Big Man On Campus Week II

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

The college schedule is starting to heat up as more teams took the field last week. Canadians continue to contribute on the mound, in the batter’s box, and in the field. Check out the top performances, along with some preseason accolades below.

Potter punches out 12

It appears that Southeastern Oklahoma State University chose the right opening day starter. Jacob Potter (Victoria, BC) struck out 12 over six scoreless innings, as the Savage Storm beat East Central 6-5. Potter allowed three hits and walked two in the victory. Potter picked up the Great American Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week honours.

Demchenko goes the distance

The Friends University bullpen kicked back, relaxed and enjoyed watching fellow right-hander Zach Demchenko (Okotoks, Alta.) dominate the University of Saint Mary. Demchenko had a complete game, seven-inning outing, allowing a pair of runs -- one earned -- on two hits. He walked three and struck out five en route to his third win in as many starts.

Big expectations for Black

Wright State Raider infielder Tyler Black (Toronto, Ont.) earned Preseason Horizon League Player of the Year last week. Black is coming off a truncated 2020 that saw him hit .239, with a .340 on-base percentage, and a .370 slugging percentage over 13 games. In 2019, Black smashed his way to a .358 average in 52 games. The Raiders will look to forget their 6-9, 2020 record when they start the season on Feb. 19, but it won’t be easy. They open with a three-game set at No. 2 Vanderbilt, followed by a three-game series at Alabama.

Quirion picks up preseason honour

For the second year in a row, Lamar University Cardinals’ Anthony Quirion (Dixville, Que.) was selected to the Southland Conference Preseason All-Star Team by Perfect Game. In the shortened 2020 season, Quirion hit .324 with a .342 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage to go along with three home runs and 18 RBIs in 17 games. In 2020, he was named to the preseason all-star team as a third baseman. For 2021, he was given the honour as a catcher.

Sechopolous garners Preseason All-Conference honours

Ari Sechopolous (Windsor, Ont.) was on fire for the College of Charleston when the 2020 season came to a screeching halt. Sechopolous was hitting .360 with a .475 on-base percentage and a .680 slugging percentage over 14 games. Coming off those numbers, it should come as no surprise that the senior first baseman was named to the Preseason All-Colonial Athletic Conference team.

Canadians help College of Idaho to split

Matthew Clay (Port Moody, BC) pounded out eight hits for the College of Idaho during a four-game series with Oregon Tech. In Game 1, Clay went 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs in a 14-10 loss. After going hitless in a 9-1 Game 2 loss, he bounced back and went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a stolen base in an 11-7 win in the third game. Clay then powered the offence in Game 4, going 4-for-4 with a walk and three RBIs to lead the Yotes to an 8-7 win. Looking for a split of the series in Game 4, the Yotes turned the ball over to Ben Tighe (Okotoks, Alta.). Tighe allowed one run, on three hits over five innings. He walked one and struck out four in the win.

Ireland earns second win

Thomas Ireland (Regina, Sask.) tossed five scoreless innings to pick up the win for Polk State in an 11-2 drubbing of Lake Sumter State College. Ireland, who improved to 2-0, allowed four hits and struck out eight.

Gonzalez has five hits

Connors State College transfer Andres Gonzalez (Toronto, Ont.) had five hits, walked four times, drove in four and stole a pair of bases, as Mid-America Christian started the season 4-0. Gonzalez’s best game came in a 19-2 blowout win over Dallas Christian, when he went 3-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs.

Edmands with a pair of multi-hit games

In a pair of games last week, Arizona Western’s Dylan Edmands (Regina, Sask.) had four hits, a walk and four RBIs. He went 2-for-2 with a walk in a 6-0 Game 1 win over Community Christian College. The Matadors pounded CCC 13-2 in Game 2, behind a 2-for-5 game with a home run and five RBIs from Edmands.

Makarus mashes five hits for LSU Eunice

Ayden Makarus (Okotoks, Alta.) had five hits, walked three times and drove in four runs as LSU Eunice went 4-0 last week. In the final game of the week, Makarus swatted a two-run home run in the bottom of the second inning to open the scoring against National Park College. LSU Eunice cruised to a 17-0 win.

Seginowich leads No. 3 Angelo State to series win

There was no easing into the season for Nick Seginowich (Victoria, BC) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics No. 3 Angelo State University Rams, as they took on No. 11 University of Texas at Tyler in a three-game set. In a 10-1 Rams win in Game 1, Seginowich went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, a walk and three RBIs. He then had a hit, a walk and a stolen base in a 2-1 Game 2 loss. In the rubber match, they would reignite their offence in a 15-1 Game 3 win. Seginowich launched another two-run home run, walked, was hit by two pitches and drove in three runs in the lopsided win.

Five hits in three games for Parsons

Jaden Parsons (Vernon. BC) got his season started with a hit for Cloud County in a 5-4 loss to Fort Scott. The Thunderbirds would also drop Game 2, 9-7. Parsons finished a home run shy of the cycle in that one, going 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and a stolen base. The Thunderbirds would avoid the sweep by taking Game 3, 13-3. Parsons had a hit in the finale.

Chipola’s rollin

With a four-game sweep of Florida Southwestern State last week, Chipola College has jumped out to a 10-1 start to 2021.

Drew Howard (Whitby, Ont.) took the mound in Game 1 and picked up the win, allowing an unearned run over four innings. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out six.

Cedric De Grandpre (Saint-Simon-de-Bagot, Que.) worked five scoreless innings of relief in Game 2 to pick up his first save. De Grandpre surrendered two hits and struck out eight in the 9-3 win.

Alfonso Villalobos (Kirkland, Que.) had five hits and three RBIs in the series. In the final game, a 14-8 win, Villalobos went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs.

More games on the slate meant more great performances this past week. Check back weekly to read all about how Canadians are faring in college baseball circuit.

If you know someone who is deserving of a mention in the weekly BMOC column, please email Matt Betts at mattbetts41@gmail.com. Please note our week runs Monday-Sunday.