Nakonechny, Porter highlight major award winners and all-stars from championship weekend

Burlington, Ont. – Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to announce the 2018 major award winners and all-stars from the banner season finale, and after finding themselves as the last two teams standing, the Laurier Golden Hawks and Toronto Varsity Blues combine to earn a pair of major awards and nine all-stars from championship weekend.

Hitter of the Year – Gabriel Nakonechny, Toronto Varsity Blues

Just as he did all season long for the Toronto Varsity Blues, 3B Gabriel Nakonechny (Toronto, Ont.) shone last weekend in leading his team to a silver-medal finish at the OUA championship. The first-team all star at the hot corner went 9-for-20 at the plate on the weekend, hitting two triples and two walk-off singles to lead the Blues to round robin victories over the Western Mustangs and McMaster Marauders. An international relations major, Nakonechny also had a team-high five runs, four stolen bases, and three RBI as Toronto went 4-1 in Ajax.

With an offence as potent as Toronto’s, however, the third-baseman certainly didn’t do it alone. Joining Nakonechny as all-stars in 2018 are three additional first-teamers. Tanner Young-Schultz (Stratford, Ont.) earned his fifth career OUA all-star nod for his efforts behind the plate. Fourth-year shortstop Roy Suzuki (Toronto, Ont.) and sophomore designated hitter Joe Woods (Calgary, Alta.) join their fellow Varsity Blues on the first team after claiming their first career all-star recognitions, while second-year relief pitcher Grant Shantz (Toronto, Ont.) also earns his first selection as a member of the second team.

Pitcher of the Year – Chase Porter, Brock Badgers

While many of these Toronto standouts shone at the plate, another member of their championship pool was at the top of his game to shut the opposition down. And after doling out one of the most electric pitching performances of the weekend, Brock’s Chase Porter (Whitby, Ont.) is recognized as the 2018 Pitcher of the Year.

Porter opened up the championship for the Badgers in fine form, taking the mound against the Marauders in dominant fashion. Porter surrendered just one earned run in the complete game performance, giving up three hits while racking up an electrifying 14 strikeouts in seven innings. The success is nothing new for Porter, as he has been one of the premiere university pitchers across the country since he entered the OUA. His flawless delivery and arsenal of pitches were on full display last weekend and made him a deserving first-team all-star selection for the St. Catharines squad.

Another member of the Badgers who has been among the conference’s best since first taking the field is Noah Koffman (Richmond Hill, Ont.), who added yet another all-star nod to his resume, picking up second-team recognition in 2018.

Rookie of the Year – Jeremie Veilleux, McMaster Marauders

A debut season to remember for Jeremie Veilleux (Oakville, Ont.) has earned him this year’s top rookie award, and he’ll do so with a bright future ahead both behind and at the plate for the McMaster Marauders.

The rookie catcher appeared in all 18 of McMaster’s OUA regular season games in 2018, and led the Marauders in every standard offensive category, with 22 hits, a .349 batting average and a slugging percentage of .476, while providing one of the team’s three home runs on the season. Heading into championship weekend, Veilleux continued to wreak havoc against the opposition, picking up a run in the team’s opener, along with a hit in their second game, and another pair of runs in their final effort.

While the championship result wasn’t what the Hamilton squad was hoping for, there is plenty for the team to celebrate, and another is one of Veilleux’s battery mates. Quinn Finch (Mississauga, Ont.), who was one of the conference’s brightest stars a year ago, has retained his all-star status as a relief pitcher, while CF Mark Zanette (Woodbridge, Ont.) rounds out their all-star contingent thanks to his steady play in the field and solid presence at the plate.

Coach of the Year – Scott Ballantyne, Laurier Golden Hawks

For the second consecutive season and third time overall, Scott Ballantyne earns the Coach of the Year honour; this time doing so with a championship performance to boot. Ballantyne guided the Hawks to the top seed at the banner season battle, and despite advancing via the wildcard, led his squad to their second OUA championship in program history.

Laurier outscored their opponents 35-14 in their five games on the weekend – a stretch that came after a successful regular season that saw the purple and gold take home the pennant – and ended their campaign by avenging their loss to Toronto in last year’s provincial championship. But even with this caliber of coach at the helm, the team had plenty of on-field talent that sparked their success, including four all-stars.

Last year’s Hitter of the Year, Ryley Davenport (Oshawa, Ont.), headlines the quartet after another strong season at the plate culminated in a productive last weekend. From sacrifices to extra-base hits to run production, the first-team all-star was key to the Hawks high-flying offence, as was fellow all-star outfielder Matthew Komonen (Etobicoke, Ont.). The rookie played his way onto the second-team roster, providing one of the most memorable moments in this year’s championship with a 10th inning walk-off single to win it all. The outfielder also showed off his arm when he cut off a run at the plate in the gold medal game, and if any other Hawk knows how to do damage with his arm, it’s fellow all-star Christian Hauck (Orangeville, Ont.).

Hauck was masterful for the Hawks on the mound this year, but saved one of his best performances for last when his team needed it most. With Laurier needing a win to advance, Hauck produced a complete-game gem, surrendering just one hit and striking out seven to completely shut down the Gaels and secure the much-needed victory for the eventual champions. The fourth and final Laurier all-star is 1B Keifer Quick (Leamington, Ont.), who earns a spot on the first-team crew.

While Laurier went the distance for their first title since 2013, it was actually the Guelph Gryphons who took top spot in their pool, going undefeated in round robin play. The team was playing with confidence and great ability, anchored by a pair of all-star performances. 2B Robert Wolfer (Toronto, Ont.) was a consistent thorn in the opposition’s side, picking up a multi-RBI and multi-hit game in their final two contests, respectively, while outfielder Mason Copeland (Guelph, Ont.) picked up at least one hit in three of Guelph’s four games en route to a second-team all-star selection.

Picking up three all-star nods were the Queen’s Gaels, with top offensive threat Austin O’Boyle (North York, Ont.) among the lot. The third baseman started strong in the first round, going 2-for-4 in their opening game against Guelph with a home run and two RBIs. He would add another hit and an additional run to round out his championship performance. Fellow Gael Curtis Smith (Burlington, Ont.) also had his strongest performance against the Gryphons, as the first-team outfielder went 3-for-3 and reached base in all four plate appearances. 2B Sean Alp (Mississauga, Ont.) shone defensively meanwhile, as his work with the glove helped him stand out as a second-team selection.

The Mustangs, meanwhile, are represented by one of their most reliable veterans and one of their brightest young stars, as Jeff Martin (Ajax, Ont.) and Harry Weisdorf (London, Ont.) both claimed selections. The former was a threat in all three of Western’s games, hitting .500 with two runs and an RBI in their opening two games, before wrapping up his weekend with a homer, three RBIs, and a stolen base against McMaster. The latter, a rookie outfielder, also brought his A-game to the purple ponies’ final game of the weekend, as Weisdorf went 4-for-4 with two runs, three RBIs, and two SBs in the win. 

The final member of the second team comes from a squad that didn’t find the win column until championship weekend rolled around. The Laurentian Voyageurs, who kicked off their OUA journey this season, made a Cinderella-like run to the semifinals. And for his efforts in the team’s streak, which included three victories in round-robin play, designated hitter Justin Dineen (Ottawa, Ont.) secures the all-star nod.

The complete list of 2018 baseball major award winners and all-stars is as follows:

Major Award Winners

Pitcher of the Year – Chase Porter, Brock
Hitter of the Year – Gabriel Nakonechny, Toronto
Rookie of the Year – Jeremie Veilleux, McMaster
Coach of the Year – Scott Ballantyne, Laurier

First-Team All-Stars

Catcher – Tanner Young-Schultz, Toronto
First Base – Keifer Quick, Laurier
Second Base – Robert Wolfer, Guelph
Shortstop – Roy Suzuki, Toronto
Third Base – Gabriel Nakonechny, Toronto
Outfield – Ryley Davenport, Laurier
Outfield – Harry Weisdorf, Western
Outfield – Curtis Smith, Queen’s
Designated Hitter – Joe Woods, Toronto
Starting Pitcher – Chase Porter, Brock
Relief Pitcher – Quinn Finch, McMaster

Second-Team All-Stars

Catcher – Jeremie Veilleux, McMaster
First Base – Jeff Martin, Western
Second Base – Sean Alp, Queen’s
Shortstop – Noah Koffman, Brock
Third Base – Austin O’Boyle, Queen’s
Outfield – Matthew Komonen, Laurier
Outfield – Mark Zanette, McMaster
Outfield – Mason Copeland, Guelph
Designated Hitter – Justin Dineen, Laurentian
Starting Pitcher – Christian Hauck, Laurier
Relief Pitcher – Grant Shantz, Toronto