BMOC Week 1: Hinrikus, Leroux, Murchison, Wilkinson, Yusypchuk

Okotoks Dawgs alum Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, BC) allowed just one run and struck out nine in five innings in his Opening Day start for the Central Arizona Vaqueros. Photo: Scott Crabtree

February 1, 2023

BMOC Week 1

By: Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

We’re back. It’s been 220 days since the Ole Miss Rebels beat Terriers grad Ben Abram (Georgetown, Ont.) and the Oklahoma Sooners to win the 2023 Division I College World Series. While the DI season is still a few weeks away, other levels of college baseball got underway this past week. Let’s take a look at the top performances from Canadians.

Toronto Mets grad INF Brando Leroux (Markham, Ont.) had an 11-RBI weekend for Bossier Parish.

Leroux launches three long balls

Three home runs and 11 RBIs makes for a pretty good week’s worth of games. Except Bossier Parish’s Brando Leroux (Markham, Ont.) was able to do it in a doubleheader. Leroux had two home runs, a walk and four RBIs in a 17-11 win over Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. In the back half of the double dip he collected two more hits, another home run, a walk and drove in seven.

Wilkinson gets Opening Day nod

The Central Arizona Vaqueros handed the ball to lefty Matt Wilkinson (Ladner, BC) to open the season against Southern Nevada. Wilkinson delivered five innings and allowed one run on three hits with a walk and nine strikeouts.

Terriers alum Matt Brown (Oakville, Ont.) allowed three runs in five innings in his Opening Day start for St. Petersburg College. Photo: Ontario Terriers Facebook

Brown goes five on Opening Day

Former Terrier Matt Brown (Oakville, Ont.) made the Opening Day start for St. Petersburg College. Brown surrendered three runs on five hits over five innings in a 3-2 loss to Seminole State College of Florida. The uncommitted sophomore walked two and struck out four.

Okotoks Dawgs grad RHP Andrew Yusypchuk (St. Albert, Alta.) allowed one hit in five innings in his season debut for the Chandler-Gilbert Coyotes.

Yusypchuk picks up Opening Day win

Wilkinson and Brown weren’t the only Canucks to make Opening Day starts. Andrew Yusypchuk (St. Albert, Alta.) got the ball for Chandler-Gilbert and scattered four hits and an unearned run over five innings in an 11-1 victory over GCU Club. He issued one walk and punched out four.

Hinrikus starts season on four-game hit streak

Tony Hinrikus (Waterloo, Ont.) will enter Week 2 of the season riding a four-game hit streak after getting a knock in all of St. Johns River State College’s wins against Abraham Baldwin. Hinrikus finished the series with seven hits, two walks, four RBIs and a stolen base. He went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base in a 13-3 Game 3 win.

Ontario Prospects grad Eric Murchison (Stouffville, Ont.) had a debut: a win and four wins.

Murchison picks up four hits and a win

Canadian dual players were on full display over the weekend. Eric Murchison (Stouffville, Ont.) joined Robin Villeneuve by collecting four hits and a win on the mound for the West Valley Vikings. Murchison hit a solo home run, walked twice and drove in two in a 19-6 Game 1 win over American River. Game 2 saw him record a hit and steal a base in a 3-2 win. In the finale, a 10-5 win to secure the sweep, he threw five scoreless innings and surrendered two hits, issued two walks and struck out eight. For good measure, he added a hit in the game.

Pankratz a single shy of the cycle

Game 3 of San Diego Christian’s series with La Sierra was the best for the team and for Tre Pankratz (Abbotsford, BC) as they avoided the sweep with a 15-2 win and the Canadian had a walk, a double, a triple and a two-run home run. In the first two games, he stroked three hits, walked once, drove in three and stole a pair of bases.

Langley Blaze alum Haiden Letzing (Surrey, BC) had four hits for Ventura in a three-game series to begin their season. Photo: Twitter

Letzing laces four hits

Haiden Letzing (Surrey, BC) got off to a good personal start for Ventura, despite his team being swept in a three-game series by San Joaquin Delta. Letzing went 3-for-6 with a RBI in the opener, had a hit in Game 2 and drove in a run in the final game.

Mid-Island Pirates grad Matt Schure (Salt Springs Island, BC) stole four bags and had for hits for Lassen.

Schure a sure thing for Lassen

Not only did Matt Schure (Salt Springs Island, BC) have four hits in Lassen’s three-game set with Hartnell, he swiped four bases. He added three walks and a pair of RBI to his weekend total.

It feels good to be back. As the weeks pass more Canadians will be hitting the field to begin their college seasons. Check back here each week for all the highlights.

Villeneuve does it all for Weatherford

Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, Que.) wasted no time getting acclimated to the new season. His campaign started with two hits, one of which was a home run, a walk and three RBIs in Weatherford College’s 8-1 Game 1 win over Blinn. He made up for being held hitless in a 12-2 Game 2 loss in a big way in Game 3. At the plate, he went 2-for-4 with another home run, a walk and two RBI. To help secure the series victory he picked up the win on the mound with 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He walked one and punched out two.

Do you know of a player deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column? Email Matt Betts at mattbetts@canadianbaseballnetwork.com. Please note that our week runs Monday-Sunday.

Be sure to follow Matt Betts at @Bettsy41 for extensive Canadian baseball coverage all season long.