.) took a no-hitter into the eighth inning and finished with a 15-strikeout complete game as the Canisius College Golden Griffs beat the St. Peter's College Peacocks 9-2. West, now 2-1, with a 2.48 ERA, tied the school mark for strike outs in a game with 15. Boston Red Sox draftee Joe Mamott originally set the mark in a 1994 game against Niagara. St. Peter's was hitless until the eighth when West allowed a one-out single. West was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week. Besides the St. Peter's effort he pitched three scoreless innings of relief in a loss to University of Buffalo. West has fanned 33 batters, while allowing 12 walks, holding opponents to a .213 average. West won a MAAC Pitcher of the Week honor last season as a junior.