McDonald, Mercer with top-ranked D2 teams

* LHP Brody McDonald (Charlottetown, PEI) and RHP Andrew Mercer (Mount Pearl, Nfld.) are two Canuck arms with the top five ranked teams heading into this spring, according to Perfect Game Scouting Service. McDonald is with the No. 4th ranked Mount Olive Trojans and Mercer with No. 5 ranked Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles. .....  

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By Bob Elliott

Due to population size, weather, indoor facilties and love of the game the majority of collegians come from the big four of Ontario, British Columbia Alberta and Quebec.

The breakdown on Canadians playing for college team south of the border or teams who play the bulk of their schedule in the US usually sees players coming from that group.

At the other end of the scale would be Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.

Yet, as we look at the 17 Canadians on the Perfect Game top 40 Division II rated teams two of the key contributors are LHP Brody McDonald (Charlottetown, PEI) of the No. 4th ranked Mount Olive Trojans and RHP Andrew Mercer (Mount Pearl, Nfld.) with the No. 5 ranked Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles.

McDonald, who pitched for the Charlottetown Gaudet’s Auto Body Islanders last summer, was 4-0 with a 3.24 ERA and two saves last spring at Mount Olive. He walked 13 and struck out 24 in 33 1/3 innings.

Meanwhile, Mercer was 3-1 with a 1.01 ERA. He walked 13 and struck out 21 in 35 2/3 innings, holding opponents to a 1.64 ERA for the Eagles.

The Tampa Spartans are ranked No. 1 according to Perfect Game. They have 3B Mark Wilush (Oakville, Ont.) on their roster and C-3B J.D. Osborne (Whitby, Ont.) had signed a Letter of Intent for next fall.

Wilush did not play in 2014 and as a freshman in 2013 pitched for the junior varsity team.

2015 Perfect Game NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 Teams Rk. Team 2014 Rec. 2014 Rk. 1 Tampa Spartans 54-4 3 (3B Mark Wilush, Oakville, Ont. did not play last spring)

2 Seton Hill Griffins 41-17 6 (INF Brandon Arsenault, Burlington, Ont., freshman)

3 Columbus St. Cougars 40-17 8 4 Mount Olive Trojans 40-13 14 (LHP Brody McDonald, Charlottetown, PEI, 4-0, 3.24, 2 saves, 13 BB, 24 Ks, 33.1 IP), RHP Mike Schnurr, Waterloo, Ont., 3-0, 1.57, 3 saves, 9 BB, 21 Ks, 34.1 IP at Erie CC, C-3B Luke Berry, Swift Current, Sask. did not play, LHP-1B Taylor Carr, St. Thomas, Ont. 0-0, 1.12 3 BB, 3 Ks, 8 IP and OF Bretton Gouthro, Calgary, Alta. .355 average, 2 Ds, 9 RBIs, .919 OPS.)

5 Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles 49-13 1 (RHP Andrew Mercer, Mount Pearl, Nfld. 3-1, 1.01, 14 BB, 21 Ks, 35.2 IP, RHP Zach Webster, Toronto, Ont. did not play.)

6 Southern Arkansas Muleriders 39-19 22 (C-OF Billy Germaine, Aldergrove, BC .308, 8 Ds, 4 HRs, 33 RBIs, .815 OPS, at Hill College and OF Byron Reichstein, St. Thomas, Ont. did not play , .312, 13 Ds, 5 T, 4 HRs, 42 RBIs at Navarro in 2013.)

7 Chico State Wildcats 43-15 7 8 Emporia St. Hornets 42-19 NR 9 Grand Valley St. Lakers 39-13 11 10 Alabama-Huntsville Chargers 41-16 15

11 Minnesota State Mavericks 48-11 4 12 Franklin Pierce Ravens 35-18 NR (C Chris Stanford, Quebec City, Que., freshman)

13 Florida Southern Moccasins 35-19 21 14 Colorado Mesa Mavericks 47-13 2 15 Trevecca Nazrene Trojans 43-14 NR

16 USC Aiken Pacers 36-17 20 17 St. Mary’s (TX) Rattlers 35-20 NR 18 Lander Bearcats 52-9 5 19 UC San Diego Tritons 38-16 16 20 St. Edward’s Hilltoppers 39-16 13

21 Dixie State Red Storm 36-16 NR (INF Tanner Morache, Surrey, BC, red shirt after transferring from South Idaho.)

22 St. Cloud St. Huskies 37-14 NR 23 Mercyhurst Lakers 30-15 NR (RHP Jordan Bray, Niagara Falls, Ont. 0-0, 10.12, 3 BB, 3 Ks, 5.1 IP)

24 Wayne St. (MI) Warriors 36-17 NR (OF-INF Spencer Church, Windsor, Ont. .307 Avg. 5 D, HR, 13 RBIs, .785 OPS, RHP Chris Horvath, Windsor, Ont. 3-2, 4.75, 16 BB, 17 Ks in 32.1 IP, INF Daniel Peake, Mississauga, Ont. .125, .236 OPS.)

25 Catawba Indians 35-20 NR