Ontario Blue Jays and Junior National Team alum Brendan Lawson (Toronto, Ont.) went 6-for-15 with nine RBIs for the Florida Gators this past week. Photo: Gators Athletics

February 25, 2025

BMOC Week 5

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

The final full weekend of February featured plenty of impressive performances from Canadians across college baseball.

Let’s take a look at the best of the best in this week’s BMOC.

Lawson named SEC Co-Freshman of the Week

Former Ontario Blue Jay Brendan Lawson (Toronto, Ont.) is fitting in just fine at the University of Florida. Last week, Lawson went 6-for-15 and drove in nine to earn Southeastern Conference Co-Freshman of the Week honours. He hit his first home run, a grand slam, to help the Gators beat Dayton 11-1.

UBC bounces back at home with sweep

After a 2-4 Florida road trip followed by a week off to begin the season, the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds came ready to play in their Cascade Collegiate Conference opening series against Eastern Oregon.

James Brock (Burnaby, BC) was impressive in relief in Game 1, throwing five innings and allowing one run on two hits in a 14-4 win. He walked one and struck out three.

Southpaw Will Anderson (Delta, BC) got the start in Game 3 and picked up the win in a 7-3 victory. Anderson lasted 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits with 12 strikeouts. The effort landed him the CCC Pitcher of the Week honour.

On the offensive side for the Thunderbirds, four players stood out.

Trent Lenihan (White Rock, BC) totalled four hits, walked three times, drove in five, stole a base and was hit by a pitch. He hit a three-run home run in Game 1 and a two-run shot during a 10-9 Game 2 win.

Kyle Yip (Calgary, Alta.) chipped in four hits, two walks, two RBIs and a stolen base.

Hilo Yamamoto (Whistler, BC) had four hits, two walks, three RBIs and was hit by a pitch.

Jonny McGill (Richmond, BC), meanwhile, had arguably the best series of all as he stroked nine hits, walked twice, drove in four, stole two bases and was hit by a pitch. He swatted a solo shot in Game 2.

Yusypchuk shuts down Mississippi State

Michael Yusypchuk (Edmonton, Alta.) was brilliant for Missouri State, throwing seven scoreless innings in a 3-1 Game 1 loss at No. 18 Mississippi State. Yusypchuk surrendered just two hits, walked one and struck out eight.

Abbotsford Cardinals alum Micah Bucknam (Abbotsford, BC) struck out 10 batters in five innings in his start for Dallas Baptist. Photo: Dallas Baptist Athletics

Bucknam, Poole power Dallas Baptist

Right-hander Micah Bucknam (Abbotsford, BC) made his second start of the season in Game 1 of Dallas Baptist’s series against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Bucknam tossed five innings and allowed two runs on three hits with a pair of walks and 10 strikeouts.

Tom Poole (Calgary, Alta.) backed the Patriots with eight hits, six walks and five RBIs. One of his hits was a three-run home run in Game 1 against SIU Edwardsville

Kilbreath, Jobs aid Sequoias to sweep

Two Canadians played key roles in the College of the Sequoias three-game sweep of Porterville.

In Game 1, Tyson Kilbreath (Calgary, Alta.) threw a complete game, nine-inning shutout. He worked around nine hits and fanned 13.

Hunter Jobs (Sherwood Park, Alta.) had four hits and drove in a pair. He went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in a 10-0 win in Game 3.

Fire remain on fire

Southeasteen University ran their record to 16-0 to start the season after a four-game sweep of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Connor Hicks (Toronto, Ont.) has had a lot to do with his team’s success, including chipping in five hits, a walk and six RBIs in their most recent wins. He was also hit by two pitches. During a 10-0 Game 1 win, he swatted a pair of solo home runs.

Fujie with four RBI

Yosuke Fujie (Mission, BC) made an impact in the lone game Campbellsville University played last week. He went 3-for-4 with two walks and four RBIs in an 11-9 victory over Union College.

Okotoks Dawgs alum Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) belted four home runs for the University of Montevallo last week. Photo: Montevallo Athletics

Crowson homers four times

Connor Crowson (Okotoks, Alta.) put his power on full display for the University of Montevallo. He began his week with two solo home runs and a walk in a 3-1 win over Tuskegee. The former Okotoks Dawg swatted another solo shot as part of a two-hit performance in a 7-1 Game 1 win over Mississippi College. After collecting a hit in an 8-6 loss in Game 2, he went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base to help the Falcons secure the series with a 10-9 victory. One of those RBI came via a walkoff solo home run.

Burgess blanks No. 22 Indian River

No. 4 Southwestern Florida received six scoreless innings from Parker Burgess (Douro-Dummer, Ont.) as they downed No. 22 Indian River 1-0. Burgess yielded a hit, walked three and struck out eight to improve to 2-0.

Patrick pounds eight hits

Cole Patrick (Markham, Ont.) collected eight hits, three walks and a stolen base in four games for Florida Tech. He went 3-for-4 with an RBI in a 7-3 midweek loss to Rollins and followed it up with another 3-for-4 game in a 2-0 win over No. 12 Florida Southern.

Steiert-Couture steers Cerro Coso offence

For the second time this season, Deri Steiert-Couture (Calgary, Alta.) has earned his way into the BMOC column. This time he chipped in five hits, two walks and an RBI as Cerro Coso won their series with the College of the Desert, 2-1. He went 3-for-4 with a solo home run in a 10-4 Game 1 victory.

Dow seals series win for Southeast Missouri State

With games 1 and 2 of Southeast Missouri State’s series with Northern Illinois being split, lefty Haden Dow (Saint John, N.B.) started Game 3 and delivered five innings in an 11-1 victory. Dow allowed an unearned run on one hit and a walk to even his record at 1-1. He struck out eight.

AHP Academy alum Cole Huebner (Edmonton, Alta.) threw five scoreless innings and earned the win in his start for Indian Hills. Photo: Indian Hills Athletics

Huebner hurls five

Cole Huebner (Edmonton, Alta.) tossed five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and a walk, as Indian Hills downed North Central Missouri 6-1. Huebner punched out three to improve to 1-1.

O’Toole is 2-0

Sticking in Missouri, Evan O’Toole (Bridgewater, N.S.) spun five innings, surrendering one run on two hits as No. 3 Central Missouri beat Missouri Western State 7-1. O’Toole walked a pair and fanned eight.

Crowell continues to hit

Nash Crowell (Yarmouth, N.S.) had four hits, walked three times and drove in five in four wins for Reinhardt. He homered twice, a solo shot and a three-run home run, as the Eagles beat Faulkner 10-0. The four victories moved them 14-0.

Krawchuk shuts down Miami Dade

Week 1 Canadian Baseball Network College Player of the Week Carter Krawchuk (St. Catharines, Ont.) was back at it over the weekend, tossing seven scoreless innings to lead Seminole State (Fla.) to a 3-2 win over Miami Dade. Krawchuk allowed three hits, worked around five walks and struck out seven.

Martin Academy alum Ryden Walker (White City, Sask.) allowed just one earned run in five innings in his start for Taft College. Photo: Taft College Facebook

Walker secures sweep for Taft

Taft College had the chance to sweep Coalinga and Ryden Walker (White City, Sask.) helped them succeed. Walker worked five innings and conceded three runs (one earned) on four hits. He struck out one.

Kwinter quiets Oneonta bats

Left-hander Russell Kwinter (Toronto, Ont.) threw five scoreless innings to help the University of Chicago beat SUNY Oneonta 11-6. The former Ontario Terrier allowed three hits, walked one and struck out five.

Jensen helps Trojans to win

Right-hander Sawyer Jensen (Strathmore, Alta.) worked five innings and gave up one run on three hits to aid Trinidad State in their 4-1 win over CSU Club. He issued three walks and struck out six.

McAskie mashes four hits

Aidan McAskie (Toronto, Ont.) amassed four hits, a walk, three RBIs, a stolen base and was hit by three pitches over four games for Charleston Southern. He went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base while being hit by a pitch in the Buccaneers 15-2 Game 1 win over Manhattan.

Toronto Mets grad Brando Leroux (Markham, Ont.) had a seven-RBI game for Florida Atlantic. Photo: Florida Atlantic Athletics

Leroux laces seven hits

Toronto Mets alum Brando Leroux (Markham, Ont.) collected seven hits, two walks and eight RBIs for Florida Atlantic. He had arguably the best game of the week among any Canadian when he went 4-for-5 with four doubles and seven RBIs in the Owls 25-17 victory over Connecticut.

Zappieri zaps Mount St. Mary’s offence

Matteo Zappieri (Newmarket, Ont.) started his week by going 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two-run home run to help Mount St. Mary’s down Saint Joseph’s 10-7. When the week was over, he had finished with four hits, three RBIs and a stolen base in the 2-1 series win.

Villeneuve vital in Texas Tech’s first win

Texas Tech got into the win column with a 15-12 Game 2 win over UC Irvine on the back of a 3-for-4 game from Robin Villeneuve (Gatineau, Que.). Villeneuve also walked twice and drove in three. In games 1 and 3, he walked a total of three times.

Murray hits two homers in Benedict sweep

Justin Murray (Markham, Ont.) hit a solo home run in Game 2 and a two-run home run in Game 3 of Benedict College’s three-game sweep of LeMoyne-Owen. In total, he closed the series with six hits, a walk, seven RBIs and a stolen base.

Toronto Mets alum Noel McGarry-Doyle (Vaughan, Ont.) had four hits and five RBIs in two games for Mid-America Christian. Photo: Mid-America Christian Athletics

McGarry-Doyle goes deep

Over two wins for Mid-America Christian, Noel McGarry-Doyle (Vaughan, Ont.) had four hits, a walk, five RBIs and a stolen base. He went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, two doubles, a walk, four RBIs and a stolen base during a 15-0 win over the College of the Ozarks.

McKay closes week with home run

Brodie McKay (Oakville, Ont.) had a big week for Cleary, pounding out four hits, walking three times and driving in four in four games as his team swept Cincinnati-Clearmont. His best performance came in the finale, a 9-0 victory, when he finished a single short of the cycle. He hit a two-run home run, doubled, tripled and walked, finishing with three RBIs.

Pare improves to 3-0

Matteo Pare (Windsor, Ont.) threw five innings, giving up an unearned run on one hit and a pair of walks to power Pensacola State to a 10-8 Game 1 win over Frontier Community College. He struck out five in the start. The Pirates were winners of eight straight before dropping Game 4 of the series.

Wouters can hit, Wouters can pitch

Cory Wouters (Saskatoon, Sask.) proved he’s a true two-way player during McCook Community College’s 3-1 series win over Bismarck State. In the box, he had 10 hits, three walks and 10 RBIs. He went 4-for-4 with three home runs in a 15-5 Game 2 win. But that wasn’t all, he also threw four scoreless innings, hitless innings, allowing an unearned run on four walks to earn the win. He struck out 10 of the 12 outs he recorded.

Each passing week is sure to bring something unique from Canadians on the college baseball scene.

Check back in seven days for the next round of top performers.

Do you know of a player deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column? Email Matt Betts at mattbetts@canadianbaseballnetwork.com. Please note that our week runs Monday-Sunday.

Be sure to follow Matt Betts at @Bettsy41 for extensive Canadian baseball coverage all season long.

BMOC Week V: Crowson, Krawchuk, Leroux, McGill, Patrick, Yusypchuk