BMOC Week 5

March 3, 2021

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

This week’s edition of the BMOC features some familiar names, along with players making their 2021 debut in the column.

Check out the highlights from the past week below.

Turcotte turns in terrific outing

Sam Turcotte (Toronto, Ont.) took a perfect game into the eighth inning of Stony Brook’s second game of the season against Sacred Heart. The former Ontario Terrier right hander allowed one run on one hit over seven innings of work as the Seawolves picked up a 7-1 win. Turcotte punched out nine and picked up the win. For his gem he was named the America East Pitcher of the Week.

McCabe has six hits as 49ers move to 6-0

Two-run home runs were came in bunches last week for Charlotte 49ers freshman David McCabe (Oshawa, Ont.). During the 49ers 7-1, Game 1 win over William and Mary, McCabe went an impressive 3-for-4 with a pair of two-run home runs and a walk. The first two-run shot broke the deadlock in the bottom of the first. After collecting a hit in a 4-0, Game 2 win, he went 2-for-5 with another two-run shot and a walk, as his team went on to win the finale by a lopsided 20-4 margin. The strong offensive output earned him Conference USA Hitter of the Week honours.

Demchenko dominates in complete game win

Friends University scored just one run in the first game of their doubleheader with NAIA No. 25 MidAmerica Nazarene, but thanks to Zach Demchenko (Saskatoon, Sask.), that’s all they would need. Demchenko tossed a complete game, seven inning shutout in the 1-0 victory. The senior right-hander allowed two hits and struck out four. Friends finished the week 4-0 and improved to 11-1 overall.

Seginowich a sparkplug for No. 1 Rams

Nick Seginowich (Victoria, BC) and the No. 2 Angelo State Rams proved last week why they’re currently considered the best team in Division II baseball. The Lambrick Park Secondary grad pounded out six hits, worked eight free passes, drove in eight, stole a base and was hit by a pitch as his team ran the table with a perfect 6-0 week. The Rams are now 9-1 thanks in part to a .444 average from Seginowich.

Marks magnificent again

When the Friday night lights come on each week, the USC Upstate Spartans have to be happy seeing Jordan Marks (Bright’s Grove, Ont.) trotting out to the mound. Marks picked up his second win of the season in a 10-3, Game 1 win over the College of Charleston last week. He improved to 2-0 by allowing just one run on four hits over 6 2/3 innings, while punching out eight.

Reyes-Cruz helps Faulkner cruise past Judson

The Faulkner University Eagles put up 32 runs in a three-game sweep of Judson last week. In an 8-4, Game 1 win, Tommy Reyes-Cruz (Montreal, Que.) had a hit and walked three times. He followed that up with a double and two RBIs in a convincing 12-4 Game 2 win. It was in Game 3, however, that he really flexed his muscle. In the 12-3 win to secure the sweep, he launched a two-run home run on his way to a 2-for-2 game with a walk. Faulkner is now 10-1 on the campaign.

Grandmont goes deep twice

Shawn Grandmont (Lethbridge, Alta.) had 11 hits in six games for Northwest Nazarene this past week. The veteran redshirt senior launched a three-run home run in both an 18-6 win over No. 2 Colorado Mesa and an 18-4 win over New Mexico Highlands. He also walked four times, drove in 14, swiped five bases and was hit by two pitches as the Nighthawks went 4-2.

Graverson wastes no time, Hart has strong week

William Penn University finally got their season underway after their first nine contests were postponed but Soren Graverson (Calgary, Alta.) is in midseason form. He had 13 hits, walked once and collected 16 RBIs as William Penn started the season 6-1. Of the 13 hits, five were home runs, including a pair in a 14-4 win over Harris-Stowe State. The Indian Hills Community College transfer has started the campaign with a .565 average with five home runs and 16 RBIs.

Jameson Hart (Sarnia, Ont.) finished the William Penn’s seven games with nine hits, four walks, four RBIs and a stolen base. Of his nine hits, four were doubles.

Saul evens record as Sacramento State sweeps Texas State

Eli Saul (Vancouver, BC) was tasked with trying to close out the sweep in Game 3 of Sacramento State’s series with Texas State. Saul delivered six innings of one run baseball as the Hornets won 7-1. Saul scattered five hits, walked one and struck out four to improve to 1-1.

Cust comes through for Colby

Brayden Cust (Edmonton, Alta.) started his week with a 2-for-6 game in a 9-8 Colby win over Lamar. In a 12-8, Game 1 loss to Garden City, Cust went 4-for-5 with a RBI and a stolen base. Game 2 saw him stroke a double in a 6-2 loss. He closed out the series by going 3-for-6 with a pair of doubles, a triple, two RBIs and two stolen bases.

Froelich, Olson, Vulcano go deep in win

Three Canadians provided the pop for Colby Community College this past week. In a 15-3 Game 3 thumping of Garden City, Kyle Froelich (Niapwin, Sask.), Zach Olson (Red Deer, Alta.) and John Vulcano (Cloverdale, BC) all hit home runs. Olson left the yard three times and Froelich swatted a pair as the Trojans won the game to avoid the sweep.

McWillie, Zdunich leave the yard in win over Lamar

Both Tyler McWillie (Waltrous, Sask.) and Tucker Zdunich (High River, Alta.) hit home runs in Colby’s win over Lamar.

Canadians take over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

It was impossible to look at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M’s box score’s last week and not notice the Canadians. Let’s take a look at each performance one at a time

Emile Boies (Pointe-Levy, Que.) had eight hits, walked three times, drove in three and stole a base for the Norsemen. One of his hits was a home run in an 8-7 win over Kirkwood.

Jacob Ervin (Mississauga, Ont.) chipped in six hits, walked twice, drove in seven and stole a base. In a 13-0 blanking of Kirkwood, he hit two home runs.

Tyler Small (Mississauga, Ont.) collected nine hits, worked seven free passes, drove in 15 and stole four bases, three of which came in a 9-8 win against Kirkwood. Small joined the home run parade with a blast in the 13-0 win over Kirkwood.

Mathieu Vallee (Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, Que.) contributed eight hits, walked six times, had four RBIs and swiped an impressive nine bases. He stole multiple bases in three different games. He took three in the 9-8 win over Kirkwood. Then he stole a pair in the 13-0 win and three more in a 7-5 win over Kirkwood to complete the four game sweep. The 5-foot-10 centre fielder also smashed a home run in the 8-7 victory.

Chenier-Rondeau hits three home runs

Cowley College’s Felix Chenier-Rondeau (Quebec City, Que.) hit two home runs, walked and drove in four in a 20-9 win over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. In his team’s next game against Hutchinson, a 14-13 win, he went deep again. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and four RBIs in the high scoring affair. Over the three games he played last week, he finished with a total of five hits, a pair of walks and nine RBIs.

Schindel a bright spot for San Diego Christian

It was an ugly week for San Diego Christian as they were swept in a four-game set by NAIA No. 23 Hope International but Tyler Schindel (Victoria, BC) was one of the lone standouts in series. He had five hits, a pair of walks and a RBI. In a 12-3, Game 3 loss, he went 3-for-3 with a walk and a RBI.

Markotic mashes for Islanders

Leo Markotic (Toronto, Ont.) had seven hits, walked twice, drove in two and was hit by a pitch over seven games for Texas A&M Corpus Christi last week. His best showing came in a 12-8 loss to Houston when he went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. The Islanders went 2-3 over the five game stretch as the Islanders fell to 4-3.

De Grandpre makes two appearances

Cedric De Grandpre (St. Simon, Que.) threw a scoreless, hitless inning to pick up a save for Chipola in their 6-4 midweek win over Chattahoochee Valley. A lot more was asked of him later in the week during a 4-1 loss to San Jacinto-North. In the loss, De Grandpre worked 5 2/3 innings of relief, giving up just an unearned run on one hit. He walked three and struck out five to close out a solid week of work.

Pair of three-hit games for Three River’s Turino

Stefan Turino (Toronto, Ont.) was all over the box scores last week for Three Rivers College. Over four games, he had seven hits, walked three times, collected three RBIs and stole four bases. He went 3-for-3 with three walks, a RBI and three stolen bases in a 6-3 win over the Drury University JV’s. Later in the week he had another three-hit game, this time against Shawnee when we went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs in a 13-3 win.

McFarland, Tocheniuk pitch for Pratt

A pair of Canadians were stellar on the mound for Pratt Community College last week. Ryan McFarland (Calgary, Alta.) picked up the win in a 5-3 victory over Eastern Oklahoma State. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk over five innings of work.

Quinn Tocheniuk (Okotoks, Alta.) suffered the loss in a 6-2 loss to Northern Oklahoma Tonkawa. Tocheniuk scattered five hits over five innings of work. He allowed three runs (one earned), walked one and punched out five.

Trinidad State goes 6-1, Hammond hammers five hits

Ethan Hammond (Oakville, Ont.) didn’t see action in a four-game set with Williston State early last week, but made his presence felt in a three-game series versus Otero on the weekend. Hammond started off with a hit, two walks and a RBI in a high scoring 24-16 win. He then followed it up with two hits and two walks as the Trojans cruised to a 21-2 win in Game 2. In the finale, a 17-12 loss, he had two hits, including a solo home run and a walk. That loss would be the only one of the week for the Trojans as they went 6-1.

Klepper clamps down win for Lamar

Tasked with trying to win the rubber match of a three-game set with Luna, Lamar right hander Colbey Klepper (Stony Plain, Alta.) turned in six innings of work, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits. The freshman walked four and struck out 10.

Ireland improves to 3-1

Thomas Ireland (Regina, Sask) helped Polk State take down Pasco-Hernando State College, 9-6, score by tossing five innings and allowing two runs on six hits. Ireland walked two and struck out four, while upping his record to 3-1.

Lussier beats SIUE

Illinois State’s Jordan Lussier (Winnipeg, Man.) worked five innings to pick up the win over Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Lussier surrendered two hits, one run and walk, while collecting seven strike outs.

Deans makes two starts

Brandon Deans (Mississauga, Ont.) earned the win for Oakland University in their 5-2, Game 2 triumph over Middle Tennessee State. Deans went five innings, gave up three hits and three runs (two earned). The sophomore walked two and struck out one in the game. He was again called upon to start Game 1 of Oakland’s series with Longwood later in the week. Over two innings of work, he allowed one hit, one run and three walk, while striking out two.

Gollart goes into the 8th

Game 1 of Austin Peay’s series with Army West Point was a nail biter, and it was a Canadian keeping them in it on the mound. Harley Gollart (Toronto, Ont.) threw 7 1/3 innings for the Governors, giving up one run on three hits. He also struck out six, but it wasn’t enough as the Black Knights walked it off in the bottom of the ninth.

Canadian duo helps Georgetown go 4-1

Eric Thrower (Toronto, Ont.) and Luke Turino (Toronto, Ont.) had fine weeks for Georgetown College. Thrower had six hits, a walk and a RBI, while Turino chipped in seven hits, three walks and drove in four as the Tigers went 4-1.

Scott walks it off

Tyler Scott (Calgary, Alta.) hit a two-run walk off home run to give Bryan College a 16-14 win over Lindsey Wilson to open their week. Scott finished the game going 3-for-4 with a walk. The senior outfielder homered again in his team’s next game, a 19-5 series opening win over Montreat. In four games over five days, Scott had eight hits, three walks, six RBIs and a stolen base.

Huntington sweeps No. 11 Indiana University Southeast

Playing the NAIA No. 11 team didn’t faze Huntington University. Daniel Lichty (Denfield, Ont.) had a hit and a RBI as the Foresters took Game 1, 3-2. Lichty went 2-for-4 with three RBIs in an 8-3 win in Game 2, before going 2-for-4 in a 9-6, Game 3 win. In the final game of the series, he went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base to help his squad complete the sweep. Huntington is now 7-0 on the season.

DiLuca has five hits in four games

Lucas DiLuca (LaSalle, Ont.) had five hits, walked three times and drove in three over four games for Eastern Illinois. DiLuca went 3-for-5 with a RBI in a 12-6, Game 1 win over Arkansas at Little Rock.

The February portion of the college baseball slate is officially finished. As the calendar flips to March, plenty of Canadians will look to build on their performances from the previous month. Remember to check back here each week to read about all the top performances.

Do you know someone deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column? Please email Matt Betts at mattbetts41@gmail.com. Note that our week runs Monday-Sunday.