10 Canucks in 2012 NCAA, led by Stony Brook 4

*Canucks 2B Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.), RF Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ont.), SS Cole Peragine (Belle Ewart, Ont.) and RP Jasvir Rakkar (Brampton, Ont.) helped the Stony Brook Sea Wolves reach the NCAA field of 64, along with six other Canucks .... 2012 Canadians in the Minors  2012 Canadians in College 2012 Canadians draft list Letters of Intent

By Bob Elliott

There was an indication of what kind of season it was going to be for the Stony Brook Sea Wolves on Feb. 24 at Ray E. Didier Field in Thibodaux, La.

Down 1-0 and 2-1, Stony Brook rallied.

And as the game unfolded ...

_ Clean-up hitter 2B Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.) walked in the first and singled in the third inning.

_ No. 5 hitter RF Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ont.) singled in the fifth.

_ And freshman SS Cole Peragine (Belle Ewart, Ont.) singled in the fourth.

Combined the threesome were 3-for-10 and reached twice via the walk or hit by pitch route.

The three Canadians made their mark for a 3-2 win to open the season.

And in the final of the America East Conference ...

_ Clean-up hitter Tissenbaum went 3-for-3 and knocked in a pair of runs as he dropped a bunt in the first, singled and scored in the third, walked in the fourth, singled in a run in the sixth, walked in the seventh and singled in a run in the eighth.

_ Fifth-place hitter Nivins had three hits, singling in the first, was hit by a pitch and scored in the third, singled in the fourth, flew out in the seventh and reached on an infield single in the eighth.

_ And freshman Peragine had a base hit and knocked in a run, as he was hit with a pitch and scored in the second, walked with the bases loaded in the third, bunted in the fifth, singled and scored in the seventh.

Combined the threesome were 7-for-10, reached five times either by a pitch or a walk, scored four times, sacrificed twice and knocking in three runs.

The end result was a 13-6 win over the Maine Black Bears to put Stoney Brook into the 64-team NCAA field which announced Monday leading to the College World Series in Omaha.

Tissenbaum, a graduate of Jason Chee-Aloy’s Toronto Mets, earned all-tournament honours, is hitting .400 with 16 doubles, a triple, three homers and 41 RBIs in 55 games. He has a 1.001 OPS. “He’s simply the best hitter in the north east,” said one scout, pointing out Tissenbaum has fanned four times in 229 plate appearances. He was selected to All-America East first team after being named Louisville Slugger preseason third team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

Nivins, who played for Danny Thompson’s Ontario Terriers, is hitting .331 with 11 doubles, three triples, two homers and 32 RBIs in 55 games. He has an .852 OPS. He was selected to the All-America East first team.

Peragine, also a Terriers grad, hit .330 with 10 doubles, six triples and 37 RBIs in 56 games. He earned America East Rookie of the Year honours and was named to the All-America East second team. He has a .866 OPS.

A fourth contributing member of the Sea Wolves is RP Jasvir Rakkar (Brampton, Ont.), another Terriers grad, is 5-2 with a 3.46 ERA and three saves in 16 games. He’s walked 14 and struck out 29 in 39 innings, holding opponents to a .212 batting average.

The four Sea Wolves head to the Miami regional and face the Miami Hurricanes are part of the 10 Canadians of 698 Canucks playing south of the border on the rosters of teams still alive and in the field of 64 trying to find its way to Omaha. The others ...

_ LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) of the Missouri Tigers who made 16 starts going 5-5 with a 3.84 ERA heads to the Tucson regional to play Arizona. He walked 29 and struck out 71 in 103 innings.

_ Freshman INF Joey Hawkins (Whitby, Ont.) appeared in 33 games for the Missouri State Bears who head to the Miami regional to play Central Florida. Hawkins, formerly with Danny Bleiwas’ Ontario Blue Jays, hit .140 with a double and one RBI.

_ RP Jerome Werniuk (Toronto, Ont.) of the St. John’s Red Storm worked in 13 games. St. John’s is off to Chapel Hill to play East Carolina. He was 1-1 with a 7.11 ERA. A former Ontario Prospect prospect for Rich and Rob Butler, he walked 11 and struck out seven in 13 innings.

_ LHP Ali Simpson (Campbell River, BC) appeared in eight games, making seven starts for the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats going 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA. The Wildcatds are bound for the Gainsville regionals to play Florida. A former stud with Dave Wallace’s Parksville Royals, walked 19 and fanned 33 in 23 innings.

_ INF Michael Mutcheson (Morden, Man.) played in 11 games for the Creighton Bluejays. He hit .154 with two RBIs. Creighton heads to the Los Angeles regional and meets UCLA.

_ RHP Roberto Suppa (Palgrave, Ont.) of the Cornell Big Red, appeared in nine games with an 8.31 ERA. Another Terriers grad, he walked 12 and struck out 11 in 13 innings. Cornell plays North Carolina at Chapel Hill regional.

2011 --16 Canucks in NCAA tourney

2010 — 15 Canucks in NCAA tourney

2009 — 18 Canucks in NCAA tourney