OSHAWA, Ont. - The St. Clair College men's baseball team claimed their second national championship with a 3-2 victory over Fanshawe College (London) Sunday afternoon at Oshawa's Kinsmen Memorial Stadium. The win avenges last year's 2-1 loss to Fanshawe and puts a stamp on quite a season for the Saints who also won an OCAA regular season title and a playoff provincial championship.

St. Clair fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning but responded quickly in the bottom half to take back a 3-1 lead. The teams played scoreless until the seventh inning when Fanshawe scored a run and threatened to tie the game with runners aboard. But Player of the Game and St. Clair starting pitcher Taylor Pappin (Brantford) put a cap on his performance to secure the complete game win.

Pappin wasn't 100 per cent after being ill the last few days but gave up only two earned runs on five hits but struck out seven Fanshawe batters in the gutty performance. Saints third baseman Matt Bondy (Amherstburg) had a triple and a single with two RBIs on his way to winning the Championship Most Valuable Player award. Also contributing at the plate for St. Clair was Michael McKay (Miramichi, N.B.) who had a double and two walks to go with an RBI.

Pappin was given the Championship Top Pitcher Award in addition to being named to the All-Star Team as the Top Left-Handed Pitcher. Other Saints joining Pappin on the Championship All-Star team were Bondy (third base), Carson Burke (outfield) and Kyle Breitner (Top Right Handed Pitcher).

Source: St. Clair College