Langley Blaze grad Ryan Beitel (Surrey, BC) started and tossed five no-hit innings for UBC on Friday to lead the Thunderbirds to 9-3 win over Ave Maria. Photo: UBC Athletics

February 4, 2025

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

More college teams got their seasons going over the past week, meaning even more Canadians hit the field.

Let’s take a look at the top performers from Jan. 27 to Feb. 1.

UBC starts 1-3

It was a tough start to the season for the University of British Columbia, both with their schedule and the results.

Currently on a trip through Florida to open the campaign, the Thunderbirds lost their opener 9-6 to NAIA No. 1 Tennessee Wesleyan. They then fell 6-1 in their second game against No. 11 Southeastern. Their first win of the season came in Game 3, a 9-3 victory over Ave Maria, before they dropped a 6-4 game to St. Thomas who had received votes for the Top 25.

Ryan Beitel (Surrey, BC) was on the mound in their victory, throwing five scoreless, hitless innings. He walked one and struck out eight.

Daniel Orfaly (White Rock, BC) was strong in relief against St. Thomas, working five innings and allowing one run on one hit. He issued three walks and fanned six.

Kellen Bourne (Calgary, Alta.) performed well on the mound and in the batter’s box. Bourne threw two innings of relief and gave up one run on three hits against Southeastern. He walked two and struck out two. With the bat, he had four hits and five RBIs, including a 3-for-5 game with three RBIs against Ave Maria.

Irvine, Mercado pitch Weevils to win

The University of Arkansas at Monticello Weevils hit the field at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, home of the Astros, to open their season over the weekend.

It was Connor Irvine (Victoria, BC) who got the ball in the opener and he threw six innings. He surrendered one run on six hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts to pick up the win in a 3-2 victory over Mississippi College.

Nelson Mercado (Brampton, Ont.) came on in relief to toss two scoreless innings. The former Ontario Blue Jay walked one and punched out two as he earned his first save of the season. Two games later, Mercado was back out on the mound working 1 1/3 scoreless innings in a 6-5 loss to Ashland. He once again walked one and struck out two.

McHarg backs Preseason All-American nod

Just days after being tabbed a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason First Team All American, Washburn University outfielder Payton McHarg (Saskatoon, Sask.) showed exactly why he was worthy of the honour. McHarg pounded out seven hits, walked once, drove in four and stole a base in four games. He went 3-for-6 with a solo home run and two RBIs in Washburn’s only victory, a 17-7 win over Henderson State.

Okotoks Dawgs alum Daegen Morcom (Winnipeg, Man.) had a two-homer game for Valley State. Photo: Valley State Athletics

Morcom, Pero slap hits for Valley City State

Daegen Morcom (Winnipeg, Man.) and Cam Pero (Lashburn, Sask.) both had a pair of hits as Valley City State took both games in their two-game set against Dakota Wesleyan. Morcom’s hits were home runs, a solo and three-run shot, and he finished with a walk, four RBIs and was hit by a pitch in the games.

Pero, meanwhile, also contributed two walks, an RBI and a stolen base.

Vanneste very good

Azusa Pacific pitchers are glad they don’t have to face Cal State San Bernadino’s Tyler Vanneste (Warman, Sask.) anymore after he collected seven hits, three walks, nine RBIs and a stolen base in a 2-1 series win. His best game came in the finale when he had four hits, including home run, a walk, four RBIs and the stolen base. His home run was a two-run shot that came in the bottom of the eighth and proved to be the difference in a 13-12 victory.

Anderson, Dionne hit for Howard

Two Canadians chipped in offensively for Howard College as they took two of three from Eastern Oklahoma State.

Louis Felix Anderson (Montreal, Que.) hit two home runs and drove in four in a 12-7 Game 3 loss. He walked twice in the opener.

Dionne also flexed his power with a three home run game during a 13-11 Game 2 victory. All told, he finished with four hits, a walk and eight RBIs.

Gray with seven hits

Kai Gray (Oak Bay, BC) had seven hits, four walks, six RBIs and was hit by a pitch as Missouri Baptist split four games. One of his hits was a solo home run in a 5-3 loss to The Master’s University.

ABC grad Tommy Caya (Gatineau, Que.) had nine hits in five games for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Photo: NEO Athletics

Caya comes through for NEO

Catcher Tommy Caya (Gatineau, Que.) was busy for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, collecting nine hits, a walk, five RBIs and two stolen bases in five games.

Gagnon goes deep

Matys Gagnon (Montreal, Que.) swatted a solo home run as Southwestern Christian defeated Dallas Christian 31-10 in Game 2 of their four-game series. In the other three games, Gagnon had two hits, two walks and two RBIs. The Eagles swept the series thanks to scoring 64 runs.

Howard secures sweep

With two wins already in their back pocket, Young Harris College turned to Drew Howard (Whitby, Ont.) on the mound to get them their third against Auburn University Montgomery. Howard spun five scoreless innings as the Mountain Lions finished off the sweep with an 11-4 win. The former Toronto Met allowed four hits, walked three and struck out two.

Hamilton can hit, Hamilton can run

Ty Hamilton (Cumberland, Ont.) was all over the boxscore for NJCAA Division I No. 4 Florida Southwestern College last week. He had seven hits, two walks, five RBIs and five stolen bases. In a 15-4 win over Palm Beach State, he went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two stolen bases. He also played hero in a pair of back-to-back wins over Chattahoochee Valley, hitting walk off singles.

Fujie hits two home runs

Yosuke Fujie (Mission, BC) left the yard twice for Campbellsville University, a solo and two-run shot, in their 13-7 Game 4 victory over Talladega College. In the four-game series, he had four hits and four RBI.

Badlands Baseball Academy alum Max Benton (Clyde River, PEI) earned a complete-game win for William Woods. Photo: William Woods Athletics

Benton and McWhirter help William Woods to split

Max Benton (Clyde River, PEI) and Jacob McWhirter (Guelph, Ont.) both contributed for William Woods in their four-game split with Blue Mountain Christian.

Benton picked up the win in Game 3 thanks to a complete game, seven-inning effort. He allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

McWhirter had three hits, three walks, four RBIs and was hit by a pitch. He hit a home run to back Benton in Game 3.

Thibodeau hits two-run home run to lead Tigers

The University of West Alabama got their season underway with a 2-1 series loss to Columbus State. Nick Thibodeau (Burlington, Ont.) went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and two walks as the Tigers erased a five-run deficit for their first win in Game 2. He also walked in Game 1 and had a hit in Game 3.

Krawchuk throws no-no

It’s hard to argue that anyone had a better week than Carter Krawchuk. Krawchuk threw a seven-inning no-hitter to lead Seminole State College of Florida to a 7-0 Game 2 win over Tallahassee State College. He walked three and struck out eight.

That’s a wrap for the second week of the BMOC but there’s more to come.

Check back seven days from now for all the Canadian college baseball highlights.

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.

BMOC Week II: Bourne, Dionne, Gray, Hamilton, Irvine, McHarg, Vanneste