COTE ST. LUC, QUE – Centrefielder Jett Jarvis smashed a grand slam home run and left-fielder Jonas Press hit a game-winning RBI single as the McGill Redbirds baseball team rallied from an early four-run deficit to outlast Concordia 10-9 in extra innings at Gary Carter Field, Wednesday.
 
The result improved McGill's record to 3-0 in league play this season and extended the team's head-to-head win streak over Concordia to four, since the last Stingers win on Oct. 7, 2022.

Jarvis, a 21-year-old management senior from Wyoming, Ont., hit 2-for-5 from the leadoff spot with five runs batted in, one run scored and a key sacrifice bunt. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound left-fielder sparked a six-run rally in the top of the sixth inning with a two-out bases-loaded home run to right-field on the first pitch he saw. It was the team's fourth homer in nine games overall.

That gave McGill an 8-4 lead but Concordia bounced back with four in the bottom on the sixth to force extra innings with the score tied at 8-8.

In the eighth Aidan Grskovic led off with a walk and advanced to second on Evan Dunne's single to right. A sacrifice bunt by Jarvis moved the runners to second and third. Brad Marelich then reached base on a fielder's choice, a play that resulted in Grskovich being thrown out at home plate. Alessandro Perreault drew a two-out walk to load the bases and set the table for Press to hit the game-winning RBI to left.

Press, a political science sophomore from Toronto, batted 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.

Trailing 10-8, Concordia made things interesting with a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth. Robbie Wong reached base on a fielding error by Perreault at first base. Caleb Kaufmann followed with an RBI double to left, narrowing the gap to 10-9. McGill reliever Justin Zabudsky then walked Ryan Bawart but struck out cleanup hitter Alex Ramsay to end the game.

Zabudsky, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound right-hander, was credited with the victory, improving to 2-0 overall, with one save in his four appearances this season. The psychology sophomore from Delta, B.C., struck out six and walked one while allowing a run on one hit over his two innings of work. Concordia reliever Robert Bleich took the loss.

Kauffman paced the Stingers with a 3-for-5 performance at the plate, collecting four RBIs and scoring once.

McGill starter Marcus Dela Cruz (2-1) lasted three innings and had no decision before giving way to Alastair Mitchell and Zabudsky. Concordia starter Tyler Bawart went five inning and was one of four pitchers used by the Stingers.

McGill (8-1) has a hectic weekend of four games ahead, hosting UQTR in a regular season doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., followed by a Sunday trip to Ottawa for a twin-bill to confront the Gee-Gees in non-conference play.
 
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SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-983-7012 (cell)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca