Banner Season: Marauders welcome championship-hopeful quartet for final four showdown on the diamonds
Burlington, Ont. – The final four is set. After conquering their respective qualifiers last weekend, the regional victors will next turn their attention to the 2023 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Baseball Championship from October 13th to 14th. The host and West Qualifier winning McMaster Marauders will be joined by the Carleton Ravens (Far East Qualifier), Toronto Varsity Blues (Central Qualifier), and Waterloo Warriors (Far West Qualifier) at Bernie Arbour Stadium to battle it out for the Jason Guindon Trophy.
Championship Details:
When: Friday, October 13 to Saturday, October 14 | FULL SCHEDULE
Where: Bernie Arbour Stadium
Participating Schools (4): Carleton Ravens, McMaster Marauders (host), Toronto Varsity Blues, Waterloo Warriors
Watch: oua.tv
Defending Champions: Queen’s Gaels
Student-Athletes to Watch:
Kevin Angers, Toronto | The Blues starting pitcher in this year’s qualifier finale is no stranger to big moments on the mound, having been part of Toronto’s 2021 championship-winning team, and his experience could prove pivotal to help keep this weekend’s opposition at bay. One of the top hurlers in the conference and the stingiest on the team in terms of run prevention, Angers is sure to have the ball in his hands at some point for the Blues this weekend and the veteran will take the mound looking to put the feather in the cap of another successful OUA campaign.
Niko Kekatos, Toronto | The 2021 OUA most valuable hitter is one of the most consistent threats at the plate year in and year out, combining patience and productivity to wreak havoc among the OUA opposition. His offensive abilities were on display this past weekend, knocking in three runs and scoring three in the regional final along with a pair of runs batted in during the team’s earlier bout with TMU. The Blues No. 3 hitter will look to maintain his imposing presence at the heart of the order as they look to clinch their second OUA title in three years.
Nolan Misa, Waterloo | Misa was about as clutch as could be in the Warriors’ tough path to the OUA Championship, providing the walk-off heroics in two qualifying games for the black and gold. The first came in the team’s opener against Wilfrid Laurier in the form of a three-run homer, before knocking in the game-winning run in the 11th inning against Windsor. The fourth-year captain finished with a tidy .350 average, collecting four extra base hits, 11 RBIs, five runs scored, and four stolen bases, and the OUA athlete of the week will eye even more heroic hits this weekend.
Evan Morrison, Waterloo | An all-star in 2022, Morrison continues to be a potent part of the Warriors lineup both at the plate and in the field. The third-year recreation and sports business major is a consistent run-producer in the No. 2 spot, anchors the infield at shortstop, and is a reliable arm for the black and gold, all skillsets that he showed off during his team’s impressive run through the Far West Regional. With experience under his belt from the 2022 OUA Championship, Morrison will no doubt be an integral part of any success that his side collects in their second consecutive appearance at the event.
Cohen Rose-Radunsky, Carleton | The Ravens’ most reliable arm in the lead-up to last weekend’s Qualifier, Rose-Radunsky will look to keep that consistency rolling this weekend. He kept his team within arm’s reach in Sunday’s final against Queen’s through his five innings of work, collecting seven strikeouts therein, and will surely have a role to play should Carleton hoist the Jason Guindon Trophy on Saturday.
Justin White, McMaster | The Ancaster, Ont. local was the West Qualifier leader with a .600 batting average and contributed six hits for McMaster over the weekend. The second-year shortstop majoring in environment and society, White was seemingly always on base, registering six hits and a .714 on-base percentage. He also chipped in with his glove, making several key plays in the Marauders’ three games to help his side secure a coveted berth at the OUA Championship.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
Carleton proved to be the comeback kids in their Far East Regional final, when they came back to defeat the defending OUA champions on Sunday. Trailing 5-0 heading into the home half of the sixth, the host Ravens notched 10 runs down the stretch, including eight in the decisive eighth inning alone. It was a team effort to get the job done, with all but one Ravens player registering at least a hit, including the No. 8 and 9 hitters combining to go 6-for-8 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the finale. The 2021 silver medalists will look to keep the collective effort rolling as part of the final four combatants this weekend, and eye a step up the podium following that second-place finish two years back.
After failing to win a game at last year’s West Regional, the Marauders made their mark on their home field this past weekend. Despite a loss in their high-scoring, back-and-forth opener, the hosts ultimately earned a bye to the final against Brock. The Hamilton squad was in tough until the fifth frame in that rematch with the Badgers, but Ethan Seymour’s two-run blast therein gave the Marauders a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, ultimately earning the right to play at their home field for an OUA title. The hosts will be in tough against Toronto in their semifinal, but will look to put on a show for the home crowd come first pitch on Friday.
The Toronto offence was on another level in the Central Qualifier, as the Blues blasted 61 runs across their four regional games. They twice reached the 20-run plateau while flexing their offensive muscle, with a few of their key offensive cogs – Lemuel Beach (5 RBIs), Sam Aslanowicz (2 RBIs, 3 R), Kekatos (3 RBIs, 3 R) – taking centre stage in their 23-7 championship win over TMU. The depth of the Toronto lineup proved to be too much for the opposition to handle during the regionals, and they’ll look to pair that with potent performances on the mound to lock up their third conference championship since 2017.
For a second straight season, the Waterloo Warriors are championship-bound, having scraped and clawed their way past a Far West Qualifier gauntlet to punch their ticket once again. The offence was on display all weekend, reaching double-digit runs in three of their four games and coming up clutch when it mattered most. First baseman Misa anchored much of the heroics, but the likes of Morrison, Jayden Kemp, and company make for a tall test for any opposing pitcher. The reigning fourth-place finishers will hit the Bernie Arbour Stadium field eyeing not only a semifinal win on Friday, but a championship to close out the OUA finale.
What They're Saying:
"We are excited for the chance to compete for an OUA Championship this season." - Adam Strongman, Coach, McMaster Marauders
