| 2003-04 October 14, 2003 VARSITY BLUES BASEBALL EARNS OUA TITLE The University of Toronto, who claimed the most OUA championships last season with 12, got the 2003-04 season off on the right note as they captured the OUA Baseball Championship this Thanksgiving weekend. The University of Toronto’s Jesse Fulton pitched a complete game two-hitter to lead the Varsity Blues to a 7-0 victory over the McMaster Marauders in the third and deciding game of the Championship. After splitting the opening two games of the series at McMaster on Saturday, Toronto used the home field advantage on Sunday to jump out a seven-run lead after just two innings and cruise to their second OUA title in the past three seasons. Fulton, who also pitched the Varsity Blues past Brock in the semifinals last weekend with a complete game five-hitter, struck out ten on Sunday and did not allow a Marauder past second base to earn the shutout. After a 1-2-3 first for Fulton, the U of T bats went right to work in the bottom of the inning. A run-scoring double by James Rutherford kick started the offence, with Dominic Roppa and Marc Sgrignoli also earning RBIs with base hits in the first. The Varsity Blues put the game out of reach for good with a four-run second inning. Rutherford led the U of T attack with three hits and a pair of RBIs, while Roppa added two hits and two RBIs. The championship victory was a fitting finish to a Cinderella post-season for the Varsity Blues. U of T (8-9) slipped into the final playoff spot after finishing in a five-way tie for third place in the conference. They then went on to defeat the top-ranked Brock Badgers, who had a 15-2 regular season, 2-1 in their best-of-three semifinal, before knocking off second place McMaster (10-7). (Source: Adrian Bradbury, Toronto Sports Information) October 9, 2003 MCMASTER, TORONTO SET TO BATTLE IT OUT ON DIAMOND The McMaster Marauders play host to the Toronto Varsity Blues Saturday afternoon in Games one and two of the OUA Baseball Championship series. The first pitch is thrown out at 1:00pm at Bernie Arbour Stadium. McMaster and Toronto are no strangers to the post season. This is McMaster's second straight appearance in the OUA Championship series and their seventh in eight years at the provincial championship series. For the Blues, it is the second time in three years that they have advanced to the OUA Championship series, winning the title in 2001. McMaster will look to secure its first OUA title this weekend. Both teams enter the Championship after strong showings in the semifinals. The Marauders capitalized on strong pitching performances not allowing a single run in the two semifinal series games to sweep the Waterloo Warriors. Toronto, who survived a five-way tie for the final OUA playoff spot, upset the top ranked Brock Badgers coming from a game behind to knock of the defending champs. If last season's post season meeting between these two teams is any indication of what to expect then this year's Championship will not disappoint. Last season, in the OUA Semi-final series, the Marauders rallied from a game behind to force a third game and then secured an upset of then second ranked Varsity Blues overcoming a late deficit in the game three to secure a 2-1 win in extra innings ending Toronto's season. The Blues will be looking to settle the score after the 2003 campaign begin in similar fashion. In the OUA season opener at SkyDome, the Marauders came from behind in the bottom of the ninth for a 9-8 victory. The Marauders also won the additional two meetings during the regular season, 2-1 and 12-2. When the two teams meet on Saturday there will be a number of familiar faces amongst both squads. For Toronto third basemen Scott Hughes, the Championship will be a homecoming of sorts. Hughes was a standout for the Marauders from 1997-2002, being named the 1997 National Championship tournament MVP when the Marauders claimed victory. Hughes joined the Blues this past fall as he began his studies in the U of T medical program. There is National team ties between these two teams as well. Toronto outfielders Marc Sgrignoli and James Rutherford along with McMaster pitcher Josh Krywionek where all teammates on the Canadian Team that competed at the 2002 FISU World University Games in Messina, Sicily. McMaster Assistant Coach Cameron Dunlop was also involved with Canadian Team as the Head of Delegation and a guest coach. On the field, both McMaster and Toronto have potent offenses and good starting pitching. McMaster designated hitter Jeremy Paikin led the OUA in batting average with 0.523, on-base percentage at 0.596 and he was near the top of the league in most other offensive categories. If the Blues can find a way to get Paikin out they will still need to contend with third baseman Kevin Comiskey. He was third in the league in RBI's with 14 during the regular season as well as being fourth in batting average (0.370), slugging percentage (0.481), and on base percentage (0.477). Catcher Dominic Roppa and third baseman Scott Hughes lead the Varsity Blues offense. Roppa was third in the OUA in batting average (0.377), and fifth in slugging percentage at 0.472 and RBI's with 13. Hughes was third in slugging percentage at 0.492, and RBI's at 14. On the mound McMaster's Josh Krywionek was 4-0 during the regular season boasting the OUA's third lowest ERA (0.76). Toronto's Dave Steffler was not far behind with a 2-1 record and the fourth best ERA at 0.88. With such an even match-up the Championship could come down to who has the deeper bullpen and who has the most production out of their entire batting order. (Source: Cam Dunlop, McMaster Communications) October 6, 2003 VARSITY BLUES STUN BROCK TO ADVANCE TO FINALS The Toronto Varsity Blues, who snuck into the fourth and final playoff spot on tie-breaking regulations, knocked off the defending champion Brock Badgers in the three-game semi-final series this weekend. The heavily favoured Badgers easily secured game one with a 9-0 win, but fell one run short of a comeback as the Blues took an early 6-0 lead and finished with the 6-5 win. Sunday, in the third and decisive game, the Blues jumped out to an early 3-0 lead to back-to-back home runs in the third inning. Toronto becomes only the third OUA team to defeat Brock this season. The McMaster baseball team managed to add to homecoming success, sweeping the Waterloo Warriors for a spot in the OUA Championship series for the second straight year. The Marauders took a 1-0 lead in the first and added an insurance run in the third. Game two started the same as McMaster jumped out 1-0 in the first, which would prove to be enough, as the Marauders held on to the lead and the game. McMaster starter Aaron Gordon had a no hitter going into Waterloo's final at bat, when Chris Dietrich was able to connect on a single . McMaster, last season’s runners-up, now host game one and two of the OUA Championship series this Saturday at Bernie Arbour Stadium. If a game three is necessary, it will take place in Toronto on Sunday. October 2, 2003 WATERLOO AND TORONTO ADVANCE AS 5-WAY TIE BROKEN The 2003 OUA baseball regular season wrapped up last night with Laurier sweeping McMaster 10-0 and 7-2. As a result, there was a five-way tie for third place. The tie-breaking rule in the OUA Baseball Rules and Regulations were deemed inapplicable as there was an unbalance in schedules, with respect to the number of times certain teams played each other. Thus, using the OUA General Tie-Breaking Regulations, point difference among the tied teams were taken into account. Waterloo came out on top with a +23 point difference and finishes third. The Toronto Varsity Blues finished in the fourth and final playoff position with a +13 in point differential. Guelph (-4), Western (-5) and Laurier (-17) place fifth to seventh respectively. Brock hosts Toronto this weekend in a three-game semi-final series, while the Warriors will now take on McMaster in the other series. The winners of the two series face off Thanksgiving weekend to determine the first OUA Champion of the 2003 season. 2002-03 April 14, 2003 BROCK BASEBALL STAR BORJAS SIGNS PRO St. Catharines, ON - The Brock University baseball team is pleased to announce that fifth-year baseball superstar Raul Borjas (Venezuela) has signed a pro contract with the newly formed Canadian Baseball League (CBL). This past season's OUA MVP and recent Brock Male Athlete of the Year Nominee amassed one of the greatest careers in a Badger uniform. Over a four-year span at Brock, Borjas posted a Brock All-Time best career average of .417 (181-for-432) and is the All-Time leader in stolen bases. Borjas ranks in the top ten in almost every statistical category at Brock. Borjas was named 2002 OUA MVP and First Team-All Star guiding Brock to its first ever OUA Championship. In the process Borjas batted .507 batting average, 36 hits, 27 runs, 6 home runs, 23 RBI, 63 total bases, an .887 slugging percentage, and 15 stolen bases on 15 attempts. Borjas joins former University of Toronto pitcher Angus Roye as the only OUA baseball players to sign professional contracts. Roye signed with the Boston Red Sox organization and is currently in Double-A. Brock Baseball head coach Jeff Lounsbury commented that he was extremely proud of Borjas beaming, "Raul worked extremely hard for this, he has represented the university and the program with class, hard work and talent." Lounsbury also he notes he can't wait to see Borjas play at the next level along with another former Badger great. Borjas joins Jeremy Walker (Aurora, ON) as the second Brock baseball player to sign with the CBL. Walker, who signed in early February, spent two seasons at Brock (1998-99) posting a career average of .390. Previous to Walker and Borjas only one other Brock player has signed pro. Badger great and one-time Brock Male Athlete of the Year, Andrew Tinnish played professionally with the Quebec Capitales of the Northern League. Currently a scout in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Tinnish ranks tops in several All-Time categories including runs (173), hits (239), doubles (47), home runs (25), RBI (208), total bases (373), and saves (8). Brock Baseball is widely regarded as one of Canada's elite programs boasting two national championships in its eight-year existence. This past season Brock posted a 26-10 record winning the OUA Championship at the OUA Blue Jay Cup Championship at Skydome, for which Borjas was named MVP. The fate of the Venezuelan sensation will be determined over the weekend as the CBL hosts the first-ever dispersal draft. Each team of the eight-team league will draft from a pool of talent of Canadian and International players. The Niagara Stars, located in nearby Welland, ON, are the closest team to Brock University. (Source: Mike Tucker, Brock Baseball General Manager) February 6, 2003 TAYLOR NAMED MCMASTER HEAD BASEBALL COACH Hamilton - The Department of Athletics and Recreation at McMaster University is pleased to announce the appointment of Rich Taylor as its new Head Baseball Coach. Taylor has served as a member of the baseball team's coaching staff since graduating from the Marauder program in 1998. He had a successful playing career as a Marauder. He was a four-year starter including the 1997 National Championship season. In addition to his coaching duties with the Marauders, Taylor has also worked as an instructor with the Dundas OBA program working at various skill levels. He spent last summer as an assistant coach with the Junior Hamilton Cardinals of the Inter-County league. Taylor replaces Don Graves who announced during the 2002 season that he would retire after the conclusion of his eighth season with the program. Graves was a 2003 recipient of the Marauder Friends of Distinction award presented annually to the men and women who have contributed in a significant way as the "doers" and "builders" of current and past athletic programs at McMaster. Taylor is currently employed with the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board as a teacher and he resides in Dundas Ontario. (Source: Robert Hilson, McMaster Marketing and Media Relations) October 1, 2002 PLAYOFF PICTURE FORMED OUA Baseball finished up it’s regular season this past weekend with four teams left standing to battle it out. Brock finished first in the tie-breaker against Toronto and will host fourth place Guelph. Second place Toronto will take on third place McMaster. The playoff format is best two out of three games, with the first two games taking place as a double header this Saturday, October 5. If a third game is necessary, the teams will travel back to the lower-seeded home field for a do-or-die 9 inning game on Sunday. |
