BMOC Week 5
By Matt Betts
Canadian Baseball Network
Welcome back for Week 5 of the weekly Big Man On Campus. There are some new faces in this weeks addition along with some familiar names that continue to put up big performances. Not only is their on-field achievements in this week’s edition but also an off-field recognition. It is time to take a look at who did what in the past week across college baseball.

Ledger leads Northern Kentucky
It was a tough weekend for East Tennessee State University pitchers as they had to deal with Connor Ledger (Toronto, Ont.) at the top of the Northern Kentucky lineup. The Norse would take Game 1 by a score of 3-2 behind a 2-for-4 performance that included a double by the Torontonian. Ledger would repeat Game 1 by going 2-for-4 in a 7-6 Game 2 loss. He would add an RBI, two runs and a stolen base as well. Northern Kentucky would thump ETSU 21-12 in Game 3. Ledger would rip a double, record an RBI, be hit by a pitch and swipe another base in the win.

Jacobs pitching in for Jackson State
It was a quality start for Jevon Jacobs (Ajax, Ont.) of Jackson State in Game 1 of their series with Florida A&M. Jacobs would go 6 2/3 inning, surrender four hits, three runs, three walks and would strikeout four on route to his teams 4-3 win over Florida A&M.

Anderson the man late for Jackson State
Another new face to the BMOC is right hander Jesse Anderson (Brantford, Ont.) of the telephone city. Anderson earned his second save of the year in Jackson State’s 4-3 win over Florida A&M. He threw an inning, giving up a hit, zero runs with a walk and a strikeout to shut things down in Game 1 of the weekend series.

A couple Canadians call Alabama home
The Alabama A&M Bulldogs took on Savannah State over the weekend and two Canadians charged the offence. In a 12-9 Game 1 win, Ty Russell (Victoria, BC) hit a double, walked, drove in two runs and scored three more. Ryan Thrasher (Sherwood Park, Alta.) would go 2-for-3 with a home run, a pair of free passes, three RBIs and a run scored. He would also steal a base after all was said and done. After being edged 3-2 in Game 2, the Canadians got back at it in Game 3. Russell would go 2-for-3 with a home run of his own, a walk, a hit by pitch and a stolen base. He would drive in three runs and score another. Thrasher would pound out four hits and score four runs in the 17-12 loss.

Beaton blows away USF
After making an appearance earlier in the week against the #1 University of Florida Gators, Matthew Beaton would use that experience to do his best work against the University of South Florida. In an 8-4 Game 1 loss, Beaton would throw 1 2/3 innings, not allowing a hit, a walk or a run while striking out one. He would then record his first save by throwing two innings, again allowing no hits or runs in a Game 3 Eastern Michigan win. He would walk one and strikeout one over the two innings.

Hail State
After a walk and scoring a run against UMass Lowell. Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) really got things going in Game 2 for Mississippi State. Game 2 would pit the Bulldogs against Nicholls State and Robson would stroke three hits, walk and drive in a run in the 5-0 win. It would be UMass Lowell again in Game 3 and Robson would do more damage. A pair of hits including a triple would be combined with a pair of walks, an RBI and a run in the win. Game 4, a 4-0 win over Nicholls State, would see Robson reach three times via a hit and two walks. He would also score three runs in the finale.

Lumley sparks Griffs
The Canisius Golden Griffins would lean on Jake Lumley (Windsor, Ont.) to lead them in their weekend series with the Fordham Rams. In the Game 1 win he would go 2-for-3 while being hit by a pitch, recording a RBI and a run scored. In the front end of the doubleheader of Game 2 he would record a hit and score a run. Canisius would win the first two games 5-4. Canisius would drop the nightcap 5-2. Lumley would drive in both Griffin runs. He would round out his weekend with a hit and a run scored in his teams 8-5 loss. 

Resch wreaks havoc
North Dakota State took 3-of-4 against Lamar over the weekend. Brayden Resch (Saskatoon, Sask.) would get on base three times with a hit and two walks. He would also score run in the 7-6 Game 1 loss. In Game 2 he would go 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs in the 7-6 win. In a 3-0 Game 3 win, Resch would be issued a free pass. He would end the weekend with a pair of hits and an RBI in his teams 7-5 win.

Craig-St. Louis has hits in three Oregon games
The Oregon Ducks would use a hit in three games from Phil Craig-St. Louis (Gatineau, Que.) in their four game set with Illinois State. It was a bases loaded triple that sparked the Ducks to their 8-5 Game 1 win. Craig-St.Louis would also walk to go along with his three RBIs and run scored. In Game 3 he would homer in the bottom of the ninth but it would not be enough as Illinois State snuck out a 3-2 victory. In game 4 he would double and score a run in the win as Oregon would take the series 3-1. 

Yari, Thunderbirds sweep Simpson
It wouldn’t be the weekly BMOC without a UBC Thunderbird baseball update. This weekend the T-Birds took on Simpson and earned a four game sweep. In game 1 it was Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) yet again leading the lineup. He would go 2-for-2 with three walks, a RBI and a run scored. Lichel Hirakawa-Kao (Vancouver, BC) would be used as a pinch hitter and would chip in with two hits, an RBI and two runs in the Game 1 win. Alex Webb (Surrey, BC) would improve to 5-0 by going eight innings, allowing seven hits, three runs while walking three and striking out five. Ethan Skuija (Victoria, BC) would earn the save by throwing the final inning, allowing a hit, no runs, no walks and striking out three.

Game 2 would end in a 9-4 T-Bird win. In that one Hirakawa-Kao would go 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Yari would again have a monster day at the plate going 4-for-4 with a home run and a double. He would also walk twice, knock in three runs and score one. Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC) would push his record to 3-1 by going five innings, allowing just one hit, two runs (zero earned), walking two and striking out 11.

Guess who was back at it offensively in game 3? If you guessed Bruce Yari you’ve been paying attention. He would have two more hits, two more RBIs and a run scored. Connor Noble (Vancouver, BC) would pick up the win on the bump going 6 2/3 innings, yielding five hits, two runs, no walks while striking out eight Simpson hitters.

Might as well call this the Yari show as he would go 3-for-4 in the final game of the series. He would also walk and score in the game. Jeremy Newton (Toronto, Ont.) would earn the save in the 6-1 win going five innings in relief. He would give up just two hits, a single run while walking one and striking out one.

Five hits for Goodall
It was the Rollins College Tars who would be a thorn in the side of the Embry-Riddle Eagles over the weekend. Rollins would take Game 1 by a 6-5 decision in 11 innings. Despite the loss Liam Goodall (Nanaimo, BC) would have a two hit day with a run scored and a stolen base. In Game 2 and the nightcap of the doubleheader, Rollins would score an 11-6 victory. Goodall would hit a double and a triple, knock in a run and score two to try and charge his lineup. Embry-Riddle would finally get a victory in game 3 by edging the Tars 7-4. Goodall would record a hit, score two runs and steal a base in the win. The Eagles are now 9-5 overall and 3-3 in Sunshine State Conference play.

Mary Marauders use Canadian arms
It was a couple of solid performances for Canadians on the mound for the University of Mary Marauders. In Game 1 against Point Park, Nicholas Stobbe (Saskatoon, Sask.) took the loss tossing 5 2/3 innings, giving up five hits, two earned runs with three walks and four punch outs.

In Game 2 it would be a Canadian taking the win. Roy Takenaka (Richmond, BC) would throw two innings, allow no hits, runs or walks and would strikeout one.

UWA happy with Holgate
It seems that there is always a player or two who just continues to turn heads and pop up on this weekly column. This year it appears one of those guys in Mitch Holgate (Windsor, Ont.) Holgate lead the West Alabama Tigers to four wins in four tries over the last week. He got things started in UWA’s 17-10 midweek win over the Montevallo Falcons. In that one he would get a hit, walk twice, knock in two runs and score another. It would then be off to Mississippi College for Holgate and his Tigers. In Game 1 of the Gulf South Conference series and doubleheader Holgate would go 3-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in the 10-5 win. He would again record three hits in UWA’s 4-2 Game 2 win. In those three hits were a double and he would also steal a base in the back end of the Saturday doubleheader. In the finale, a 12-7 win, he would go 2-for-5 with a triple, a walk and two runs scored. On the year he is hitting .411 with four home runs, 14 RBIs and five stolen bases in 15 games, all starts.

Consistent Carter
The Trinity Tigers would use six hits from Carter McEachern (Thunder Bay, Ont.) on their way to four wins. First up it was Concordia in a midweek and McEachern would stroke a hit and score a run in the 8-2 win. Next up would be a weekend set with Austin. In the Game 1 win he would go 2-for-5 with a double and would score another run. He would record his second multi-hit game of the week in Game 2 while scoring another run. Trinity would complete the sweep with a 10-1 win. In that one McEachern would record a hit, a RBI and score a run.

St. Pierre earns save
It was Bobby St. Pierre (Windsor, Ont.) who would earn the save for Madonna in their 2-1 win over St. Catherine College. He would throw an inning, allowing a hit, no runs, a walk and strikeout one. Madonna would split the four games.

Dimitroff is taking off
It was a nice weekend for Bryce Dimitroff (Burlington, Ont.) as he would record a hit in each of Connors State’s four games. In Game 1 of a doubleheader with Southwestern Christian University he would leadoff and get a hit and score a run. He would follow that with two hits including a double and two runs scored as the Cowboys completed the sweep. Next up was a doubleheader MCC-Maple Woods. In Game 1 of that double dip Dimitroff would get a hit, a RBI and score two runs. He would finish his weekend in game 2 with a 2-for-5 performance with a home run and a double. He would end the day with five RBIs and a run scored.

Hardie helping Odessa
Tyler Hardie (Georgetown, Ont.) would get two hits, one of which was a home run in Odessa College’s 12-11 loss to Cisco. He would end the game with three RBIs and a run scored. In the second game he would record a walk in his teams 13-5 win.

Wood whacks Wharton County
San Jacinto and Wharton County sure got enough of each other over the last week. It all got started with a weekday doubleheader in which San Jacinto would drop Game 1 by the score of 12-9 but would rebound and take Game 2 by a 6-1 final. It was Max Wood (Vancouver, BC) doing the damage in the two games. In Game 1 he would go 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Game 2 would see him go 3-for-3 with a run. Next up was a weekend double header between the two teams. Game 1 would see San Jacinto take a 2-0 decision. Wood would hit a double, knock in a run and steal a base. He would cap his week with a 2-for-3 game with the big hit being a home run.

Robertson’s a run producing machine
Chandler Robertson (Ancaster, Ont.)  would go 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored in Murray State College’s 13-4 Game 1 win over Ellsworth. In Game 2, a 12-10 loss, he would walk twice and turn those free passes into two runs. He would round out his week in Game 4 by reaching base twice, once via a hit and once via a walk.

Vasquez providing the relief
Jose Vasquez (Cambridge, Ont.) would throw 4 2/3 innings of relief for Grayson this past week. He would allow four hits and two earned runs. He would also walk three and strikeout five.

Rainey collects second win
Hugh Rainey (Nanaimo, BC) picked up his second win of the year and improved to 2-0 in Otero College’s win over Adams State. Rainey would go six innings, surrendering three hits, two runs (zero earned), with three walks and eight strikeouts in the final game of the four game set. He lowered his ERA to 0.90.

Jaco no joke for Vernon
Hayden Jaco (Coquitlam, BC) would power Vernon College with a 2-for-3 game with an RBI and a run in their Game 1, 5-2 loss to Clarendon. Vernon would also drop game 2 by the score of 21-14 but it was not for a lack of effort by Jaco as he went 3-for-4 with a walk, five RBIs and two runs scored. The weekend got worse for Vernon as they would drop Game 3 as well 16-9. It was not all bad though as Jaco stayed hot with another 3-for-4 performance that saw him hit a home run, a double, knock in three and score two. He would walk in Vernon’s 9-1 loss to close out their series with Clarendon. They would return to the win column with a 6-2 victory over Wayland Baptist University. In that one he would get a hit, two walks and score a run. They would complete the mini series sweep with a 16-3 decision. Jaco would finish it off with a 2-for-4 day with a pair of walks and a RBI.

Suzuki recognized off the field
It is always nice to see Canadians thriving on the field but it is equally as nice to see them succeed off of it. Yuji Suzuki (Toronto, Ont.) was recently named 1 of 11 recipients of the 7th annual Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction award for his work in the classroom. This honour is given to student-athletes who have a cumulative 3.75 GPA or higher, who are exhausting their eligibility and are on track for graduation. Suzuki will be honoured by the NSCI with a certificate of achievement and a wrist watch. 

It seems as though the list of great performances by Canadians in college baseball keeps getting longer and longer. From coast to coast they continue to make significant impacts for their respective schools. It is an exciting time to be a Canadian college baseball player. Be sure to check back weekly to see who cracks the list of top performers.