TROIS-RIVIERES, QUE – Pinch-hitter
Mathieu Tremblay hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning as UQTR rallied to defeat McGill 8-6 in the opening game of the Quebec University Baseball League Championship Series at Stade Quillorama, Thursday.
It was the first game in three weeks for both sides after rainy weekends postponed the finals series twice. The game, which featured seven errors (four by McGill) was played in near frigid temperatures, with the thermometer measuring 6 degrees Celsius at game time.
The victory, in the first game of a doubleheader, extended UQTR's win streak to 14 league and playoff games and put the top-seeded Patriotes in position to sweep the league title with a win in Game 2 over the second-seeded Redbirds.
Pats starter
Cedric Caron tossed a complete game for the win. He threw 141 pitches in seven innings of work, allowing two earned runs on six hits, while walking five, hitting one batter and striking out eight.
UQTR jumped into a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. McGill rallied with two runs in the top of the fourth to knot the score at 2-2 but the Patriotes added three more in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-2 advantage into the top of the sixth inning. McGill came-from-behind with four runs for a 6-5 edge but any thoughts of an upset were doused when Tremblay snuffed them out with his line drive blast to left-field.
Left-fielder
Jonas Press was the only multi-hit batter for the Redbirds, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of runs batted in, including a single to centre which gave his side a 6-5 lead in the sixth. Other McGill hits went to
Brad Marelich,
Alessandro Perreault and
Chris Bodine, who smacked a two-run homer to left to tie the score at 2-2.
Five different players had one hit apiece for UQTR, which finished atop the league standings with an 11-0 record. The Pats have now won three straight post-season contests, including a semifinal sweep over Concordia.
McGill starter
Gabriel Braun lasted only two innings and wasn't involved in the decision. He gave up one earned run on one hit, walked five, and struck out three. Relievers
Donovan Worrall and
Nathaniel Factor each tossed two innings but the latter was tagged for the game-deciding three-run shot.
Game 2 of the doubleheader was scheduled for 7:20 p.m. A pair of right-handers are penciled in, with
Marcus Dela Cruz slated to start for McGill, while
Jeffrey Dupont will go for the Patriotes.
BOXSCORE
SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
CELL:
514-983-7012
WEBSITE:
www.mcgillathletics.ca
E-MAIL:
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
