BMOC IX: Bouchey, Dimitroff, Janisse, Lumley, Osborne

BMOC Week 9
By Matt Betts
Canadian Baseball Network    
It was another exciting week for Canadians on the diamond. This week was topped by a no-hitter to go along with several other stellar performances. Here are the highlights from the last week in the world of college baseball.

Janisse tosses no-no
It was a week to remember for Skylar Janisse (Maidstone, Ont.) He would get it all started by picking up his third win of the season by going five solid innings against Arlington Baptist. He would allow six hits, three runs (two earned) with a walk and eight strikeouts. A lot of pitchers would be pretty satisfied with a performance like that, not Janisse. He would top that outing by throwing a no-hitter later in the week against Mid America Christian. In the seven inning affair he would only walk two while striking out five. He upped his record to 4-2 on the year and currently holds a 4.23 ERA over seven starts. Janisse would be named Sooner Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Robinson ripping the cover off the ball
It was a 3-for-5 day that included a home run and an additional run scored for Mitchell Robinson (Surrey, BC) in Central Arizona’s only loss of the week to GateWay. The Vaqueros would get their revenge the next game by topping GateWay 8-6. In that one Robinson would go 2-for-4 with a run scored. He would collect another hit, a RBI and a run in a 12-9 win over Mesa. He would also swipe a base in the victory. He would finish his week with another hit and run scored in Central Arizona’s 12-5 win over Mesa.

Bouchey named Pitcher of the Week
It was a good week to be a fan of Canadian pitching. Brayden Bouchey (White Rock, BC) would be the tough luck loser in the University of Louisiana Monroe Warhawks 5-4 loss to Appalachian State. Bouchey would do everything he could to get his team a win by going seven innings, with just one hit allowed. He would surrender two runs (one earned) with two walks and 12 punch outs. He retired the first seven hitters he faced in the contest, six of which were via the strikeout. This performance was good enough to earn Bouchey Sunbelt Conference Pitcher of the Week honours.

UBC bounces back
After being swept by the College of Idaho, the University of British Columbia would do some sweeping themselves this past week. It was the Oregon Tech Owls taking the brunt of the T-Birds frustrations this time. In Game 1 the T-Birds would outlast their feathered foes 2-1 in 10 innings. Bruce Yari (Waterloo, Ont.) would triple in that one but it was the pitchers stealing the spotlight. Alex Webb (Surrey, BC) was back to his dominant self as he went eight innings, scattering four hits and allowing the lone Oregon Tech run. He would not surrender a free pass and would strikeout 11. Jeremy Newton (Toronto, Ont.) would pick up the win in relief by going two innings without allowing a hit, a run or a walk. He would strikeout two while improving his record to 2-3.
Game 2 was never really close and ended after seven in an 11-1 UBC win. Yari would go 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs while Anthony Olson (Edmonton, Alta.) would collect three hits with two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base. Curtis Taylor (Port Coquitlam, BC) would provide the strong start in this one. He would go the distance with just three hits allowed, an unearned run with a walk and six strikeouts.
Game 3 wasn’t any more enjoyable for Oregon Tech as UBC stormed to a 7-0 win and the sweep. Yari would smack a couple hits including a triple while driving in two. Connor Noble (Vancouver, BC), not wanting to be outdone by his fellow pitchers, would pick up the win going seven scoreless innings. He would give up just three hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Procopio helps propel Purple Eagles
The Niagara Purple Eagles would collect three wins against a loss and a tie over the past week. Daniel Procopio (Toronto, Ont.) would get the start against St. Bonaventure in a midweek clash. He would toss two innings allowing a hit and a run with a walk. Niagara would go on to win the game 4-3, using a total of four pitchers. He would get another start over the weekend in Niagara’s opening conference series. He would go 4 2/3 innings this time, allowing three hits, no runs with four walks and five strikeouts.

Kirwer kickstarting Niagara
Tanner Kirwer (Sherwood Park, Alta.) would get his week going during a 1-1 tie with St. Bonaventure. He would go 2-for-4 with a RBI in the game. He would also wreak havoc on the base paths with two stolen bases. He would keep it going against Siena. In Niagara’s Game 1, 8-4 win, he would have two hits, one of which was a solo shot, with a total of three runs scored. He would steal base in Niagara’s 8-0 Game 2 loss. He would close out the series with a 3-for-5 game with a run scored. 

Stroud strong
It was a solid pair of appearances for Liam Stroud (Maple Ridge, BC) this past week. His first appearance would be in Niagara’s 4-3 win over St. Bonaventure. He would help his team by going three innings, surrendering just a hit with no runs or walks and a strikeout. He would pick up his first win of the year in Game 3 of their series with Siena. He would go 2 1/3 innings, allowing a hit and a run with two walks given up and three strikeouts. It was a solid start for Niagara especially considering they opened conference play on the road. Next up is a date with St. Peter’s for three games.

Osborne outstanding for stumbling Spartans
The University of Tampa Spartans have won just two of their past seven but that hasn’t stopped J.D. Osborne (Whitby, Ont.) from swinging a hot stick. He would have a solid day at the plate in a midweek contest with Valdosta State. He would go 2-for-3 with a home run, a double and a walk. All-in-all he would finish with three RBIs and three runs scored. Next up was a weekend series with fellow Canadian Liam Goodall (Nanaimo, BC) and the Embry-Riddle Eagles. In Game 1, a 14-10 Tampa win, Osborne would go 3-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and a run scored. Embry-Riddle would edge the Spartans in Game 2 by a 8-7 score. Osborne would hit a double as one of his two hits in the game. He would also walk and score a run. They would lose a tough 11-10, 10 inning game against the Eagles in Game 3. Osborne would again have two hits with another double. He would also walk, knock in two and score one himself. So far this season Osborne is hitting .380 with five home runs, 21 RBIs and 21 runs scored in 20 games played. Next up the Spartans will try to turn things around against in-state rival Florida Tech.

Speaking of Goodall
J.D. Osborne wasn’t the only Canadian to have good games in the Tampa versus Embry-Riddle series. Liam Goodall would go 3-for-5 with a double, walk, RBI and two runs scored in the opener. He would have two hits and cross the plate twice in Game 2. Then he would swat a double, be hit by a pitch, record two RBIs and a run scored in the finale. Embry-Riddle is now 20-11 overall and 7-8 in Sunshine State Conference play.

Suzuki saving the day
Yuji Suzuki (Toronto, Ont.) would record two more saves over the weekend for Concordia St. Paul. His first would come in the series opener against Bemidji State. He would throw an inning with a hit, a run, two walks and a strikeout to close out the 10-8 win. His second would be in Game 4, an 4-3 Golden Bears win. He would have a cleaner line in that one as he tossed an inning with no hits, runs or walks while he struck out one. It was Suzuki’s 3rd and 4th saves on the year.

Ianni’s first collegiate start
It’s hard to miss Matt Ianni (Ottawa, Ont.) when you are taking in a Northern Kentucky baseball game. First off, he has a repertoire capable of shutting down college hitters. Combine that with his 6-foot-8 frame and that is one intimidating pitcher. He would get his first collegiate start last week for NKU against Northwestern. He would go four innings, allowing just two hits and a run. He would walk two and strikeout five before exiting. He had one other relief appearance on the year before the start.

Ledger trying to lead Norse
Connor Ledger (Toronto, Ont.) would go 2-for-5 with a run scored in Northern Kentucky’s 6-3 series opening loss to Oakland University. In Game 1 of a doubleheader Saturday he would record a hit, NKU would drop that one 6-1. The Norse would drop Game 3, 12-4 in the backend of the doubleheader. Ledger would again record a hit and he now has a hit in his last seven games.

Lumley leading by example
It was four wins in four tries for head coach Mike McRae (Niagara Falls, Ont.) and his Canisius College Golden Griffins. Jake Lumley would reach base four times in a 9-5 midweek win versus the University of Buffalo. He would have two hits and two walks in that one. St. Peter’s would provide the opposition on the weekend and Canisius would sneak out an 8-7, 11 inning win in Game 1. Lumley would go an impressive 4-for-6 with a RBI and two runs scored. Game 2 would see Canisius dominate and end up with a 9-0 win. Lumley would have a hit, a walk and a run scored in the second game of the series. In Game 3, an 11-7 win, he would go 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk. He would finish the game with four RBIs and three runs scored. Lumley currently leads Canisius with a .319 average.

Remillard racks up two appearances
Iannick Remillard (Valleyfield, Que.) would have two appearances over the course of the week for Canisius College. The first would be a short but successful one as he would go 2/3 of an inning with a strikeout. He would be relied upon heavier in his second appearance as he pick up the win, improving his record to 1-0. It was two innings pitched without surrendering a hit in that one. Nobody would score although he walked one.

Wilson collects hits in all four
Liam Wilson (Ayr, Ont.) is seeing his play at the plate continue to trend upward for Canisius. He would record a hit and draw a walk while scoring two runs against Buffalo. He would then have two hits with a RBI in his teams series opener against St. Peter’s. He would have another hit and RBI in Game 2 and have a hit, RBI and a run scored in Game 3.

Stevenson stellar as Griffs down Peacocks
J.P. Stevenson would improve his record to 2-4 with a win over St. Peter’s. He would throw a complete game, seven innings, scattering six hits while not allowing a run. He would not walk a hitter and would strikeout eight. He holds a 4.06 ERA on the year.

Holgate, Tigers continue winning ways
The week would start for the University of West Alabama Tigers with a 16-6 pounding of Miles College at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, AL. Mitch Holgate (Windsor, Ont.) would go 2-for-5 with two runs and a stolen base against the Golden Bears on the same field that Babe Ruth, Rogers Hornsby and Dizzy Dean among legends once played. It was back to Livingston, AL after the game for a home weekend conference series against Union. Holgate would hit a two run tater in the opener, a 10-2 UWA win. In Game 2, Holgate would have a hit and a stolen base in the 3-1 win. He would go 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a stolen base in the 9-1 win to secure the sweep. 
Going back another week, when Holgate tripled against the University of North Alabama Lions the week previous he became the all-time leader in triples at the University of West Alabama with 14. 
He currently leads the team in average at a .389 clip with nine home runs, 29 RBIs, 36 runs and is 14-for-15 in stolen base attempts through 31 games, all starts.

Canadians at Seminole State (OK) back at it
Louis-Philippe Pelletier (Montreal, Que.) and Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) would causing a headache for opposing pitchers this past week. They got things started in a 15-5 win over Hutchinson. Pelletier would go 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored while Toro was 2-for-4 with a home run, a RBI and three runs in total. Next up was a 12-7 win over Hutchinson. In that one Pelletier had a hit and a walk while crossing the plate. Toro would launch his second home run of the week with two walks on his way to two RBIs and a run scored in the win. Western Oklahoma would then get the best of Seminole State (OK) as they handed them a 14-9 loss. Pelletier would have a 2-for-5 day with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored. Toro would end his weekend with a hit, a walk, a run and a stolen base for good measure. 

Dimitroff with three multi-hit games
Anytime someone has a multi-hit game it’s usually a pretty good day. Well how about three of them? Oh and another game with a single hit. That is the weekend Bryce Dimitroff (Burlington, Ont.) had for the Cowboys of Connors State. He would get the first of his multi-hit games in their first game of the week against Southwest Christian, a 14-2 win. Both of his hits were doubles and he also scored twice. In a second game against Southwest Christian, an 11-0 win, Dimitroff would have his only game with one hit. The funny part about it is that the hit was a triple, he also walked, had two RBIs and two runs scored. The next two games were clashes with Arkansas Tech University, both of which Connors State would lose. In the first one, a 3-2 final, Dimitroff went 2-for-4 with a run scored. He would round out his good weekend with two hits and another run scored in an 11-10 loss. Dimitroff finished with seven hits, a walk, two RBIs and six runs scored on the week.

Zarley zaps Gannon University JV
It was 5 hits in two games for Niagara County Community College’s Zarley Cina (Kitchener, Ont.) against the Gannon University JV’s. He would go 2-for-3 in the first game with three RBIs, a 10-0 Niagara County win. In the second he go 3-for-3 with a walk in a NCCC 4-2 win

Update on Quantrill
According to Hudson Belinsky of Baseball America there are a lot of rumours swirling about Cal Quantrill, his return and the draft. Belinsky believes it is unlikely Quantrill will pitch in games before the draft, although the possibility still remains open. It seems more likely he will throw bullpens for teams as the draft nears.

Each week is just as exciting as far as Canadians in college baseball are concerned. This week was filled with performances that turned heads. Make sure to check back as we recap week 10 of the BMOC next week.

If you know of someone who is deserving of a mention in this weekly column please email Matt Betts @ mattbetts41@gmail.com