FREDERICTON, N.B. -- Third baseman
Jared Kersh pulled a two-run double down the right-field line to spark a six-run fifth inning as McGill outlasted Concordia 8-6 in a wild opening game at Royals Field, Thursday, at the Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association national championship.
McGill, the three-time defending CCBA champions, extended their regular-season and playoff win streak to 24 games, including the final three contests last season. They outhit Concordia 9-5 in a game that featured seven errors, four of them by the Stingers.
The Redmen opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single from
Jonathan Duforest but Concordia tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth. McGill's six-run explosion gave them what appeared to be an insurmountable 7-1 lead in the fifth but the Stingers roared back with a five-run sixth, narrowing the gap to 7-6.
"That was a bit of a wake-up call for us. Anytime you play a rivalry game, like McGill-Concordia, emotions get high and Concordia's not going to quit," said
Jason Starr, the McGill head coach and field manager. "They battled all game... It was an interesting back-and-forth game, maybe not the cleanest on either side but we were just happy to come away with the win. It was a good first game to get the nerves out. Anytime you go to a national tournament, you're starting off fresh (regardless of your record) and the guys were feeling the situation out a little. But as the game progressed, they began to feel a little more comfortable in their own skin and then started to play they way they are used to."
Kersh, a 19-year-old economics sophomore from South Salem, N.Y., added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth. He went 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs and a run scored.
Redmen starter
Thomas Mienkowski was credited with the win. He surrendered three runs on three hits over five innings, striking out five, walking six and hitting one.
Sam Greene replaced Mienkowski in the sixth but only managed one out before allowing a three-run homer by
Juliano Leggio.
Rocky Hroch, a senior from Temecula, Calif., came on and pitched 1.2 innings of hitless relief, retiring the last five Concordia batters for a save.
Stingers starter
Thomas Loubser-Munm took the loss. He lasted four innings, allowing six hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out one and walking four.
Joining Kersh in the multiple-hits department was McGill shortstop
Troy Shepherd, a freshman from Boston, Mass., who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Stefan Brady went 2-for-3 at the plate with a walk and an RBI to lead Concordia's offence.
McGill (1-0), the CCBA Northern Division champs, will meet Acadia (0-1), the CCBA Atlantic Division finalists, on Friday morning at 9 a.m. (Eastern). The Axemen lost their opener 10-1 to Carleton (1-0) on Thursday. The Ravens play Concordia at 12 noon (Eastern). All games during the tourney will be streamed live
here.
LINK TO BOXSCORE
2017 CCBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
|
Pool A
|
Pool B
|
|
Dalhousie
|
UNB
|
|
Carleton
|
Acadia
|
|
McGill
|
Concordia
|
CCBA Championship Schedule
|
Date
|
Team 1
|
Team 2
|
Time
|
Field
|
|
Thursday Oct 19
|
McGill 8
|
Concordia 6
|
12:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Thursday Oct 19
|
Carleton 10
|
Acadia 1
|
3:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Thursday Oct 19
|
Opening
|
Ceremonies
|
6:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Thursday Oct 19
|
Dalhousie
|
UNB
|
6:30 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Friday Oct 20
|
McGill
|
Acadia
|
10:00 AM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Friday Oct 20
|
Carleton
|
Concordia
|
1:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Friday Oct 20
|
Dalhousie
|
Acadia
|
4:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Friday Oct 20
|
Carleton
|
UNB
|
7:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Saturday Oct 21
|
DAL
|
Concordia
|
10:00 AM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Saturday Oct 21
|
McGill
|
UNB
|
1:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Saturday Oct 21
|
Tie Breaker 1
|
|
4:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Saturday Oct 21
|
Tie Breaker 2
|
|
7:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Sunday Oct 22
|
4th Place
|
1st Place
|
11:00 AM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Sunday Oct 22
|
3rd Place
|
2nd Place
|
2:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
|
Sunday Oct 22
|
Finals
|
|
6:00 PM
|
Royals Field
|
2017 CANADIAN COLLEGIATE BASEBALL ASSOCIATION STANDINGS (FINAL)
| NORTHERN |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
Pct |
GBL |
RF |
RA |
| McGill |
16 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
1.000 |
- |
154 |
32 |
| Carleton |
16 |
10 |
6 |
0 |
0.625 |
6 |
112 |
68 |
| Concordia |
16 |
9 |
7 |
0 |
0.563 |
7 |
88 |
76 |
| x-Montréal |
16 |
3 |
13 |
0 |
0.188 |
13 |
34 |
114 |
| Ottawa |
16 |
2 |
14 |
0 |
0.125 |
14 |
72 |
162 |
| x-ineligible for playoffs due to eligibility issues |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ATLANTIC |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
Pct |
GBL |
RF |
RA |
| Saint Mary's |
16 |
10 |
6 |
0 |
0.625 |
- |
85 |
71 |
| Dalhousie |
16 |
8 |
8 |
0 |
0.500 |
2 |
78 |
94 |
| New Brunswick |
16 |
7 |
9 |
0 |
0.438 |
3 |
80 |
93 |
| Acadia |
16 |
5 |
11 |
0 |
0.313 |
5 |
92 |
114 |
| St.FX |
16 |
4 |
12 |
0 |
0.250 |
6 |
59 |
92 |
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
McGill Sports Info Office
(514) 398-7012
