SARNIA, Ont. – Ontario's best collegiate baseball programs will end their season in Sarnia-Lambton.
Lambton College Athletics and the Lambton men's baseball program are excited to announce that they will host the 2024 OCAA Men's Baseball Championship in Sarnia, Ont., from Oct. 17-19 at Errol Russell Park.
The announcement comes on the heels of the 2024 OCAA General Meeting, where the Lions were unanimously approved as the 2024 hosts by the other member institutions that compete in men's baseball across the OCAA.
"We are very excited to be hosting the 2024 OCAA Men's Baseball Championship," said Lambton men's baseball head coach Al Bezaire, who will be entering his second season at the helm come September. "We look forward to showcasing one of the best ballparks in the OCAA, and the supportive community of Sarnia-Lambton."
Those sentiments were echoed by James Grant, who is the Manager of Athletics and Student Life at Lambton College. Grant was part of the inaugural coaching staff for the men's baseball program back in the 2019 season.
"We are proud to show the rest of the province what our community has to offer," added Grant. "Stan Slack Field at Errol Russell Park is one of Ontario's premier venues, and it's sure to provide an incredible on-field experience for all participants this fall."
The 2024 OCAA Men's Baseball Championship marks the third time since 2020 that Lambton College Athletics will serve as the hosts for an OCAA championship. The Lions hosted the 2020 OCAA Men's Basketball Championship inside the Cestar Group Athletics and Fitness Complex, and the women's basketball program won their first-ever OCAA gold medal last season on their home court as they hosted the 2024 OCAA Women's Basketball Championship.
As hosts, the Lambton men's baseball program will gain an automatic berth into the six-team tournament in October. It is an opportunity that Bezaire and company aren't taking lightly.
"The automatic bid will not be taken for granted," continued Bezaire. "We will strive to succeed and dedicate ourselves to showing that we belong with the best clubs in the OCAA."
"As a club, it will serve as yet another source of motivation for our group to continue the positive steps we made last year, both as a team and as a program."
Bezaire and the Lions are coming off a 2023 season that saw the program continue to make positive strides, both on and off the field. They posted a record of 7-11 overall, setting a program record for wins in the team's brief tenure as a member of the OCAA. The Lions were within a game of securing a coveted spot in the post-season, narrowly missing a playoff spot on the final day of the regular season.
The 2023 season marked the fourth consecutive season in which the Lions made positive progress in the overall standings and in several statistical categories. First year centerfielder Logan Buntrock (Sarnia, Ont.) brought home the first OCAA awards for a member of the men's baseball program, picking up All-Rookie Team and Second-Team All-Star honours while also leading the OCAA in stolen bases (15).
Day and Weekend Passes will be available for purchase for those who want to catch the action in-person. There will also be a championship website set up closer to the event, which will house all live stream links as well as post-game articles and game photos for those who aren't able to catch the action live in Sarnia.
More information will be released ahead of the event.
The three-day, six-team event kicks off Thurs., Oct. 17 and runs through to Sat., Oct. 19.
Source: Lambton Lions