TECUMSEH, Ont. - Host St. Clair College came away with an improbable OCAA Men's Baseball Championship gold medal Saturday evening at Tecumseh's Lacasse Park which saw them win three games on the final day. With a loss on their record in the double knockout format the Saints needed to work themselves back into the gold medal round by knocking off Fanshawe College (London) by a score of 10-9 which handed the Falcons a bronze medal. Humber College (Etobicoke) was undefeated and awaited St. Clair in the afternoon who would have to be beaten twice to wrestle the title away from them. The Saints did just that with an 11-6 win before completing their Championship run with a 10-4 victory in the early evening.
This is St. Clair's seventh gold medal in the nine-year existence of OCAA baseball who retained the championship plaque in back-to-back fashion having also won in 2021.
See below a recap of all Saturday games at the 2022 OCAA Men's Baseball Championship.
Fanshawe College vs. St. Clair College
Fanshawe attempted to run away with this game and scored five times in the top of the second inning to serve notice they would not go quietly in this gold medal round qualifier. St. Clair answered with three runs in the bottom half to stay within striking distance which included a two-run homerun by first baseman Colin Robinson (Windsor). Robinson spurred another St. Clair rally in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer for consecutive round trippers which led to another four runs crossing the plate and an 8-5 lead for the Saints. St. Clair added two more runs in the fifth inning and seemingly had control, but Fanshawe put together a run in the sixth forcing Saints starter Evan Ferguson (Windsor) from the game. Fanshawe scored four times and had a pair of runners on when St. Clair reliever Zachary Hartman (Barrie) managed to fan the final out of the inning. In the final frame the Saints moved catcher Henry Real (Panama) into a save position on the mound who secured the victory four batters later.
Player of the Game recognition went to Fanshawe right fielder Faris Adamou (Mississauga) who had a pair of hits and an RBI in a losing effort. St. Clair's Robinson was an obvious pick for Player of the Game who went 2-for-3 with a walk to go with his two homers and three RBI.
St. Clair College vs. Humber College
St. Clair wasted no time jumping all over Humber with a nine-run rally in the top of the first inning that chased the Hawks starter from the game. A stunned Humber regained their composure to score two runs in the third inning, but the Saints answered with a pair of their own in the fourth. Humber continued to put the pressure on scoring two runs in their half of the fourth and the fifth. But that was as close as it would get because St. Clair reliever Sam McKinlay (Tilbury) shut the door down the stretch earning Player of the Game honours for his team in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless work and only surrendered one hit with a walk to go with four strikeouts.
Humber left fielder Hudson Lockwood (Burlington) was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk to be named his team's Player of the Game.
Humber College vs. St. Clair College
In the championship final the teams spent the first five innings trading the lead in the seesaw affair. Lockwood scored on a fielder's choice in the top of the first to get Humber started but St. Clair answered with a Robinson sacrifice fly that brought home Hunter Appleyard (LaSalle) to tie the score 1-1. Appleyard reached base again and the Saints used the Kansas City to make it 2-1. Humber came right back with a Tyrus Bath (Innisfil) RBI double that scored Justin Groves (Peterborough) to tie the game again in the top of the fourth. St. Clair drove in third baseman Owen Findlay (LaSalle) on a Spencer Morin (LaSalle) single to take back a 3-2 lead in their bottom half.
The Hawks continued to apply pressure when eventual Player of the Game Dylan White (Brampton) doubled home a pair or runners giving his team a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth. However, in the deciding frame the Saints put together a five-run bottom half that created a cushion that they would not relinquish. The rally was punctuated by Saints shortstop Carter Reh (Harrow) who doubled home a run which was quickly followed by another double by Morin that scored two more runs. St. Clair added two runs in the sixth on a Findlay double and a Reh single which completed the scoring. Real was called upon once again by the Saints coaching staff to close out the seventh inning and although he gave up an HBP to the lead-off hitter he retired the final three batters in order which started the on-field St. Clair celebration.
Appleyard finished 3-for-4 with four runs scored in the final win which helped him to St. Clair's Player of the Game recognition. He was later feted as the Championship Most Valuable Player having batted .444 in the tournament which led to him scoring eight times and added four RBI.
See below the Championship All-Star team selections.
Hunter Appleyard (St. Clair) – Most Valuable Player
Brandon Deans (Humber)
Henry Real (St. Clair)
Colin Robinson (St. Clair)
Jaykob Turner (Humber)
Brad Verhoeven (Fanshawe)
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. 2 St. Clair def. No. 3 Fanshawe 10-9
Losing team presented OCAA Bronze Medal at conclusion of game
OCAA Gold Medal Games
Game #8: No. 2 St. Clair def. No. 1 Humber 11-6
Game #9: No. 2 St. Clair def. No. 1 Humber 10-4
OCAA Gold and Silver Medals presented at the conclusion of final game
- OCAA -
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