March 16, 2022

BMOC Week 8

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

New names, familiar faces and a week full of Canadian baseball highlights. That’s what’s in store in this edition of the BMOC.

Read about it all below.

Logan helps No. 4 Beavers win two of three

Gavin Logan (Oyen, Alta.) made a statement by going 4-for-4 with a two-run home run, a walk, and three RBIs in No. 4 Oregon State’s 13-3 Game 1 win over Washington State. He hit a solo shot and had two hits in a 5-1 Game 2 win. In Game 3, a 9-8 loss, he had a hit, a walk and an RBI.

Logan is this week’s Canadian Baseball Network College Player of the Week.

Consigli picks up save, named MAAC Rookie of the Week

Canisius right-hander Peyton Consigli (Fonthill, Ont.) earned the first save of his college career thanks to three innings of work in the Golden Griffins’ 8-6 Game 3 win over Charleston Southern. The right-hander gave up one hit and struck out three.

The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference named him their Rookie of the Week for the second time this season.

Leitch named to Buster Posey Award Watch List

Catcher Ryan Leitch (Whitby, Ont.) of the Marshall University Herd is hitting .299 with four home runs, 24 RBIs and a .567 slugging percentage through 16 games this season. Those numbers have garnered some attention as he was recently named to the Buster Posey Award Watch List. The award, presented annually, is given to the top catcher in Division I baseball.

He added to those numbers last week by collecting three hits, a walk and three RBIs in three games. He hit his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot, in a 7-6 win over Merrimack.

Gollert goes seven

Harley Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) tossed seven scoreless innings for Austin Peay in their 7-5 Game 1 loss to Eastern Kentucky. The former Ontario Blue Jay allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out seven.

Forno fans 12

Twelve of the 18 outs Williston State starter Brody Forno (Okotoks, Alta.) recorded against Central Lakes College-Brainerd came via the strike out. Forno spun six innings, scattering five hits and four runs (one earned) in a 5-4 win.

Canadians start Games 1 and 2 for Chipola

Cedric De Grandpre (St. Simon, Que.) and Drew Howard are a combined 9-1 for Chipola College this season.

De Grandpre took the ball in Game 1 of their series with Tallahassee and delivered five innings in an 8-3 loss. He gave up five runs (two earned) on six hits over five innings. The sophomore walked one and punched out 10.

Howard meanwhile threw six scoreless innings in a 7-4 win. He surrendered four hits, walked two and struck out five to improve to 4-0.

Erie finishes Florida swing 8-3

A pair of Canadian position players had fine weeks for Erie Community College as they closed out their Florida spring trip with a 4-1 record in week two and an 8-3 mark overall.

AJ Karosas (Mississauga, Ont.) had six hits, walked four times, drove in five and swiped a base in the five games last week. His best performance came in a 16-7 win over Ridgewater when he went 2-for-4 with two walks, three RBIs and a stolen the base.

Carter Whitehead (Hamilton, Ont.) finished up with seven knocks, eight walks, five RBIs and two stolen bases in four games. Whitehead’s best game also was in the 16-7 win over Ridgewater. In that one, he was 3-for-4, coming a home run shy of the cycle, with two walks and two RBIs.

Landry holds Bulldogs at bay, bullpen falters

Southpaw Nathan Landry (Victoriaville, Que.) held No. 15 Gonzaga to three unearned runs over five innings in Missouri’s 10-5 midweek loss to the Bulldogs. He worked around four hits and struck out three. When he exited the game, Missouri led 5-3 only to see the bullpen cough up seven in the top of the eighth inning.

Biemiller helps Lourdes beat Blue Mountain

Bryn Biemiller (Newmarket, Ont.) makes his first appearance in this column after throwing six strong innings for Lourdes in a 4-2, Game 2 victory over Blue Mountain. Biemiller conceded two runs (one earned) on two hits, while walking four and striking out five.

Lund wins his second

The Salem Tigers used seven innings of one-run baseball from Jaryd Lund (London, Ont.) to beat Concord 11-2. Lund yielded six hits, walked three and struck out eight to improve his record to 2-1.

Saul wins for Sacramento State

Eli Saul (Vancouver, BC) got the win in Sacramento State’s 9-2 Game 1 decision over Dixie State by hurling six innings and allowing two runs. The right-hander tip toed around five hits and four walks. He struck out six.

Duffy, Grant, Kush and the Griffs sweep Charleston Southern

It was a bounce back kind of weekend for the Canisius Golden Griffins. A week after being swept by No. 20 Liberty, they took all three games against Charleston Southern.

Matt Duffy (Burlington, Ont.) turned in yet another strong start in a 4-2, Game 1 win. He threw eight innings and gave up two runs on four hits, with a walk and nine strikeouts. The win was his third of the campaign.

Max Grant (Fredericton, NB) put together six hits, a walk and three RBIs. He went 4-for-5 with two RBIs in the opener and hit a solo home run in the series clinching 8-6, Game 3 win.

Kyle Kush (Guelph, Ont.) played in Games 1 and 3, collecting four hits, walking twice and driving in a pair.

Jean beats Bearcats

Antoine Jean (Montreal, Que.) earned his first win of the season thanks to six innings of work for Alabama in their 14-2 thumping of Binghamton. The lefty surrendered one run on three hits, with a walk and four strikeouts.

Four hits for Fascia

In two games played last week Southwestern Community College’s Alex Fascia (Brampton, Ont.) had four hits. The younger brother of Cleveland Guardians prospect Zac, was 3-for-3 in a 13-2 loss to St. Cloud Tech.

Roy homers twice

Ashton Roy (Tottenheim, Ont.) launched a three-run home run in both Games 1 and 2 of Morehead State’s series with James Madison. He concluded the two games with four hits and seven RBIs.

UBC splits with Oregon Tech

A nine-run first inning from the University of British Columbia gave hurler Ryan Beitel (Surrey, BC) much more offence than he needed in Game 1 of their series. Beitel lasted five innings and allowed two runs on five hits in a 16-3 UBC win. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Langley Blaze grad walked one and punched out nine.

The offence came from a variety of sources over the four-game series.

Noah Or (Richmond, BC) pounded out 10 hits, walked twice, and drove in three. Of his 10 hits, he legged out four doubles and a triple. In an 11-3 Game 3 win he went 4-for-5 with a RBI.

Ty Penner (Lethbridge, Alta.) hit three home runs in the four games. He hit a solo home run in a 16-3 Game 1 win, another solo shot in a 14-9 Game 2 loss, and a two-run blast in the Game 3 victory. The second-year infielder had seven hits in all, with two walks, eight RBIs, and was hit by two pitches.

Nathan Shute (Oakville, Ont.) launched a solo home run in the 14-9 loss. He then hit a three-run home run to open the scoring in the Thunderbirds Game 3 win. Over the course of the four games he had eight hits and eight RBIs.

Letson lasts six

Adam Letson (Elmira, Ont.) threw six innings and gave up one run on one hit in Lakeland’s 5-1 win over Surry. He struck out four en route to earning the win.

Cadroso doubles three times

Minot State Beaver Kaiden Cardoso (Abbotsford, BC) had two hits in all three games against Purdue University Northwest. He also doubled in each game to go along with two walks, two RBIs, and a hit by pitch. The Beavers went 0-3, however.

Maves mashed four hits as Quinnipiac splits

Kyle Maves posted a 2-for-4 game with a RBI and a stolen base in Quinnipiac’s 6-5, Game 1 win over George Mason. During Game 2, an 8-4 loss, he went 2-for-4 with a walk out of the leadoff spot.

Cumiskey and Cuesta complete sweep

Four hits, two walks and two RBIs from Holden Comiskey (Langley, BC) helped Cuesta College sweep a three-game series from LA Pierce. Comiskey went 2-for-4 with a RBI in a 9-1, Game 3 win.

Ferris has six hits during Opening Week for NCCC

It was a busy week to kickoff the season for Niagara County Community College as they played eight games. Matthew Ferris (Vaughan, Ont.) played in five of those games and amassed six hits, a walk and four RBIs. He put together a 2-for-2 game with a walk and three RBIs in a 9-8 victory over Itasca.

Murchison the offensive motor for West Valley

Cole Murchison (Stouffville, Ont.) started his week off hot, going 4-for-4 with two walks and two RBIs in West Valley’s 17-1 drubbing of San Francisco. Then in a 10-8, Game 2 win, he had a hit, an RBI and a stolen base. To close things out, he pitched in a hit and a walk in a 3-1 victory over Skyline.

Manias, Thibodeau help Howard to series win

Two Ontario-born players helped power the Howard College offence in their three-game set with New Mexico Military.

Aaron Manias (Uxbridge, Ont.) had eight hits, four walks, nine RBIs and a stolen base. He homered twice, once in a 5-4, Game 3 win and again in a 16-13, Game 4 loss.

Nicholas Thibodeau (Burlington, Ont.) did the catching in Games 2 and 4 and produced three-hit games in each. He swatted a home run in a 19-12, Game 2 win and finished with two walks, five RBIs and a stolen base in the two games.

Turino with four hits for Three Rivers

Stefan Turino (Toronto, Ont.) had four hits in Three Rivers four-game series with Jefferson College. Turino was 3-for-3 in a 4-3, Game 1 loss.

McWillie throws five, Shorter wins in 10

It took 10 innings but the Shorter University Hawks outlasted the West Georgia Wolves in Game 1 of their series. Tyler McWillie (Watrous, Sask.) tossed the first five innings and allowed an unearned run on four hits, with three walks, and six punch outs.

Griffin goes all five, Makarus backs offence for Bossier Parish

Caden Griffin (Ottawa, Ont.) cruised through five scoreless innings as Bossier Parish pummelled Northeast Texas 10-0. The Ontario Blue Jays grad gave up two hits, walked two, and struck out six in the complete game effort to improve to 4-0.

Ayden Makarus (Okotoks, Alta.) supplied four hits, two walks, and a RBI in the Cavaliers four games.

Ervin part of Texas Wesleyan power surge

The Rams of Texas Wesleyan smashed 10 home runs in a pair of wins over Central Christian. Jake Ervin (Milton, Ont.) got in on the action, homering in both games. He went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run in a 21-4 win, before going 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, four RBIs, and a hit by pitch in the second. He also doubled in both games.

Dow keeps Colby bats in check

Haden Dow (St. John, NB) surrendered one run on three hits over five innings for the Cloud County Thunderbirds in their 4-3, Game 4 loss to Colby. He walked two and struck out 10 in the start.

Sauve, Tremblay combine for 18 hits

There was plenty of offence coming off the bats of Trinidad State’s Benji Sauve (Lanaudiere, Que.) and Nick Tremblay (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.) last week.

Sauve put together 10 hits, a walk, seven RBIs and a stolen base. He launched a home run in a 13-4, Game 3 victory Luna.

Tremblay on the other hand had eight hits, four walks, three RBIs and three stolen bases for the Trojans. He also hit a home in the Game 3 win.

The Trojans went 4-0 on the week.

Caskenette comes through

Connor Caskenette (Duncan, BC) collected six hits in Cochise’s four games. He walked twice and drove in one as his team went 3-1.

Billesberger a big bat for Limestone

It was a rough week for the Limestone Saints but Brandon Billesberger (Cochrane, Alta.) was able to find some success. Billesberger had six hits and three RBIs in the Saints four games. He hit a solo home run in a 9-1, Game 1 loss to Queens. The Saints dropped all four.

Gilbert goes deep

Antony Gilbert (Montreal, Que.) hit a home run and finished 3-for-4 with a walk, and three RBIs for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in their 16-4 win over Evangel College. In the next game, Gilbert was 2-for-4 with two RBIs in a 10-7 victory over Seminole State (OK).

Jackson hits home run for Huskers

Freshman Core Jackson (Wyoming, Ont.) legged out a double and a triple in Nebraska’s 6-4 loss to Kansas State. He drove in one of the Huskers’ runs, as well. Next up was a date with in-state rival Nebraska Omaha and Jackson opened the scoring with a solo home run. He concluded the game with two hits and three RBIs in the 4-3 loss.

Three games played and five hits for Draayers

David Draayers (Abbotsford, BC) hit a home run and had five hits in all for Northeastern. His long ball came in a 19-7 Game 2 win over the Adams State University JV’s. To go along with the five hits, he also walked, drove in two and stole a base.

Weisner continues stellar season

Ottawa University has a 17-2 record and Jonah Weisner (Mission, BC) has been a critical part of the strong season so far. Last week in two games, Weisner went 5-for-9 with a RBI in a two-game split with Friends University. His RBI came by the way of a home run to open the scoring in a 14-12 loss. Weisner has played in all 19 games and is hitting .478.

Wakeham wakes up the offence

Jayden Wakeham (Victoria, BC) had two, two-hit games for the Northern Kentucky Norse. He went 2-for-4 with a walk and a RBI in both the second and third games of their series with USC Upstate.

Reading ready when called upon

Utility man Reece Reading (Listowel, Ont.) found his way into the Arkansas-Monticello lineup in Games 1 and 3 against Arkansas Tech. He had two hits in each game and added a walk in Game 1.

Palfrey puts up five knocks

Griffin Palfrey (Vancouver, BC) was up to the challenge when Columbia headed south to Waco, Texas to take on the Baylor Bears in a three-game series. Palfrey had two hits each in Games 1 and 2 and one hit in Game 3. Columbia picked up a win in Game 2 but dropped the series 2-1.

Spoljaric goes into the seventh, earns win

Looking for the series win, Embry-Riddle turned the ball over to Garner Spoljaric (Lisle, Ont) in Game 3 of their series with Palm Beach Atlantic. Spoljaric spun 6 2/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in a 10-1 win.

Yusypchuk pitches well in loss

Andrew Yusypchuk (St. Albert, Alta.) scattered four hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings in Chandler-Gilbert’s 6-3, Game 2 loss to Central Arizona. The Okotoks Dawgs alum walked five and struck out six.

Frers comes on for long relief

After entering in the second inning, Lukas Frers (Langley, BC) threw five scoreless innings for the Galveston Whitecaps. He allowed one hit, walked two and struck out six in an eventual 7-6 loss to San Jacinto.

Wojtarowicz strikes out eight

Andre Wojtarowicz (Oakville, Ont.) took the loss after throwing 5 1/3 innings and giving up three runs (two earned) on two hits against Kaskaskia. He issued five walks and struck out eight in Frontier’s 6-3 defeat.

Glowacki plays well in tough weekend for the Tigers

The weekend ended with three losses for the East Central Tigers but Mason Glowacki (Kelowna, BC) was able to collect seven hits and three RBIs.

Hunt hits three home runs

Ethan Hunt (Elginburg, Ont.) continued to shine for the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies. In five games last week, Hunt had nine hits, a walk, 12 RBIs and a stolen base. To open up the week, he hit a solo home run in a 17-11 loss to Southern Nazarene. His best effort came two games later in a 23-4 win over Bacone. In that game, he hit a solo and a two-run home run. He finished the game with three hits and seven RBIs.

Johnson jolts Adrian

Five hits in two games is what Dylan Johnson (Etobicoke, Ont.) supplied Adrian College last week. He drove in two in a 14-4 win over Greensboro.

Williams bat stays hot for Bisons

Malik Williams (Toronto, Ont.) has been an offensive threat all season long for the Lipscomb Bisons. He accumulated nine hits, two walks, five RBIs, and was hit by a pitch in four games last week. The former Johnson County first baseman went 4-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs in a 10-6 midweek win over Austin Peay. He followed that up with a hit in each of his teams three games at No. 18 Georgia over the weekend. On the season, he’s hitting .355 with four home runs, 20 RBIs and a 1.052 OPS in 16 games played.

Williston State keeps winning

With four wins last week, the Williston State Teton ran their winning streak to 13. Their last loss? The first game of the season. Logan Warkentin (Winnipeg, Man.) had seven hits, three walks and four RBIs in the four games. Four of those hits came in an 18-2 win over Riverland.

Coutney aids Old Dominion in four wins

A midweek win over Princeton and a three-game sweep of Stony Brook moved No. 24 Old Dominion to 13-1 on the season. Matt Coutney (Wetaskiwin, Alta.) helped his squad out with six hits. He also worked a pair of walks, drove in six, and was hit by a pitch. The senior hit a two-run home run that gave the Monarchs the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning in Game 2 against Stony Brook.

Lake Region State wins three, Canadians contribute in each

Canadians were all over the box scores in Lake Region’s three wins last week.

Riley Craw (Winnipeg, Man.) was doing dual duty for the Royals. In the box, he pounded out eight hits, walked once and drove in four. He was especially impressive in an 11-1 win over Western Tech when he went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. He also closed out the game with a scoreless inning and two strikeouts on the bump.

Alexis Dubeau (Mascouche, Que.) scattered six hits and one run over five innings to lead the Royals in their 11-1 win over Western Tech. Dubeau walked two and punched out 10.

Alex Horobetz (Hamilton, Ont.) put up four hits, two walks, and four RBIs.

Kole Jessamine (Abbotsford, BC) did a little bit of everything for the Royals. He chipped in five hits, a walk, five RBIs and a stolen base on the offensive side. In a 3-2, 10-inning victory over Riverland, he stepped on the mound and delivered five innings. The Fraser Valley Cardinal product allowed one run on three hits, while walking four and striking out four.

Schure a sure thing for Lassen

Matt Schure (Salt Springs Island, BC) collected four hits and stole two bases, all while patrolling centre field for Lassen College.

Crowell, Grant head to Tuscon

The Bismarck State Mystics made their way to Arizona for the Tucson Invitation this past weekend and a couple of Canadians were enjoying the warm weather.

Nash Crowell (Okotoks, Alta.) had a pair of two-hit games in a 10-0 win over Carthage College JV’s and a 11-1 victory over Rainy River. He also walked once and drove in three.

Logan Grant (Chestermere, Alta.) left the yard in the 10-0 win and finished the game 4-for-4. Against Rainy River he had a hit and a walk.

MacLean makes quick work of Scotland Prep

Tanner MacLean (Charlottetown, PEI) threw a complete game, six innings for Sullivan County in their 13-1 win over Scotland Prep. He surrendered one run on four hits and struck out 10.

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The MLB lockout is over and Spring Training games begin this week. But don’t forget about the hundreds of players putting up impressive performances across all levels of college baseball. We have all the action covered right here each week.

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 college baseball coverage all season long.