BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Impressive Weekend from the Guelph Gryphons
Highlights from September 22-23 in OUA baseball.
Brock baseball sweeps Varsity Blues on the road
TORONTO, Ont. - The Brock University baseball team (15-2 overall, 10-1 OUA) extended their win streak to nine games as they swept a doubleheader against the Toronto Varsity Blues Saturday afternoon on the road.
The Badgers trailed early in both games, but came out on top by scores of 8-3 and 13-3. Brock sweeps the regular season series against the defending OUA Champion Varsity Blues.
In Game One, junior Justin Ayles (Brampton, Ont.) went the distance for his 10th career victory. Over seven innings, he allowed three runs on four hits while striking out a game-high eight. He now leads the OUA in strikeouts registering 20 K's in 17 innings pitched.
Brock senior Craig Vannus (Lambeth, Ont.) led the way going 3-for-3 with a double and RBI. Freshman Jordan Grant was 2-for-4 with a career high four RBI. Senior Cameron Graham (Sarnia, Ont.) and Evan Baglieri (Chippawa, Ont.) both contributed with one hit and one RBI each. Sophomore Kamil Oubayan (St. Catharines, Ont.) chipped in with a sac fly.
In Game Two, Vannus continued to have a big day at the plate going 4-for-5 with two RBI. Graham (2-for-4, RBI) and freshman Nathan Smith (2-for-3) both chipped in with two hits each. Baglieri, sophomore Ricky Ferri (St. Catharines, Ont.), sophomore Wil Nicholson (Burlington, Ont.) and freshman Ben Kirby (Burlington, Ont.) all added one hit and one RBI each in the victory.
Sophomore Johnny Hutton (Ancaster, Ont.) picked up the victory allowing three runs on four hits with three strikeouts over four complete innings. Freshman Donny Marchione (Unionville, Ont.) threw two shutout innings recording two strikeouts. Warren Boersma (Wyoming, Ont.) closed out the game throwing one shutout inning.
Source: Brock Sports Info
Gryphons Baseball Improve to 9-4 with Impressive Week
Saturday saw Guelph make the short bus ride to Waterloo to face the Warriors in an important double header against a team that already had a win under their belts against the Gryphs.
Brendan Sorichetti took the mound in game one and delivered his best outing of the season giving up 2 runs over 7 innings. Guelph took an early lead on a 2nd inning home run by Anthony Interisano, but was held off the scoreboard over the next four innings.
The breakthrough game in the 6th inning where second baseman Wade Sage reached base to lead off the inning and Steve Fleisher worked his way on with one out. After Waterloo went to their bullpen, Wes Romak changed the game with one swing, driving the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for a three run home run. That was all Sorichetti needed en route to the 6-2 victory.
Guelph came out in game two against Waterloo looking for the sweep and delivered one of the more impressive displays of power you will see in the OUA. The Gryphs set a team record with four home runs in the game. Interisano hit his sixth of the year which is tops in the league and made him the all time Gryphons home run leader with 9 on his career. Romak hit his second of the day as well giving him four on the year which puts him second amongst all players behind only his own teammate. Marc Mongillo and Kevin Winters added monster shots of their own and Brook Coatsworth was terrific going the distance in a 12-6 win. The six homers on the day gives Guelph 11 on the season which is tops in the league and five ahead of the next closest team.
The Gryphons closed out the weekend with two games in Hamilton against McMaster. Ryan Thompson was the game one starter and pitched well, keeping the Gryphons in the game as the score was tied 4-4 going into the sixth inning. A pair of defensive miscues led to two McMaster runs in the bottom of the sixth and proved to be the difference in a 6-4 loss. Lenny Wood led the Gryphons offensively with a walk and a two-run triple.
Game two of the day saw second year pitcher Jordan Abram take the ball. He responded by with his best start of the season, holding McMaster to three runs over five and two-third innings. Ryan Thompson drove in two runs and Peter Ricciardi had his second multi-hit game of the day to pace the Gryphons offence. Interisano also added an RBI, giving him the league lead in that category as well. With the score 5-3 in favour of Guelph, Kevin Lagerquist came in to relieve Abram and was stellar, retiring all four batters that he faced and securing a 5-3 win for the Gryphons. With the win, Guelph coach Matt Griffin passed Kevin Lilly as the all-time regular season baseball wins leader amongst Guelph managers with 29.
With eight games left in the regular season, the Gryphs have put themselves in a great position to secure their first playoff berth since 2004. They will host Toronto on Saturday for a double header starting at 12PM and will travel to London Sunday to face the Western Mustangs.
Source: Guelph Athletics
BLUES GO 1-1 IN KINGSTON
The Varsity Blues baseball team split their double header with the Queen’s Gaels on Sunday, September 23 at McGaffin Park in Kingston, Ont.
The Blues dropped the first game 8-6 before coming back to defeat the Gaels 10-2.
Jonathan Isaac led the Blues in the first game of the day, with two hits, two RBI and scoring one run. Veteran second baseman Jamie Lekas also had two RBI in the loss. The Blues found themselves leading 5-3 in the top of the fifth, however, the Gaels responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning to secure the win.
Peter Nash started on the mound, allowing three hits and striking out four in four innings, while Harrison Carmichael finished the game, striking out two in two innings of work.
The Blues channelled their frustration into the second game, taking a 7-0 lead after three innings. Carmichael led the Blues with four hits and three RBI, while Steven Hersch had two RBI in the win. Drew Taylor pitched the complete game, allowing five hits and striking out four in the win.
The Varsity Blues return to action this Saturday, September 29 as they head to Guelph, Ont., to take on the Gryphons. First pitch is at 1 p.m.
Source: Toronto Sports Info
Brock baseball split doubleheader against Mustangs
LONDON, Ont. - The Brock University baseball team (16-3 overall, 11-2 OUA) split their doubleheader against the Western Mustangs (9-4 OUA) Sunday afternoon at Labatt Park in London. The Badgers took Game One by the score of 3-1 and the Mustangs won Game Two 4-1. The Badgers still remain first in the OUA standings.
In Game One, Brock sophomore Daniel Veres (Burlington, Ont.) won the pitching battle against Western's Adam Paish. Veres went the complete game allowing one run on four hits while striking out five. Paish allowed three runs on nine hits over his seven innings while recording three strikeouts.
The Brock duo of Evan Baglieri (Chippawa, Ont.) and Cameron Graham (Sarnia, Ont.) both went 2-for-3. Baglieri recorded two RBI and belted his OUA leading fourth homerun of the season while Graham drove in the other Brock run.
Sophomore Wil Nicholson (Burlington, Ont.) and freshman Nathan Smith (Brampton, Ont.) both contributed with two hits each. Senior Craig Vannus (Lambeth, Ont.) added the other Brock hit going 1-for-3.
In Game Two, Western starter Christian Davies threw a two-hitter for his first win of the OUA regular season. Brock freshman Ryan Beckett (Midland , Ont.) suffered the loss allowing two runs on three hits over three innings.
Leading the Mustangs offense were Jim Phillips, Paul Lytwynec, Graham Fulton and Daniel Goldberg who all collected one and one RBI each in the victory.
The two Brock hits came from Graham and Nicholson.
This upcoming week, the Badgers wil play eight games over five days including doubleheaders against Erie CC (Sept. 26), Mercyhurst (Sept. 28), Laurier (Sept. 29) and Waterloo (Sept. 30).
Source: Brock Sports Info
