BMOC Wk 6: Brunner, Manby, Mendham, Offman, Okawa, Vickers

Toronto Mets alum RHP Jonah Offman (Thornhill, Ont.) went six strong innings for John Hopkins in their 6-1 win over Plymouth State. He gave up five hits, one run with three walks and six strikeouts. Photo: John Hopkins Athletics

BMOC Week 6

March 19, 2020

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

It appears this is the end, for 2020 anyway. Usually by week six of the BMOC, we haven’t even reached the midway point of the season. Check out the recap below that wraps the final week of the college baseball season.

Brunner brilliant in win over Colby

Graham Brunner (Sherwood Park, Alta.) didn't need any help on the mound as he led Barton Community College to a convincing 12-1 win over Colby. Brunner tossed a complete game, seven innings. He allowed three hits, the one run, walked three and punched out 13. He finished the abbreviated season 4-0 with a 1.78 ERA.

Canadians strong at Colby

Four Canadians were doing big things for Colby Community College last week. Brayden Cust (Edmonton, Alta.) went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs in a 19-4 win over Barton. He then had a hit in a 12-1 loss to Barton. John Vulcano (Cloverdale, BC) also homered twice in Game 1 against Barton, while Zach Olson (Red Deer, Alta.) also launched a home run in that win. Tucker Zdunich (High River, Alta.) went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in the win over Barton, yes four Canadians homered in that game. Zdunich had a hit and a RBI in the loss to Barton to end the year.

Offman beats Plymouth State

Jonah Offman (Thornhill, Ont.) went six strong innings for John Hopkins in their 6-1 win over Plymouth State. He gave up five hits, one run with three walks and six strikeouts.

Ontario Nationals alum David Mendham (Dorchester, Ont.) finished the 2020 collegiate with a .493 average with four home runs and 26 RBIs in 21 games played for the Connors State Cowboys. Photo: Connors State Athletics

Mendham finishes strong

To say David Mendham (Dorchester, Ont.) was having a good season would be an understatement. Last week he played in two games and in the first went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two stolen bases in a 16-4 win over Oklahoma Wesleyan. In the second game, a 10-9 loss to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, he collected two hits, one of which was a solo home run. The left handed slugger finishes 2020 with a .493 average with four home runs and 26 RBIs in 21 games played.

Cloud County filled with Canadian content

There were four Canadians who had a significant impacts in Cloud County’s 2-1 week. Josh Laukkanen (Nanaimo, BC) was handed the loss after throwing six innings in a 6-3 defeat at the hands of Butler Community College. Laukkanen gave up four runs (three earned) on eight hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. He also had four hits, two walks and three RBIs on the offensive side.

The T-Birds got back at Butler with an 11-1 win in the rematch. Evan Wilde (Airdrie, Alta.) got the start in that one and lasted four innings. He surrendered three hits and one run with two walks and four strikeouts. Joseph Karall (St. Albert, Alta.) came on in relief and picked up the win with three hitless, scoreless innings. Karall had four strikeouts during the outing. Clayton Loranger (Edmonton, Alta.) was in the lineup for all three T-Birds games last week. In a 15-6 win over the Hastings College JV’s he had a hit and a RBI. During the loss to Butler he went 2-for-3 with a walk and a RBI. He rounded out his week with a hit, a walk and two RBIs in the thumping of Butler.

William Penn finishes 20-10

Their season may be over but William Penn went out playing eight games in their final week. Jameson Hart (Sarnia, Ont.) had five hits, a walk, 12 RBIs and a stolen base. His best game came in the very first contest of the week. Hart went 4-for-5 with seven RBIs in a 30-11 win over Dakota Wesleyan. William Penn finished 7-1 on the week and 20-10 on the year.

Manby tosses shutout, drives in 10

Keith Manby (White Rock, BC) threw a gem for Miles Community College as they downed Cochise 1-0. Manby spun a complete game, one hit shutout. He walked one and struck out 10 to pick up the win. Pitching wasn't the only way Manby was contributing last week. He also had six hits, two walks, 10 RBIs and a stolen base for Miles in their other five games. His best offensive game came in a 4-2 win over Bryant and Stratton when he hit two home runs.

Ontario Royals alum Ryan Magdic (Beamsville, Ont.) allow just one run in five innings on the mound and added three hits and five RBIs at the dish for Cochise in the last week of the season. Photo: Cochise Athletics

Magdic battles Manby

Opposing Keith Manby was another two-way threat, Ryan Magdic (Beamsville, Ont.). Magdic went five innings, allowing three hits and the one run in the 1-0 loss. He walked one and struck out five. In Cochise’s four other games on the week, Magdic had three hits and five RBIs.

Quirion homers for final time in 2020

Lamar’s Anthony Quirion (Dixville, Que.) had three hits in two games this past week. During a 14-12 loss to Tulane he had two hits and drove in five. In their next game, also against Tulane, he hit a two-run home run. Lamar also lost that game 6-3.

Ewanik, Leblanc huge for Husson

Chris Ewanik (Spruce Grove, Alta.) and David Leblanc (Beaumont, Alta.) had a fine final week for Husson University. Ewanik had five hits and five RBIs in five games. Leblanc finished with seven hits, four walks, four RBIs and three stolen bases. Leblanc went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run in an 11-9 loss to St. Scholastica.

Ontario Terriers alum Grant Okawa (Mississauga, Ont.) had three multi-hit games for the Jamestown Jimmies last week. Photo: Michael Savaloja, Jamestown Sun

Okawa goes off for Jamestown

Grant Okawa (Mississauga, Ont.) had three multi-hit games last week. After walking in a 13-7 loss to NAIA No. 25 Benedictine University at Mesa, Okawa went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and four RBIs in a 4-1 win over the University of Antelope Valley. The next game he went 2-for-4 in an 8-0 win over Dakota Wesleyan. He finished off his week going 2-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and a stolen base in another win over Dakota Wesleyan, this time by a 7-1 score.

Hewitt hits in pair of wins

Max Hewitt (Midhurst, Ont.) went 3-for-4 with a walk, a hit by pitch and four runs scored as the Oklahoma State Cowboys pound the St. Louis Billikens 22-4. The second game the two played was closer, but still went the way of the Cowboys 7-1. Hewitt had a hit in that one. The former Ontario Blue Jay finished the shortened season leading the Cowboys in hitting with a .410 average. He also put up a .479 on-base percentage and a .525 slugging percentage.

Vickers finishes 3-0, Takamatu has four hits

The University of Central Oklahoma got four inning of one run baseball out of Nick Vickers (Calgary, Alta.) as they downed East Central 14-9. Vickers scattered four hits, walked one and struck out five. Garrett Takamatsu (Burlington, Ont.) went 4-for-5 with a walk and a RBI in the win.

Well, I guess that’s a wrap. Far sooner than I had hoped or planned for. Thanks for reading along during this 2020 college baseball season.