TECUMSEH, Ont. - Day 2 of the 2022 OCAA Men's Baseball Championship hosted by St. Clair College at Tecumseh's Lacasse Park saw Humber College (Etobicoke) take control of the tournament with a pair of wins on Friday. Humber defeated Centennial College (Scarborough) along with host St. Clair which advances the Hawks to the gold medal round at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the double knockout format. Fanshawe College (London) meets St. Clair at 10 a.m. in the bronze medal game which is both an elimination game and entrance to the gold medal round. See below a recap of all Friday games at the 2022 OCAA Men's Baseball Championship.
Fanshawe College vs. St. Clair College
Fanshawe took advantage of a slow start by host St. Clair College (Windsor) and opened the scoring with a Brad Verhoeven (St. Thomas) sacrifice fly for a 1-0 lead in the third inning. The Saints quickly responded with a five-run fourth inning that was capped by an Owen Findlay (LaSalle) two-RBI single. Fanshawe made things interesting by loading the bases in the seventh inning and scored a pair of runs which included a Verhoeven RBI single. But St. Clair worked out of the jam to preserve a 5-3 win.
Cameron O'Reilly (Moose Jaw, Sask.) took the win on the mound for St. Clair with four innings of work who gave up one run on three hits and two walks while fanning three batters. For his efforts Verhoeven was named Fanshawe's Player of the Game in a losing effort while St. Clair's Josh Anderson (Ajax) was rewarded for the same distinction after reaching base three times which included a pair of hits with a run scored.
Centennial College vs. Humber College
Humber's combination of stingy pitching and consistent offence proved to much for Centennial in a mercy shortened five-inning 10-0 victory. Humber scored in all but the first inning including a 4-run bottom of the fifth to end the contest prematurely. Centennial could only muster two hits against Humber starter Dalton Brownlee (Innisfil) who spread out three walks for the shutout win.
Shoya Hase (Japan) was the Centennial Player of the Game after slapping a stand-up double down the left field line. Humber centerfielder Justin Groves (Peterborough) reached base three times including a pair of singles and scored twice to earn his team's Player of the Game nod.
Centennial College vs. Fanshawe College
Fanshawe scored early and often to take a 3-0 lead after two innings before Centennial responded with a run in the third. Fanshawe increased their advantage to 5-1 in the fourth on some unearned runs. Centennial's Tejean O'Sullivan (Scarborough) put a charge into a deep fly that cleared the fence to get his team to within striking distance which was followed by a Fanshawe miscue allowing the Colts to only trail 5-3. But Fanshawe pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom half before adding a single in the fifth. Centennial didn't go quietly but a lone run in the seventh completed the scoring with Fanshawe taking the game by a score of 8-4.
St. Clair College vs. Humber College
In the marquee match-up of the tournament host St. Clair was able to create some anxiety for top ranked Humber for half the contest. The Saints put together a two-out rally in the firth inning that included two hits and took advantage of some free passes by Humber ace Brandon Deans (Mississauga) for a 2-0 lead. St. Clair starter Sam McKinlay (Tilbury) was able to fend off Humber for three innings of scoreless pitching.
However, Humber amassed a nine-run fourth inning that turned the game upside down and the Saints were forced to their bullpen to get out of the frame. St. Clair could only answer with a single run in the fifth inning, but Humber nearly forced a mercy shortened result by adding three more runs in the bottom half. The final innings were scoreless between the teams and although Humber lifted Deans in the seventh for the final out, he still came away with a dutiful outing that included 11 strikeouts while only giving up two earned runs on four hits and five walks.
Humber catcher Tyrus Bath (Innisfil) was named Player of the Game and survived an HBP but notched a hit to go with two runs scored while backstopping a fine defensive effort behind the dish. St. Clair shortstop Carter Reh (Harrow) had a highlight reel diving stop behind second base on a grounder up the middle to retire an out at first that helped his team keep Humber scoreless in the early stages. Adding to that Reh reached base twice including a single while adding an RBI for St. Clair's Player of the Game Award.
Source: St. Clair Saints
Championship Website: www.ocaa.com/base
Live Webcast: www.ocaa.com/ocaalive
Thursday, October 20
Game #1: No. 3 Fanshawe def. No. 6 George Brown 8-4
Game #2: No. 4 Centennial def. No. 5 Durham 6-5
Friday, October 21
Game #3: No. 2 St. Clair def. No. 3 Fanshawe 5-3
Game #4: No. 1 Humber def. No. 4 Centennial 10-0
Game #5: No. 3 Fanshawe def. No. 4 Centennial 8-4
Game #6: No. 1 Humber def. No. 2 St. Clair 12-3
Saturday, October 22
OCAA Bronze Medal Game
Game #7: No. 3 Fanshawe vs. No. 2 St. Clair - 10 a.m.
Losing team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of game
OCAA Gold Medal Game(s)
Game #8: Winner Game #7 vs. No. 1 Humber - 1 p.m.
Game #9*: Winner Game #7 vs. No. 1 Humber - 3:30 p.m.
*If necessary
OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at the conclusion of final game
- OCAA -
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