Blues set to battle baseball’s best in their quest for repeat banner success
Ajax, Ont. – They may not have entered as the favourites a year ago, but that didn’t stop the Toronto Varsity Blues from leaving as champions against a strong crop of teams. With a loaded field of talent hitting the diamonds once again this weekend, a number of squads have a chance at following in the Blues footsteps to claim championship glory in 2018.
2018 Baseball Championship Fan Guide
After going 3-0 in last year’s event, which included an 8-3 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks in the gold medal game, the Blues enter as the No. 3 seed ahead of their quest for the repeat. The Blues will square off in Pool B of the tournament following a 12-6 regular season record, and a big part of that success was the potent offence, led by Gabriel Nakonechny (Toronto, Ont.) and Roy Suzuki (Toronto, Ont.).
Averaging over seven runs per game, the Blues excelled in both power and speed, with Suzuki tying for the OUA lead in home runs (4) and Nakonechny pacing the league in steals (26). The duo also collected 26 hits apiece to claim top spot in that category as well. Also joining the dynamic duo is Tanner Young-Schultz (Stratford, Ont.) and Joe Woods (Calgary, Alta), who have been major contributors to the team this year.
Alongside their strong hitting, Toronto’s pitching corps has remained strong all season as well. The starting rotation, led by Mateos Kekatos (Toronto, Ont.), was electric on the mound, with all four posting a sub-3.00 ERA. Among the highlights was a 7-inning performance from Kekatos against Brock – one of the team’s Pool B combatants this weekend – wherein he allowed just one run, while striking out seven. This type of performance is no surprise for the second-year player, however, as he picked up 37 strikeouts over 33 innings to post a 5-0 record and 1.09 ERA.
The team that bowed out to the Blues a year ago, the Laurier Golden Hawks, will come in to this year’s event as one of the favourites yet again, earning the top spot in this weekend’s finale. The purple and gold posted a 13-5 record on the year and are coming in especially hot with a five-game winning streak under their belts. This comes as no surprise, given the Hawks’ regular season track record over the past five years, but with just one championship to show for it during that span, they’ll be looking to find the winning postseason formula this time around.
Like the Blues, the Hawks have a bevy of weapons both at the plate and on the mound, with Christian Huack (Orangeville, Ont.) leading the charge for the latter. The 2016 OUA Top Pitcher and first-team all-star leads a talented and deep staff that should keep hitters on their toes all weekend long.
Looking to wreak havoc for the high-flying Hawks offence, meanwhile, will be the reigning OUA Hitter of the Year, Ryley Davenport (Oshawa, Ont.). Davenport has made waves throughout the conference since his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2015, and as a key cog in the deep Laurier lineup, his offensive prowess should once again be on display this weekend.
Sandwiched between Toronto and Laurier in the regular season standings are the Brock Badgers, and after bowing out earlier than they would have liked a year ago, they’ll be relying on a pair of potent producers to translate their regular season success onto this year’s championship stage.
Alex Nolan (Burlington, Ont.) has emerged as the staff ace for the Badgers and his presence has anchored one of the strongest pitching staffs in the league. Nolan has dominated this season, authoring multiple complete game shutouts and tallying more than 10 strikeouts on three separate occasions.
The fourth-year pitcher is just one of the St. Catharines squad’s veterans that should play a significant role in their quest for the gold, joined in that regard as well by Noah Koffman (Richmond Hill, Ont.). The fellow fourth-year star has been a leader in the heart of the Badgers’ order thanks to his ability to hit for both power and average. His two dingers have helped place him squarely in the hunt for the league’s batting title, and along with his stellar defence, should be one to watch if the Badgers want to avenge the sting of last year’s defeat.
Joining Brock and Toronto in their pool, meanwhile, will be the Western Mustangs, who had their back-to-back championship streak halted in 2017. The purple ponies are no stranger to success on the diamonds, having claimed six in the program’s history, and despite the tough competition, will surely be among those eyeing this year’s banner. If the team wants to once again reach the top of the podium, they’ll need big performances from Adam Paish (Mississauga, Ont.) and Alex Lamont (London, Ont.) on the mound, as well as veteran 1B Jeff Martin (Ajax, Ont.), among others, at the plate.
The final team in Pool B is the McMaster Marauders, who are shooting for a spot on the podium in 2018. With their last (and only) championship coming 10 years ago, the Marauders will hope that a pair of third-year players can buoy their return to baseball success.
Lucas Dasilva (Toronto, Ont.), the 2016 OUA Rookie of the Year, is a leader in the McMaster infield from the shortstop position and will be called upon to do just that this weekend. Just as Dasilva has been a consistent presence in the field, meanwhile, Quinn Finch (Mississauga, Ont.) has been the same for the rotation. The southpaw, who was named a first-team all star in 2017 as a reliever, has been one of the team’s most reliable arms in 2018 and a key contributor to their strong regular season, which saw McMaster take a major step forward with 10 wins.
A pair of teams were able to one-up the Hamilton squad’s regular season success with 11 wins apiece, and these fourth and fifth-ranked teams will join the top-seeded Hawks in Pool A. Checking in at No. 4, the Queen’s Gaels are playing for a repeat spot on the podium after earning bronze a year ago. Despite their steady climb and recent success over the past few seasons, Queen’s has never won an OUA baseball championship, but with a strong senior contingent on the roster, the Tricolour will be pushing for the peak in 2018.
The co-hosts will be anchored on the mound by Will Langford (Cobourg, Ont.). The fourth-year hurler, who picked up a thrilling no-hitter just one season ago, has been a top pitcher for the Gaels thanks in large part to his poise, leadership, and of course, talent. He won’t be the only arm in action; however, as veteran pitcher and former UBC Thunderbird, Jordan Herbison (Brockville, Ont.) will also be critical for the team to make a championship run.
Matching their 11-8 record, meanwhile, the Guelph Gryphons will enter play as the No. 5 seed and open round robin play against the aforementioned Gaels. A quarterfinal loss to Toronto ended their championship quest a year ago, but they’ll be looking for more in 2018 with a new-look squad.
After taking over for long-time coach Matt Griffin, former Gryphon infielder Dean Mariani has been guiding his alma mater in 2018, and among those who have stood out for the young bench boss are Sam Salemi (Toronto, Ont.) and Luke Whitehouse (Oakville, Ont.). The former is in his fifth year and has showcased his experience all season long to the tune of a 4-0 record, 2.45 ERA, and 21 Ks through 33 innings of work. The latter, meanwhile, has feasted on opposing pitchers this year, collecting a .372 AVG and 1.044 OPS. His 16 hits, including seven doubles, demonstrate how tough of an out he is and why he will be one to watch this weekend.
The final member of Pool A is the Ryerson Rams, who check in with a 6-12 record during the year. If the Rams want to not only improve on their regular season record, but their first-round elimination at last year’s provincial finale, they will need to see continued output from one of their biggest offensive stars – R.J. Mienkowski (Toronto, Ont.).
The fourth-year standout has shown off both power and speed this season, helping him to become one of the best hitters int the OUA. Mienkowski collected a tidy .311/.404/.422 line, with two double, one home run, six RBI, and three stolen bases this year. And for a team that includes 14 new players, his consistent and reliable production is a big part of the group’s formula for success.
On the mound, it will be Kevin Lucas (Mississauga, Ont.) hoping to make a splash in his first championship appearance. The first-year pitcher has been one of the OUA’s most dominant this year, averaging around 6.0 innings per start and limiting the opposition to a miniscule .174 AVG. He rounded out the year with a 1.54 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 19 Ks.
The third and final pool in round robin play consists of the Waterloo Warriors, Laurentian Voyageurs, and Windsor Lancers. Waterloo placed fourth a season ago, but has been unable to translate that championship success into continued triumphs this season. The black and gold enter as a young team looking to gain experience, but do have some weapons that will keep them competitive. Stephen Whalen (Heidelberg, Ont.) smashed three home runs on the year (3rd in OUA) to help anchor the offence along with first-year Tyler Sayers (Sault Ste. Mare, Ont.), who registered a .421 AVG on the year.
In their first year of play in the OUA, meanwhile, the Voyageurs will also be looking for experience this weekend. The team hasn’t exactly had the debut season they were hoping for, but their winless record doesn’t tell the whole story. Laurentian lost six games by just one run, while 10 of their 14 losses came by three or less, suggesting that the team has the ability to compete. Helping them to do just that will be team leaders, offensive sparkplugs, and defensive stalwarts Kody Anton (Thunder Bay, Ont.) and Jeremy Roach (Georgetown, Ont.).
The final member of the 11-team championship field is the Windsor Lancers, who find themselves in a rebuild after losing 18 student-athletes to graduation over the past two seasons. Featuring 14 new players, the Lancers will rely on the leadership of Chris Rinaldi Ross (Tecumseh, Ont.), Adam Pickel (Windsor, Ont.), and Jeremy Orton (Essex, Ont.) to establish the team as a strong contender again.
All in all, the 11 teams make up an immensely competitive field that will kick off play on Friday morning at the Ajax Sportsplex. Round robin play will continue through the first two days of competition, before the semifinals and finals cap the championship on Sunday.
