BMOC Week XVII: Borman, Gauthier, Grandmont, Jepson, Marks, Quirion
Okotoks Dawgs alum and Bellevue Bruins starter Corey Jackson (Calgary, Alta.) was named the North Star Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year, while also gathering All-Conference First Team Honour. Photo: Bellevue University Athletics/Twitter
May 26, 2021
BMOC Week 17
By Matt Betts
Canadian Baseball Network
It was yet another a busy week on the college baseball scene.
More championships were won and the awards kept flowing in. There’s been no slowing down for some Canadians as they try to guide their teams to glory. It’s wrapped below for your reading pleasure.
Canadians, Indian Hills off to Juco World Series
Four Canadians will accompany the Indian Hills Warriors to the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado. The Warriors won back-to-back contests in the Midwest District Championship against No. 1 Wabash Valley to earn their right to play for the top prize. Pier-Olivier Boucher (Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, Que.), Sam Fortier (Pointe-Claire, Que.), Justin L’Archeveque (Montreal, Que.) and Charles Lefebvre will now have the chance to become national champions.
Boucher collected five hits in the district championship. Fortier came up with three hits for the Warriors on the week.
Lefebvre made two appearances. He picked up the win in the opener of the district championship against Kaskaskia. The right-hander worked 5 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits and struck out seven in the 10-4 win. His next appearance came out of the bullpen when he threw a scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts to close out a 10-4 victory over Wabash to force a winner-take-all final game, which the Warriors won 9-4.
They’ll face Crowder in their first game of the World Series on Saturday.
Cowley’s Canadian headed to Juco World Series
Felix Chenier-Rondeau (Quebec City, Que.) punched four hits, walked three times, drove in two and stole a base as the Cowley Tigers marched to a Plains District championship. Chenier-Rondeau, along with freshman right handed pitcher Olivier Laroque (Quebec City, Que.) are now off to the NJCAA World Series.
Gauthier garners two awards and an All-American Honourable Mention
Right hander Mathieu Gauthier (Candiac, Que.) was named to the All-Lone Star Conference First Team, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-South Central Region First Team and was a NCBWA All-American Honourable Mention. Gauthier was 9-3 with a 3.16 ERA and struck out 89 over 74 innings pitched.
ABC alum Alex Bedard (Levis, Que.), of the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bulldogs, has been named to the NCBWA All-Central Region Team and an NCBWA All-American Honourable Mention. Photo: Southwestern Oklahoma State Athletics
Bedard back in the headlines, named to All-Region Team and an All-American HM
The accolades keep coming in for Alex Bedard (Levis, Que.) of the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bulldogs. Bedard proved to be an all-around player for the Bulldogs by posting a .396 average, 31 stolen bases and a .965 fielding percentage in 2021. His season was so good he was named to the NCBWA All-Central Region Team and an NCBWA All-American Honourable Mention.
Jackson named NSAA Pitcher of the Year, starts twice in final week for Bellevue
Bellevue Bruins starter Corey Jackson (Calgary, Alta.) was named the North Star Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year, while also gathering All-Conference First Team Honours. Jackson went 9-3 with a 2.43 ERA and 176 strikeouts over 111 innings for the Bruins in 2021.
He finally concluded his year last week with a pair of starts. When the postseason rolls around teams need their best players to be just that. Jackson took the ball in Bellevue’s second game of the NAIA Opening Round against Science & Arts and tossed a complete game, nine innings in a 4-2 victory. Jackson surrendered the two runs on six hits with three walks and 16 strikeouts. He was back on the mound against Concordia later in the week and worked six innings in a 7-5 loss. The right-handed horse held the opposition to three runs, five hits and three walks, while he struck out 10. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the loss ended their season.
Marks breaks another record, named conference Pitcher of the Year
Jordan Marks (Brights Grove, Ont.) is the Big South Conference Pitcher of the Year. Marks closed the regular season with a 10-1 record, a 2.01 ERA and 100 strikeouts in 94 innings. He concluded the regular season as the conference’s leader in wins, ERA, innings pitched and was second in strikeouts, and opponent batting average (.219).
His last start was one to remember as he scattered four hits and two runs over six innings as the USC Upstate Spartans defeated the University of North Carolina Asheville 14-4 in Game 1 of their series. Marks walked two and struck out eight to pick up his 10th win of the season. The win brings his career total to 21, which ranks him first all-time in school history. For the fourth time this season, he was named the Big South Conference Pitcher of the Week to along with the Pitcher of the Year honour.
Keller, McKillican guide Grizzlies to NAIA World Series
The season continues for No. 6 Georgia Gwinnett. The Grizzlies went 5-1 in the NAIA Opening Round to punch their ticket to the NAIA World Series. Two Canadians proved to be key factors in the six games.
Griffin Keller (Pilot Butte, Sask.) went 8-for-23 with four home runs for the Griz. Keller walked once, drove in 10, stole a base and was hit by a pitch. He began the week in style with two home runs and six RBIs in a 13-6 victory over Saint Katherine.
Adam McKillican (Comox, BC) was handed the ball in Game 3 versus Westmont. McKillican conceded seven hits and four runs (three earned) in seven innings of work to pick up the win in a 14-4 final. He issued four free passes and struck out five opposition hitters.
The Grizzlies will take on No. 7 Oklahoma Wesleyan in the opening game of the World Series in Lewiston, Idaho.
Eagles set to fly to Idaho
Righty Andrew Grieder (Spruce Grove, Alta.) and utility player Remi Patry (Ange-Gardian, Que.) are off to the NAIA World Series for the Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles. The Eagles posted a 3-1 record in the NAIA Opening Round and beat Indiana Tech 12-4 to clinch their spot in the final eight.
Grieder saw action in a 13-11 loss to Indiana Tech. He provided 4 1/3 innings of relief and allowed two runs on four hits. He struck out five in the outing. The Eagles will take on No. 6 Georgia Gwinnett in Game 1.
Ontario Blue Jays grad Jacob Charron (Ottawa, Ont.) and the No. 17 Keiser Seahawks will be playing in the NAIA World Series after going 3-0 in their NAIA Opening Round tournament. Photo: Keiser University Athletics
Charron, Keiser headed to Lewiston
Jacob Charron (Ottawa, Ont.) and the No. 17 Keiser Seahawks will also be playing in the NAIA World Series after going 3-0 in their NAIA Opening Round tournament. The Seahawks will enter play sporting a 36-16 record. They will see No. 25 LSU Shreveport in Game 1.
Cunningham, Napieralski and LSU Shreveport off to World Series
With four wins in five games, including two wins over Point Park in the championship series, the LSU Shreveport Pilots will navigate their way to Lewiston, Idaho for the NAIA World Series. Hunter Cunningham (Mission, BC) and Owen Napieralski (Delta, BC) will be joining them. They’ll play No. 17 Keiser in the first game.
Reyes-Cruz, Eagles book ticket to NAIA World Series
Tommy Reyes-Cruz (Montreal, Que.) contributed a pair of hits for the Faulkner Eagles in their NAIA Opening Round tournament. They went 3-1, including a 20-10 win over Vanguard to earn their trip to Lewiston, Idaho for the NAIA World Series. It’s the Eagles eighth straight, yes eighth straight, trip to the NAIA World Series. It’ll be a tough test to open things up as they’ll face No. 5 Lewis Clark State in Game 1.
Northwest Nazarene become GNAC champs, Grandmont named to All-Region Team
Northwest Nazarene beat Central Washington 8-2 and 9-3 to earn the Great Northwest Athletic Conference champions last week. Shawn Grandmont (Lethbridge, Alta.) chipped in a hit, two RBIs and a stolen base in the two games. The Nighthawks are now off to the NCAA West Regional this week. To put a cherry on top of a great week, Grandmont was named to the NCBWA All-West Region Team for hitting .329 with nine home runs and a 1.033 OPS.
Great Lake Canadians alum Mat Szabo (Sarnia, Ont.) started for the Angelo State Rams in the Lone Star Conference championship game against Lubbock Christian and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits in five innings while striking out five to lead his team to a win. Photo: Angelo State Athletics
Seginowich, Szabo leads Rams to LSC title
For the fourth time in school history the No. 5 Angelo State Rams are Lone Star Conference champions. Nick Seginowich (Victoria, BC) and Mat Szabo (Sarnia, Ont.) played instrumental roles in bringing home the hardware.
Seginowich had two hits in all three tournament games. He walked twice and drive in three as well.
Szabo got the ball in the championship game against Lubbock Christian and tossed five innings. He gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits with a walk and five punch outs.
Seginowich an LSC honourable mention
Nick Seginowich was also named an All-Lone Star Conference Honourable Mention for his strong season. He’s currently hitting .314 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs.
Ewanik, LeBlanc help Eagles win conference championship
Thanks in part to strong performances from Chris Ewanik (Spruce Grove, Alta.) and David LeBlanc (Beaumont, Alta.) the Husson Eagles were able to claim the North Atlantic Conference championship. They took down SUNY Cobleskill 2-1 in a best-of-three series. Ewanik gathered a pair of hits, while LeBlanc had a trio of knocks.
Quirion picked one of conferences best
Anthony Quirion (Dixville, Que.) has been named to the All-Southland Conference First Team. Quirion, a utility player for the Lamar University Cardinals, hit .282 with 12 home runs, while playing in all 46 of his team’s regular season games.
Okotoks Dawgs alum Graham Brunner (Sherwood Park, Alta.) has been chosen as an All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference First Team selection. Photo: Barton Community College Athletics
Brunner picks up First Team accolade
Left handed pitcher and future Wichita State Shocker Graham Brunner (Sherwood Park, Alta.) was chosen as an All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference First Team selection. Brunner went 7-2 with a 3.84 ERA and 65 strikeouts over 63 1/3 innings for the Barton Community College Cougars. Those punch out numbers equated to 9.24 strikeouts per nine innings.
Peters finishes with .350 average, named to All-MVC team
Six more hits for Tristan Peters (Winkler, Man.) against Dallas Baptist last week brought his total to 70 on the season. During the final game of the regular season Peters hit a solo home run to tie Game 4 in the eighth inning. The Salukis would go on to win 5-3. He concluded the series with the six hits, a walk and three RBIs. The Salukis will now take on Bradley in Game 1 of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament.
The Missouri Valley Conference rewarded his season by naming him to the All-MVC Second Team and the All-Conference Defensive Team. His .350 average goes along with a .995 OPS and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage through 56 games.
Wright named to All-MVC Teams, goes deep three times as Sycamores split
Max Wright (Toronto, Ont.) was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team as the regular season concluded on the weekend. Wright is hitting .319 with 14 home runs, 37 RBIs and a 1.105 OPS. He was also included on the All-MVC Defensive Team. The Lawrence Park High School alum has yet to make an error in 2021.
His bat was a factor in the final series of the regular season as well.
Wright hit a two-run home run for the Indiana State Sycamores in a 14-7, Game 1 win over Evansville. Skip ahead to Game 4, Wright had a three-run home run and then another two-run shot to tie the score at six in a game the Sycamores would go on to win 13-10. On the series, he had six hits, walked three rimes, drove in eight, stole a base and was hit by a pitch.
Borman an All-Region selection
Even though the University of Arkansas Monticello Weevil season is over, Dylan Borman (Camrose, Alta.) is still making news. Borman was named to the National Collegiate Athletic Writers Association All-Central Region Team. He hit .338, smashed 16 home runs, drove in 40 and posted a .399 on-base percentage to go with a .772 slugging percentage.
Black gets All-Conference nod, fuels Raider offence in sweep
Five Wright State Raiders received conference accolades this week and one was a familiar Canadian. Tyler Black (Toronto, Ont.) was named to the All-Horizon League First Team. Wright hit .379 with nine home runs, 47 RBIs, a .502 on-base percentage and a .640 slugging percentage in 43 games.
Let’s take a look at how he did more recently.
Three games remained on the Raiders schedule before the Horizon League Tournament and Black took full advantage of them. Black manufactured a 2-for-5 game with a stolen base in a 6-2, Game 1 win over the University of Charleston. He was even better in Game 2, as he provided a 3-for-4 effort with a walk and a RBI in a 9-2 win. To help the Raiders to the sweep, he accrued a hit, a RBI and was hit by a pitch.
Okotoks Dawgs alum Tyler McWillie (Waltrous, Sask.) hit .375 for the Colby Community College Trojans this season, while also hurling 53 1/3 innings and posting a 4-3 record on the mound. Photo: Okotoks Dawgs
Four of Colby’s Canadians net KJCCC honours
Tyler McWillie (Waltrous, Sask.) and John Vulcano (Cloverdale, BC) were named to the All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Second Team, while Brayden Cust (Edmonton, Alta.) and Cleary Simpson (Red Deer, Alta.) were All-KJCCC Honourable Mentions.
McWillie hit .375 on the offensive side for the Trojans. On the mound he was 4-3 record and hurled 53 1/3 innings.
Vulcano also posted a .375 average with 13 home runs and a .713 slugging percentage.
Cust had a batting average of .368 and launched 8 long balls. He also swiped 17 bases in 18 attempts.
Simpson accumulated 47 hits, which was good for a .338 average.
Jepson gets on Second Team
The University of Texas at Tyler’s Riley Jepson (Kamloops, BC) was named to the All-Lone Star Conference Second Team after posting a team leading .353 average in 2021. Jepson hit five home runs, drove in 40, had a .991 OPS and stole nine bases in 10 attempts.
Moretto makes Second Team
Steven Moretto (Coquitlam, BC) is a member of the All-Western Athletic Conference Second Team. Moretto batted .270 with 48 hits, eight home runs and a .522 slugging percentage for the Sacramento State Hornets.
Victoria Eagles grad Tyler Duncan (Sooke, BC), of Arkansas State, has been named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team. Photo: Arkansas State Athletics
Duncan a Sun Belt Second Teamer
The Sun Belt Conference came out with their All-Conference Teams and Arkansas State’s Tyler Duncan (Sooke, BC) was among those selected. Duncan owned a .300 average, belted 10 home runs, drove in 52 and had 102 total bases, which was good enough to be named to the All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team.
Machibroda recognized for glove, swings big bat in LSC tournament
Nolan Machibroda (Saskatoon, Sask.) was slick in the field at first base in 2021 and completed the season with a .993 fielding percentage. His stellar fielding landed him on the Lone Star Conference All-Defensive Team.
Not just a defensive specialist, Machibroda brought his bat to play in the conference tournament. He amassed six hits, a walk and nine RBIs over four games. Three of his hits left the yard, including a pair in a win over St. Edwards. The Chaparrals made it all the way to the championship game where they fell to No. 5 Angelo State.
Carlin, Grant, Kush push Griffs past Marist
It took all three games but the Canisius Golden Griffins are moving on in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament after winning their best-of-three series with Marist. Dick Carlin (Abbotsford, BC), Max Grant (Fredericton, NB) and Kyle Kush (Guelph, Ont.) all had good series for the Griffs.
Carlin has six hits, three walks and three RBIs. One of his hits was a solo home run in an 8-3 win in Game 1.
Grant helped out with five hits, two walks, a RBI and a hit by pitch.
Kush meanwhile collected six hits, two walks and two RBIs. He went 3-for-4 with a walk in the Game 1 victory.
Grant named to Second Team
After being named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team, Max Grant was also named to the All-MAAC Second Team. Currently, Grant is leading the team in average at .365 and owns a .500 on-base percentage and a .432 slugging percentage.
Team Saskatchewan and Regina Red Sox alum Dylan Bells (Regina, Sask.) helped the St. Mary’s Rattlers beat St. Edward’s 5-3 in the Lone Star Conference tournament. He scattered nine hits and allowed just two runs in his start to improve to 8-1. Photo: St. Mary’s University Athletics
Bells earns win against St. Edwards, named to All-Tournament Team
Seven innings of work from Dylan Bells (Regina, Sask.) helped the St. Mary’s Rattlers beat St. Edward’s 5-3 in the Lone Star Conference tournament. Bells scattered nine hits and two runs to improve to 8-1. He also struck out a pair of Hilltopper hitters. For his good start, he was named to the Lone Star Conference All-Tournament Team.
Lussier named an Honourable Mention
Jordan Lussier (Winnipeg, Man.) completed the regular season 6-3 with a 4.19 ERA in 14 appearances, 13 of which were starts. Those numbers got the attention of the Missouri Valley Conference as they selected him as an All-MVC Honourable Mention.
Hewitt among Big 12’s best
Senior Max Hewitt (Midhurst, Ont.) made the most of his final college regular season. Hewitt had a .275 average with 49 hits and 40 RBIs in 48 games played. Of the 48 games he played in, he started 44 of them. The Big 12 Conference recognized his play by naming him an All-Big 12 Conference Honourable Mention.
Camacho-Soto a conference Honourable Mention for Cloud County
Williams Camacho-Soto (Burnaby, BC) put together a season that featured a .338 average, a .429 on-base percentage and a .526 slugging percentage. For his efforts, Camacho-Soto was named an All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Honourable Mention.
Ontario Blue Jays and Team Ontario alum David McCabe hit .352 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs in 32 games in his freshman season for Charlotte. Photo: Charlotte Athletics
McCabe crushes baseballs as Charlotte wins series, named Hitter of the Week
In the final series of the regular season for No. 16 Charlotte, David McCabe put a bow on a very good regular season. McCabe collected a hit in a 6-2, Game 1 loss to the University of North Carolina Wilmington. He went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in a 6-5 win in Game 2 for the 49ers. In the finale, McCabe launched a two-run home run to open the scoring in the first, then hit another two-run blast later in the game to help his side to a 15-14 win. He closed the game with three hits total and added a walk. The former Ontario Blue Jay had a great freshman season as he hit .352 with 12 home runs and 32 RBIs in 32 games played. For his work in the batter’s box he was named the Conference USA Hitter of the Week.
Bourassa throws well but Dons downed by Zags
Landen Bourassa (Lethbridge, Alta.) allowed three runs on eight hits over seven innings for the University of San Francisco in their 3-2 series opening loss to No. 17 Gonzaga. Bourassa, a staple in the Dons rotation this season, walked one and struck out three.
Irvine throws a gem
Connor Irvine (Victoria, BC) threw a complete game, nine innings in Lassen’s 6-1 win over Shasta. Irvine surrendered the one run on four hits and struck out seven.
Three multi-hit games for Colby’s Simpson
The season is in the books for the Colby Trojans. They lost 10-7 to Butler, beat Kansas City Kansas 10-2, before losing again to Butler 12-11 to be eliminated from the Plains District Tournament. Cleary Simpson (Red Deer County, Alta.) was a standout for the Trojans during the three games. Simpson was 2-for-4 in every game and also walked, drove in three and stole a base on the week. He hit a solo home run in the seventh of the third game to bring the score to 12-11 but it was as close as the Trojans would get.
Okotoks Dawgs grad Cole Tucker (Mount Pearl, Nfld.) was 4-for-8 with three RBIs and a hit by pitch in the Niagara Purple Eagles best-of-three MAAC tournament series with Rider. Photo: Niagara Athletics
Tucker hits .500 in final two games
Cole Tucker (Mount Pearl, Nfld.) was 4-for-8 with three RBIs and a hit by pitch in the Niagara Purple Eagles best-of-three MAAC tournament series with Rider. Tucker hit a solo home run in an 8-5 loss in Game 2, which eliminated the Purple Eagles after they dropped Game 1 by a 12-4 score.
Willow wallops UC Riverside pitchers
Jason Willow (Victoria, BC) doubled in all four games of the University of California Santa Barbara sweep of the University of California Riverside. Willow was 2-for-5 with a stolen base in a 7-3 win in Game 1. He had a hit, a walk and two RBIs in a 14-3, Game 2 victory. His most impressive performance came in a 12-0 triumph in Game 3 when he wound up going 4-for-5 with a solo home run, two RBIs and a stolen base. To close out the sweep, he legged out a double and a triple. He drove in four in the 10-6 win.
Warkentin closes series with four hits
It was east versus central in Mid-American Conference action, or MACtion if you will, last weekend. Daniel Warkentin (Leamington, Ont.) and Eastern Michigan dropped three of four, but Warkentin played well on an individual level in Games 3 and 4. He hit a solo home run and produced a 3-for-3 effort in a 4-2 win in the third game. The Eagles dropped the final game of the series 8-4 but the former Great Lakes Canadian swatted a hit.
Turcotte beats Binghamton, Seawolves set for America East Conference Tournament
Sam Turcotte (Toronto, Ont.) spun five innings and gave up one run on four hits to aid the Stony Brook Seawolves in a 6-3 win over Binghamton to close out the regular season. Turcotte, who with the win is now 6-3, walked four and struck out five. He finishes the regular season with a 2.53 ERA. Next up for the Seawolves is a date with the Maine Black Bears in Game 1 of the America East Conference Tournament.
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Some teams are still alive, some are going home. If you like drama filled competition, then pay attention to the college baseball schedule over the coming weeks. All the action will be recapped right here in the BMOC every Wednesday.
Do you know someone deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column? Please email Matt Betts at mattbetts41@gmail.com. Please note our week runs Monday-Sunday.
Looking for even more coverage of Canadians in college baseball? Follow Matt Betts on Twitter at @Bettsy41.