McKenna’s “filthy” changeup helps Team Navy to win

Great Lake Canadians right-hander Nathan Wall (Leamington, Ont.), serving as the closer for Team Navy, faced off against Team Grey’s Quincy Jenkins (St. Albert, Alta.), of the Okotoks Dawgs Academy, in an eight-pitch at bat in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jenkins won the conflict, getting on base for the first time. Wall faced two more batters, eventually retiring the side, to secure a 3-1 victory for Team Navy in Thursday’s opening game at the Canadian Futures Showcase. Photo: Howard Bailey

September 19, 2024

By Ian Finlayson

Centennial Sports Journalism

TORONTO – Mathis McKenna (Rigaud, Que.) struck out four over three scoreless innings to lift Team Navy past Team Grey, 3-1, in the Canadian Futures Showcase at Rogers Centre on Thursday morning.

The 6-foot-1 southpaw, who has committed to Rutgers University, allowed two hits and one walk in the outing. Noah Powell (Toronto) came in relief of McKenna and struck out two over two perfect innings.

“I felt good, I did my thing, and I finished with a good outing – the win,” said McKenna post-game.

McKenna, who was named player of the game, was effective at changing speeds.

“I was feeling good with my fastball, it was located well, so I decided to attack with the fastball,” he said. “When I saw if they were on-time and everything, I would flip a curveball, a change-up.

“My changeup was filthy today.”

Taye Thierman (Calgary) and Zach Barker (Bolton, Ont.) each hit line-drive RBI-singles for Team Navy.

Ryan McDonagh (Milton, Ont.) started for Team Grey, allowing three earned runs on three hits and three walks over four innings. Right-handers Nolan Jackson (Grimsby, Ont.) and Walker Kokotailo (Surrey, B.C.) combined to keep Team Navy off the scoreboard over the final four innings.

Sam Andersen (Toronto) cashed in the lone run for Team Grey with an RBI-walk.

Grey’s McDonagh walked the first two batters of the game. Leadoff hitter Jack Ward (Paris, Ont.) then advanced to third on a sacrifice fly, before scoring on a fielding error when the shortstop, Andersen, dropped a feed at second from Quincy Jenkins (St. Albert, Alta.).

Both starters had their best stuff early, each recording one-two-three innings in the second. McDonagh struck out the side in the top half, inducing back-to-back awkward swings from Navy shortstop Logan Cummins (Mississauga) with his breaking ball to record the final out.

Team Navy added to their lead in the top of the third. First Ward walked, followed by three consecutive singles.

Barker hit a line drive to centre scoring Ward from second, then Thierman hit another liner through the right side of the infield to score Christian Iriotakis (Toronto) from third, for a 3-0 Navy lead.

Kokotailo struck out the side for Team Grey in the top of the sixth, his fastball velocity maxed out at 93.6 miles per hour.

Team Grey threatened late, loading the bases in both the bottom of the sixth and seventh.

The losing side scored its first run of the game when Nathan Wall (Leamington, Ont.) walked-in Louis-Charles Larouche (Okotoks, Alta.). The 6-foot-5 righty escaped the jam, inducing a fly out from the next batter to earn the save.