BMOC Week 6: Dreger, Gapp, Gladu, Handley, LeBlanc, Swift
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 3B Raphael Gladu (Trois Rivieres, Que.) had a seven-hit weekend as Tech took two of three from the Valparaiso Crusaders.
BMOC Week 6
By Matt Betts
Canadian Baseball Network
It just keeps getting better for Canadians in college baseball. As the schedule heats up, so do the performances. A look at the latest top performers in college baseball.
Pompey powers Wildcats past Buffalo
It has been pretty good start to Tristan Pompey’s (Milton, Ont.) collegiate career. He would continue his solid start to his freshman campaign against Austin Peay with a hit and a walk in the midweek contest. Next up was a weekend home set with the University of Buffalo. In a Game 1 win he would drive in a run. In Game 2, a 14-3 thumping of the Bulls, Pompey would pound out two hits. One of those hits would be a home run while he would also walk and drive in three. He would walk in the finale, a 9-8 Kentucky win.
Plenty of battle in LeBlanc
It sure wasn’t a good weekend for Pittsburgh Panthers as they were swept by the Privateers of New Orleans. However, Charles LeBlanc (Laval, Que.) did provide a few bright spots along the way. After getting a hit and knocking in a run in the opening game, LeBlanc would have his best game of the weekend in Game 2. He would go 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored in a 13-6 loss. He would drive in another run and score one behind his fifth hit of the weekend in the final game of the three game set. Unfortunately for Pitt, it was in an 8-5 loss.
Pop gets start versus Austin Peay
Zach Pop (Brampton, Ont.) would get the start for the University of Kentucky in their midweek contest with Austin Peay. In a game in which he was the first of six pitchers, Pop would throw 3 1/3 innings, scattering three hits, while not allowing a run, walking two and striking out two.
Louisiana Tech glad they have Gladu
Louisiana Tech took on Valparaiso over the weekend and it was a Canadian powering the Bulldog lineup. Raphael Gladu (Trois Rivieres, Que.) would start off his weekend with a 2-for-4 performance in Game 1. After registering a hit in Game 2, Gladu would explode at the plate in his teams Game 3 win. He would go 4-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored on route to Louisiana Tech’s 7-5 win. The win would clinch the series victory for the Bulldogs.
Handley handling the pressure
The Stony Brook Seawolves headed to Latham Park in Elon, N.C. for the Elon tournament over the weekend. In their opening game against Appalachian State Toby Handley (Whitby, Ont.) would stroke a hit in the 4-0 loss. The Seawolves would take on the hosts in Game 2 and Handley would walk and turn it into a run in Stony Brook’s 4-1 win. Although they dropped the third and final game 5-4 to Bowling Green, Handley would have his best game at the dish. He would go 4-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and a pair of runs scored.
Mayo helps tame Maine
The North Dakota State University Bisons would hand the ball to Zach Mayo (Mather, Man.) in their weekend opener against Maine. Mayo would give the Bisons 4 2/3 innings, allowing just four hits, a run with two walks and eight strikeouts. The Bisons would take down the Black Bears 4-3.
Pinero mashes Monmouth
The defending College World Series champion Virginia Cavaliers took 2-of-3 from Monmouth this past weekend. Daniel Pinero (Toronto, Ont.) would collect a hit and an RBI in the Game 1, 4-2 victory. He would follow that up by mashing four hits in Virginia’s Game 2, 11-10 win. He would also be hit by a pitch, drive in three runs and score three. Although they would drop Game 3 by the score of 6-4, Pinero would go 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. At the end of the weekend he reached base nine times.
Remillard racks up second save
Iannick Remillard (Valleyfield, Que.) would collect his second save of the year in Canisius’ 7-4 Game 2 win over Campbell. In that game he would throw two innings, giving up a hit, no runs, a walk while striking out two. Campbell took Game 1, 7-2 and Game 3, 12-4.
UBC splits with Corban
It was a good start to the weekend for the University of British Columbia but it didn’t exactly end as planned. The Thunderbirds would take Game 1 of their four game series with Corban with a 2-0 win. Anthony Olson (Edmonton, Alta.) would have two hits and score one of the two UBC runs. Lucas Soper (Vancouver, BC) would also have two hits and would walk. Anthony Cusati (Burnaby, BC) would also chip in a hit. Alex Webb (Surrey, BC) would throw a complete game shutout to improve to 6-0 on the season. He would allow just three hits while walking none and punching out seven.
Game 2 would see UBC again score two runs in a 2-1 win. Olson would have two hits, one of which was a double, knock in a run and steal a base. Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC) would also throw a complete game and also allow three hits. He would give up a run, a walk and like Webb, strikeout seven.
It was a hard fought Game 3 that would see Corban take it 1-0. Soper would swt a hit in the loss. It was a tough luck loss for Connor Noble (Vancouver, BC) who went eight innings, giving up three hits and the lone run. He would not walk a batter and strikeout nine. He fell to 5-1 with the loss. The UBC starters allowed just nine hits through the first three games of the series, totalling 26 innings. Not bad at all.
Corban would earn a split with 9-3 Game 4 win. Soper would get a hit and reach on a hit by pitch while Cusati would go 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.
Rempel goes yard
Tanner Rempel (Abbotsford, BC) would smash a two-run home run along with another RBI in Colorado Mesa’s Game 2 win over Colorado Christian. Rempel would go 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI in Game 3, the back half of a doubleheader. Rempel is hitting .556 with a home run and five RBIs so far in 2016.
Gapp give Cumberlands strong outing
The University of the Cumberlands would squeak out a 5-4 win over the University of Cincinnati Clermont in large part to the outing they received from Noah Gapp (St. Albert, Alta.) Gapp would go 5 1/3 innings, giving up six hits, four runs (three earned) with a walk and 10 strikeouts. Through four starts this year he is 3-0 with a 2.82 ERA and has thrown 22 1/3 innings.
What a relief for Angelo State
Kenton Schroter (Nanaimo, BC) would throw four innings of relief and pick up the win in Angelo State’s 13-3 win over Eastern New Mexico. In Game 2 of the series, which was the first game of a doubleheader, he allowed just two hits, no runs, walking none while striking out four. His four innings would close out the game en route to the route.
Boatto, Broaddus, Battlers
Yes, that is a lot of B words but they all stand for something. The first one is Christopher Boatto (Maple Ont.), the second and third is for the Alderson Broaddus Battlers, the school which he attends. The lefty would lead his team to victory by going 6 1/3 innings, giving up nine hits, three runs (two earned) with three walks and six strikeouts. It would be his second win in as many tries on the season and his ERA now sits at 1.84.
Why not stick with pitching
It was another solid start for a Canadian pitcher. Travis Bigelow (Ottawa, Ont.) would pick up his first win of the season for the SUNY Canton Kangaroos. He would scatter just three hits, allowing a run with six walks and two strikeouts over seven innings of work.
U of Winnipeg gets season underway
Although the University of Winnipeg dropped their first games of the 2016 campaign, that did not mean there were not some impressive individual performances. They are currently travelling to Arizona to open their season and they would start it off with a 13-9 loss to Southwest Minnesota State. In that one, Christian Peters (Winnipeg, Man.) would stroke four hits and score two runs for the Wesmen. Drake Pilat (Winnipeg, Man.) would have two hits, three RBIs and a run scored in the loss. Peters would walk and score a run while Pilat would have a hit, two walks, a RBI and two runs in Winnipeg’s Game 2, 16-9 loss to Dordt. Garrett Virtue (Winnipeg, Man.) would throw three innings of relief, allowing a hit, a run with no walks and five strikeouts.
Sardellitti swinging hot stick
It was a busy week for the Davenport University Panthers. They got things rolling with a 2-1 midweek win versus Mt. Vernon Nazarene. Zack Sardellitti would go 3-for-3 with a double at the plate in that one to go along with a pair of RBIs. Next up was another midweek, this time with Cleary University. Sardellitti would go deep for a two-run home run in the 12-8 win. He would also collect another hit, a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored. In Davenport’s opening game of the weekend against Webber International, Sardellitti would go 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He would also get a hit and score a run in the weekend finale against #15 Keiser University, which was the backend of a doubleheader.
Swift padding stats for Blinn
Austen Swift (Etobicoke, Ont.) would get his week started with a 2-for-2 game with a home run, and a walk in Blinn College’s 8-2 loss at Alvin. In a Game 2 loss at Alvin, Swift would go 3-for-5 with a run scored. It was another 8-2 loss in Game 3 to Alvin for Blinn. Swift would walk and turn it into a run scored in that one.He would walk twice and score two runs against Alvin in Blinn’s Game 4, 11-6 win.
Dreger faces Dodge City
Colby Community College’s Chase Dreger (Oakbluff, Man.) would go 5 1/3 innings, giving up a pair of hits, three runs (two earned) with seven walks and six strikeouts against Dodge City Community College.
Lloyd does it all for Iowa Western
Matt Lloyd (Calgary, Alta.) wears many hates for the Iowa Western Reivers. He started off his strong week with a 3-for-5 day at the plate that included a pair of RBIs and a run scored in a 10-7 win over Redlands. In a second game against Redlands, a 12-7 win, Lloyd would hit a home run and a triple to go along with another hit, four RBIs and three runs scored. Up next was Rose State and Iowa Western would take them down 13-1. In that one Lloyd would again go 3-for-4, this time with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. He wasn’t done there however, as he also pitched. He would collect the win by going five innings, allowing two hits, an unearned run with a walk and three K’s. He would close out his busy weekend with two more hits, two more RBIs and a run scored in Iowa Western’s 10-0 drubbing of Rose State.
Vincelli with pair of solid performances
Matteo Vincelli (Burnaby, BC) would get two outings for Western Oklahoma State this past week with his first coming against North Central Texas. He would collect the win in that one by going four innings, giving up three runs with no walks or strikeouts. He would follow that up with a scoreless inning with a walk and a strikeout against Luna.
Keegan Marsden on base for Kalamazoo Valley
Keegan Marsden (Stratford, Ont.) would get on base eight times this past week for Kalamazoo Valley Community College. He would start it off against St. Cloud Tech with a walk. Kalamazoo Valley would win that one 10-0. In the front end of a doubleheader against Owens, he would hit a home run. Owens would win the game 14-7. The nightcap would be halted before five complete because of darkness. In the first game of a doubleheader with Itasca he would go 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a stolen base.. Game 2 would see KVCC take a 10-0 decision and Marsden would get a hit, walk, knock in a run and score one as well.
Lamke leading Ridgewater at the plate
In Game 1 of a doubleheader against St. Louis, Cooper Lamke (Thunder Bay, Ont.) would walk. He would get a hit in Game 2 and walk twice in a Game 3 loss. Game 4, the first of a doubleheader would see him go 2-for-2 with a stolen base. Ridgewater would drop all five games they played against St. Louis.
Holgate keeps going strong
Mitch Holgate (Windsor, Ont.) just keeps putting up solid performances for the University of West Alabama. First up this week was a 12-6 midweek win versus Spring Hill. Holgate would go 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double, two walks, four RBIs and three runs scored. Next it was a conference series against Valdosta State. In Game 1 of a doubleheader he would hit a triple, walk, score two runs and swipe a base in the 10-0 win. Game 2, the nightcap, would see him collect a hit, a walk and another stolen base. In the final game of the series he would get another hit, a walk and score a run. West Alabama swept the three game series from the Blazers.
As you can see it was yet another successful week for Canadians on the diamond. New names are popping up each week to go along with some regulars who are becoming household names. Keep checking back each week to see who cracks the list of top Canadians in the world of college baseball.
If you know of someone deserving of a mention in this weekly column, please email Matt Betts @ mattbetts41@gmail.com