MONTREAL – Outfielder Alessandro Perreault of Montreal, had four hits, one run batted in and scored three times as McGill defeated Carleton 13-7 to win the Labour Day Classic baseball tournament final at RCGT Stadium in the nation's capital, Monday.
 
New bench boss Christopher Haddad and his Redbirds posted a 5-1 record over the three-day tourney, avenging their only loss, a wild 22-20 setback to Carleton on Sunday. In that game, McGill overcame a third-inning 15-0 deficit, buttressed by a school record 14 runs in the fifth inning to take a 20-18 lead into the sixth.
 
Perreault, a 22-year-old management freshman, had an impressive debut in a McGill uniform. Over his five games, Perreault batted .471, with eight hits in 17 at bats, along with seven runs scored and seven runs batted in. He hit one double and a grand slam home run. He also had four walks.
 
Another key performer over the weekend was Jonas Press, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound outfielder from Toronto. Over his six games, the 20-year-old political science sophomore batted .476, with 10 hits in 21 at bats, four walks and one hit by pitch. He scored 19 runs and 12 runs batted in, with a double, two triples and a home run.
 
McGill and Carleton were the only university teams in the tourney, which also included three teams from the Canadian Premier Baseball League, which features the top amateur players and programs from Ontario. The Redbirds opened the tourney on Friday with a doubleheader sweep, defeating the Ottawa Knights and Ottawa Nepean Canadians, 12-4 and 5-1, respectively. In the third game, played on Sunday afternoon, McGill cruised to a 12-0 shutout over the Watson Elite baseball club. The Redbirds met Watson again in Monday's semifinal and came away with a 7-3 victory.
 
The Redbirds have no time to rest upon their laurels. McGill will open their regular season schedule on Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. against Concordia at Gary Carter Field, located in Pierre Trudeau Park (beside the Cavendish Mall) in Cote St. Luc, Que. Admission for all baseball games is free of charge.
 
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-983-7012
WEBSITE:www.mcgillathletics.ca
E-MAIL:earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca