RHP Connor Melanson (Victoria, BC) in a start with the Concordia Stingers earlier this season.

October 18, 2024

By CBN Staff

The Concordia Stingers scored a dramatic walk-off 11-10 win over the Waterloo Warriors at Jack Couch Park in Kitchener on Day II of the Canadian National University championships.

Waterloo threw out the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh ... the usual routine 6-3-2 double play. In the top of the eighth, Waterloo loaded the bases, but failed to score. The Stingers scored in the bottom of the eighth, starting with the mystery runner on second and a successful bunt.

Waterloo thought it had advanced to the semi-finals in a tie for first with the Acadia Axemen and the Concordia Stingers. All finished round-robin play with identical records of 2-1. Organizers ruled Waterloo was using the wrong criteria for breaking a three-way tie and only Acadia and Concordia advanced.

Kyle Hazel (Sherbrooke, Que.) homered to left field, allowing Concordia to level the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the fifth. Waterloo took the lead in the top of the sixth when former Windsor Selects’ outfielder Sam Shephard (Belle River, Ont.) singled home a run for an 8-7 Warriors’ lead.

Back and forth the game went as Jacob Ohanian singled in the tying run in the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Waterloo went ahead on a double by Toronto Mets grad Alessandro Strazzeri (Toronto, Ont.) and an error. The Stingers tied the game in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a ground out by Matthew Fletcher (Surrey, BC) and an error.

Connor Melanson (Victoria, BC) started for the Stingers giving up seven runs (five earned) in five innings before Riley Clahane (Montreal, Que.) took over. Clahane pitched three innings, allowing five hits and two runs.

Nick Correa-Vallenas (Laval, Que.) and Ohanian had two hits apiece, while Fletcher, Hazel, and Bobby Fraser each drove in two runs for Concordia Stingers.

The Warriors were led by Shephard who knocked in five runs. Former Mississauga Southwest Twin Sean Skorupski (Mississauga, Ont.) had three hits, while Klaus Aplevich and Strazzeri had two hits each.

* * *

Unbeaten, untied: Sam Brown (Toronto, Ont.) knocked in four runs with a double and a single as the Guelph Gryphons moved to 3-0 with a 6-3 win over the New Brunswick Reds.

Noah Chang (Mississauga, Ont.), who swiped two bases, hit a run-scoring fly ball and Brown doubled home two, giving Guelph the lead.

Ethan Yabrov (Toronto, Ont.) started the game for the Gryphons, allowing two runs in four innings, striking out four. Connor King (Toronto, Ont.) threw two scoreless.

Adam Wenzel (Miramichi, NB) started for UNB, allowing five runs over 3 2/3 innings, striking out two.

Tyler Doucette (Dartmouth, NB), Connor Hill (Grand Bay-Westfield, NB) and Ian Humphrey (Contingent, NB) each drove in one run for the Reds.

* * *

Big W for Big W: Former Ontario Nationals RHP Aidan Armitage (Waterloo, Ont.) pitched a complete-game four hitter as the Warriors blanked the Acadia Axeman 2-0.

Simon says: ABC and Stetson Hatters alumnus Simon Lusignan (Boucherville, Que.) pitched the Concordia Stingers to a 1-0 victory over the York Lions. Lusignan scattered four hits in his complete-game effort, striking out six. Lusignan pitched 8 2/3 innings for Stetson over eight outings in 2023 and missed 2022 due to an injury, while rooming with INF Yohann Dessureault (Trois-Rivieres, Que.).

* * *

Nevermore and no more runs: Owen Constantineau (Ottawa, Ont.) had a pair of hits, while Pat Mulligan (Gloucester, Ont.) knocked in two runs and stole three bases as the Carleton Ravens beat UQTR 7-3 at Hastings Stadium in Guelph. Mike Millross (Ottawa, Ont.) started for the Ravens. He gave up four hits and three runs over five innings, striking out five and walking four.

Émilien Plouffe (Drummondville, Que.) pitched five innings in relief for UQTR, allowing four hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out three. Jacob Brault (Blainville, Que.) started for the Patriotes, allowing four runs on three hits and two runs. Phillipe Bourassa (Laval, Que.) and Hugues Marineau (Bécancour, Que.) had two hits each for UQTR, while Antoine Gervais (Shawinigan, Que.) and Plouffe each drove in one run.

* * *

Acadia’s win No. 1: The Axemen had 20 hits in a 16-12 win over the York Lions as Brady Cox (Enfield, NS) went 4-for-5 with a double and three singles.

Seth Routledge (Berwick, NS) knocked in three runs with two singles, as did Myles Wall (Ottawa, Ont.) who also doubled. Austin Wall (Ottawa, Ont.) singled in a pair and doubled, while Tyler Croteau (Kentville, NS) singled in two runs while Jack Barry doubled in a run as did Jacobie Ford with a single.

Leif Dubreuil (Invermere, Alta.) pitched three innings in relief for Acadia, allowing five hits and two runs while, striking out three and walking two. Patrick Dobbin (Enfield, NS) started for Acadia and was tagged for five runs on six hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Hamza Saajidh (Scarborough, Ont.) had a pair of hits for the York Lions.

York starter Mark Petruk (Richmond Hill, Ont.) gave up seven hits and nine runs (eight earned) in 1 1/3 innings. Hamza Saajidh (Scarborough, Ont.), Matthew London (Scarborough, Ont.), Colin Shier (Toronto, Ont.), Ryan Freeman (Thornhill, Ont.), Troy Quesnelle (Mississauga, Ont.), Darcy D’Souza (Whitby, Ont.) and Robbie Salerno (Scarborough, Ont.) each had two hits for York.