April 14, 2009

2009 -- UPDATED -- Draft list -- 2009

2009 Canadians in College
 
2010 -- NEW -- Draft list -- 2010

BOB BROUGHTON -- UBC Soars ... Canuck Released ... In the Majors ... Larry Walker -- quintessential Canuck ... Jason Bay Boston secret weapon ... Mark Teahen wins starting job at 2B for KC ... In the Minors ... Malo knocks in first run of Mets' stay in Buffalo ... Steve Green signs with York ... Lawrie set to Rattle Timber ... In College ... Sauk starter had cool Head on his shoulders ... Tamayose 3-for-4 with HR for Woods ... Lake, Norman Producing ... Carbone had three hits, three RBIs for Saint Rose ... Two hits for Bisson against Louisville ... Ramsdale beats Bethune-Cookman ... Miller 4-for-4, 3 doubles, Langley was 3-for-5 in Colby win over Dodge ... Ensing has five hits vs. Wooster ... Paxton fans 10 in loss to Georgia ... Team Canada ... IBAF Adds women's baseball to Olympic bid ... On the Sandlots ... Langley has pitching ... Hobie Holbrook elected to Peterborough HOF ... China heads to Prince George ... Pidutti helping Sudbury youngsters.
 

By Bob Broughton
thecollegebaseballblog.com

The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds baseball team is now two-thirds of the way through their season. They have a record of 28-8, and are ranked No. 10 nationally in the NAIA. This is arguably the best season in the ten-year history of baseball as a varsity sport at UBC.

This year's edition of the Thunderbirds is not overpowering at the plate, although they are hitting better than they did during the past two seasons. They are winning with excellent pitching and defense. They have committed only 31 errors in 36 games.

The 28 wins include two over defending NAIA national champion Lewis-Clark State Warriors in early March. The Thunderbirds gave the Warriors their first series loss since 2004, and that loss was to an NCAA Division I team, Nevada.

There has been one problem. The College of Idaho, the Thunderbirds' main NAIA West conference rival, is also improved over last year. When the Birds went to Caldwell, ID to play the Coyotes last month, the Coyotes won three of four. All three losses were close, but in the last one, the Thunderbirds let a 5-0 lead get away in the bottom of the sixth inning of a seven-inning game. The starting pitcher for the Coyotes was Jason Barry (Castlegar, BC.)

The Coyotes made a return visit to Vancouver last weekend, holding a ½ game lead over UBC in the NAIA West standings. This time, the Thunderbirds won three of four, taking a 1 ½ game lead in the standings with four games to play. In the first game, the Birds trailed 3-0 going into the eighth inning, and it would have been worse if CF Jon Syrnyk (Langley, BC) hadn't robbed a Coyote batter of an extra-bases hit wit a highlight-reel catch. The Thunderbirds scored four runs on the bottom of the eighth to win it, three of them on a home run by 1B Scott Webster (Coquitlam, BC). The Birds won the second game 3-2, with a complete game by third year LHP Mark Hardy (Campbell River, BC); Hardy allowed only three hits, and both Coyote runs were unearned.

The Thunderbirds lost the third game 11-6, despite out-hitting the Coyotes 12-10. They won the fourth game 4-2, on an excellent performance by Eric Brown (Thunder Bay, Ont.). Brown allowed only one hit in five innings, struck out seven. He was helped out by another great catch in centre field by Syrnyk. RF Mike Elias (North Delta, BC) hit a double to bat in the winning run.
Hardy's win was his ninth of the season. This is his third season with the Thunderbirds, and he has shown steady improvement each year. According to UBC coach Terry McKaig, “Mark is the team’s undeniable No. 1 1 starter and has established himself as one of the most dangerous pitchers in the NAIA.”

The other Thunderbird starters have been Taylor King (Nanaimo, BC), Danny Britton-Foster (Ladysmith, BC), and Matt Bannister (Saint John's, NFLD). Britton-Foster is a true freshman, and has a respectable record of 2-2, 3.54 ERA. Bannister learned his trade primarily at Thompson Rivers University. He's 6' 8”, throws hard and accurately, and is 3-2, 4.26 ERA. King has 40 strikeouts, second only to Hardy's 58.
Brown has had five starts, and has been effective both starting and in relief, with a record of 3-1. 2.19 ERA.

However, the team's ERA leader is reliever Jeff Hall (Calgary, Alta.), who has allowed only two runs in 16 1/3 innings, giving him an ERA of 1.10. Shawn Hetherington (Tsawwassen, BC), who transferred from the U. of Calgary this year, has also been very effective in relief, with an ERA of 2.82 in 18 appearances. So has Josh Brink (Abbotsford, BC), who is 4-0, 4.58 ERA in 13 appearances.

The leading hitter for the Thunderbirds is Ryan Pilgrim (Pitt Meadows, BC), who earned the job at third base early in the season. Pilgrim is hitting .368, and also leads the team with 34 RBI and 14 doubles. Coach McKaig says, “Ryan is our offensive leader.  He is such a complete hitter and is the guy the other team doesn’t want to let hurt them.  He gets pitched around a lot yet shows patience and lets hitters like Webster and Torrie get the big hits”. Going around the horn, SS Sammie Starr (Toronto, Ont.), in his third year with the team, has been a vacuum cleaner for ground balls, and as the team's leadoff batter, he has an on-base percentage of .472. He is batting .339. 2B Alex White (Richmond, BC) is batting .308, has a fielding average of .976, and has been part of 23 double plays. Webster, who is 6' 7”, is batting .346, and has been error-free at first base.

Syrnyk is leading the team in home runs with seven, and has 19 stolen bases, a school record. He is batting .316. C Ben Torrie (Mission Viejo, CA) has thrown out nine baserunners attempting to steal, and is batting .329.

The Thunderbird coaches say that they have been helped this year by a brand-new Fieldturf field on the Point Grey campus. It made it possible for the team to practice in January. The availability of this field was fortunate for another reason; because of bad weather, the Thunderbirds have yet to play a home game at Nat Bailey Stadium, a facility they share with the Class-A Vancouver Canadians. At the moment, the new field includes dugouts and a fence, and fans have to bring their own folding chairs. Lights were installed last week, and a scoreboard, bleachers, and a press box will be added when enough money has been raised. The team hopes to return to Nat Bailey Stadium when Lewis-Clark State comes to town April 26-27 for the final regular season home series.

After that, they will host the NAIA West tournament May 4-6 if they clinch their division this weekend. However, the key objective for the Thunderbirds is to retain their top ten ranking, so they can go into the NAIA's sectional tournaments as a top seed; good performances in the Lewis-Clark State series and the conference tournament will help.

An international stage: Now in his 13th season at Point Grey, McKaig, who helped former No. 1 pick LHP Jeff Francis (North Delta, BC), of the Colorado Rockies, has also established himself as the coach of Canada's entry in the World University Games. This event comes up again in 2010, and it will probably be in Japan. McKaig took a team to Chinese Taipei in 2004, and Brno, Czech Republic in 2008. In 2008, he brought along UBC Assistant Coaches Cav Whitely and Shawn Corness, as well as six UBC players. Canada finished fifth in the tournament, and had extra-innings losses to Japan and the U.S.

However, Hardy won the award for the lowest ERA in the tournament, and McKaig turned some heads by recruiting two high-profile players for Canada, Mathew Wilson (Toronto, Ont.) of Bucknell, and Thain Simon (Toronto, Ont.) of Santa Clara. Bringing in these two gives the program additional credibility for 2010. In the meantime, McKaig will be taking a team of collegiate players to the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, BC July 16-26.

McKaig and the UBC coaching staff have also been a fixture at the Grand Forks International Tournament that takes place over the Labour Day weekend. They will be making the trip again this summer, with a team of UBC undergraduates.

And thinking long term: McKaig and Whitely have played an important role in UBC's effort to become the first Canadian university to become a member of the NCAA. The NAIA is the only option the Thunderbirds currently have for baseball, and, although the caliber of play is good (UBC is currently ranked No. 21 in strength of schedule within the NAIA, the NCAA “brand” would improve the team's profile, help recruiting, and make it possible to add solid baseball programs such as UC San Diego, Chico State, and Western Oregon to future schedules.
UBC president Stephen J. Toope is expected to make a decision on the NCAA application within the next month.

Canuck released: INF Matt Rogelstad (Coquitlam, BC) was released by the Washington Nationals.

Under the dome: The annual Ontario Universities All-Star game takes place May 3 at the Rogers Centre following the Baltimore Orioles- Blue Jays game.
Coaches Scott Ballantyne of the Laurier Golden Hawks and Mike Lumley of the Western Ontario Mustangs will guide the All-Stars against last fall’s champs, the McMaster Marauders.
The All-Stars are have six Laurier players, as well as five each from the Toronto Varsity Blues and the Waterloo Warriors:
Brock Badgers (3): DH Tim Sogan (Hamilton), P Jason Ermers (Welland), P Jordan Prosper (Oshawa).
Toronto Varsity Blues (5): 2B David Fallico (Toronto); 3B Mike Dahiroc (Ajax), OF Jamies Lekas (Toronto), OF Chris Dahiroc (Ajax), P Marek Deska (Mississauga).
Laurier Golden Hawks (6): C Chris Pittaway (Paris), 1B Curtis Young (Waterloo), 3B Ryan Panas (Toronto), SS Scott Mahn (Kitchener), OF Brian MacDonald (Markham), P Tim Sinyard (Aurora).
Waterloo Warriors (5): 1B Jason Diniz-Wood (Brampton), 2B Travis Hendry (Waterloo), SS Mike Glinka (Mannheim), OF Elliott Shrive, no relation (Rockwood), P Nick Licksai (Harrisburg).
Guelph Gryphons (2): C Nick Swerdlyk (Mississauga), DH Thomas Fear (Kitchener).
Western (4): OF Andrew Salmon (Mississauga), OF Matt Bekar (Oakville), P Jordan Townshend (London), P Jeff Newnes (London).  

We’re No. 8: Canada dropped a spot in the International Baseball Federation’s updated World rankings.
Canada was eliminated in straight games losing 6-5 to Team USA and 6-2 to Italy in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Japan moves to No. 3 in the rankings following its WBC win, while Cuba remains in top spot despite not making the final four. The top 10 is now:
1. Cuba
2. Korea
3. Japan
4. USA
5. Chinese Taipei
6. Netherlands
7. Mexico
8. CANADA
9. Australia
10. Puerto Rico

Good Reading: A new book entitled OVER THE FENCE IS OUT! by Jim Shearon, with a picture of Montreal Expos OF Larry Walker on the cover, is on sale. The book tells the stories of Canadian success in baseball; from the 64 women who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, to 1994, the year the Montreal Expos could have won the World Series, to Napoleon Lajoie the greatest Canadian who never was, to Elijah Pinnance, Canada’s first aboriginal big league player, a Little League team with a left-handed shortstop, why Perth is a great ball town, along with Jason Bay, Russell Martin, Justin Morneau, Matt Stairs and Walker.
Also look for an alphabetical list of every Canadian to play in the majors between 1871 and 2008; from Alexander to Zimmerman, with photographs. It is available for $18.95 in bookstores.
For an author-signed copy, please send a cheque or money order for $23 ( includes texas and postage to:
Jim Shearon
79 Tiffany Place
Kanata ON K2K 1W5 .

Sherwood Park Looking: Coach Jordan Blundell is looking for for two RHPs to fill his spot with the Sherwood Park Dukes. Blundell has two spots open and would like to fill them with Canadians. Contact Blundell at j.blundell@shaw.ca or 250.740.5218.

Pitch in the Hat This Summer: Coach and owner Greg Morrison of the Medicine Hat Mavericks is looking for two left-handers. Morrison wants impact arms from elite Junior College, NAIA, or NCAA programs. Call Morrison at 403.580.5811.

IN YER FACE: The Canadian Baseball Network facebook group is up and running ... and running fast:
Mike Nitsos (Whitby, Ont.) of the Iowa Western Reivers, is the 400th to join.
Grant Kveder (Lethbridge, Alta.) of the Gonzaga Stags is No. 500.
Dan Chappel (Edmonton, Alta.) formerly of the Longview Lakers, the Mayville State Comets, the Southwest Mustangs, the Schaumburg Flyers and the Edmonton Cracker Cats is No. 600.
Drew Parker (Surrey, BC), who has signed a letter of intent to pitch for the Brewton-Parker Barons this fall and former ace of the JUCO World Series champion Chipola Indians, is No. 700.
Andrew Brock (Burnaby, BC) of the Idaho Coyotes is No. 800.
Derek Papp (Windsor, Ont.), who used to pitch for Judson, is No. 900.
Jonathan Lussier (Montreal, Que.), former C-DH with the Les Ailes du Quebec alongside Phillipe Alexandre Valiquette, Alexandre Periard and Mathieu Poirier is No. 1,000.
Ben TInklin (Kitchener, Ont.) of the Canadian Thunderbirds, who is headed to Kaskaskia College, is No. 1,100.
Catcher Curtis Davis (Surrey, BC), who played with the Fraser Valley Chiefs in 2008 and this year will play for the White Rock Tritons and Team BC is the 1,200th to join the group.
Kevin Bowes (Chatham, N.B.) who plays outfield for the Chatham Ironmen and coached the New Brusnwick Selects at the Canada Cup is No. 1,300.
Stephen Holland (Summerside, PEI), who in 2008 played for the Summerside Chevies and was picked up by Kings County for bantam nationals is No. 1,400. He pitched, played first base, and outfield.
Ian Robillard (Montreal, Que.), who coached the Montreal Orioles in junior (LBEQ) play and this year will coach Les Ailes du Quebec (U-17) is No. 1,500.
OF Mark Sleeman (Vancouver, BC), formerly with John Harr's North Shore Twins and who played for the Vancouver Cave Ducks in 2008, is our No. 1,600.
RHP Shawn Hetherington (Tsawwassen, BC), the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds closer, is No. 1,700.
RHP Craig Hucul (Saskatoon, Sask.) of Williston State College, is No. 1,800.
TJ Code (Vancouver, BC), a coach with the Langley Blaze is No. 1,900. Code played with the likes of Kyle Paul, Jordan Lennerton, Jon Hesketh, Matt Lesek, Justin Dyck, Jeff Thompson, Tyson Gillies, Shane Wilson and Jon Syrnk with the Blaze from 2003-05. He began coaching in the fall of 2007.
And our No. 2,000 is Cam Newitt (Barrie, Ont.). Cam's father, Gary Newitt played in Oshawa before joining the Pittsburgh Pirates minor-league system. Cam played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Intercounty League until he retired and now coaches bantam baseball in Barrie.
Our group has representation from all 10 provinces led by Ontario with 551. Next are British Columbia (235), Quebec (152), Alberta (99), Manitoba (40), New Brunswick (39), Saskatchewan (26), Nova Scotia (23), Prince Edward Island (15) and Newfoundland (12), plus 34 states: Michigan, Texas, Massachusetts, California, Arizona, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, Alabama, Hawaii, Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, South Carolina, Pennsylvannia, Indiana, Illinois, Nevada, Washington, Maine, New Jersey, Delaware, Colorado, Utah, Louisiana, Ohio, South Dakota, Montana, Georgia, Idaho and Virginia, as well as Washington D.C. We're reard in nine other countires -- South Korea, Australia, Uraguay, Italy, Israel, Afghanistan, Spain and Germany.

Don't forget Delaware: So says Blair Hains. The former Intercounty umpire (1991-2006) worked the memorable semi-final playoff game between the Brantford Red Sox and the Toronto Maple Leafs, after the great power outage in 2003, when the CIty of Toronto couldn't turn the lights on at Christie Pitts. The game was resumed in Brantford, The defining moment came late in the game when three Leafs went down swinging.
Now Hains works NCAA DIvision II and Division III games where the best teams are John Hopkins and West Cheste.
EXTRA, EXTRA: A recap of the previous blogs:
BRETT Lawrie -- First rounder, of the Brewers.
EXTRA BASES 1 -- First week of the nationals.
EXTRA BASES II -- Second week of the nationals.
EXTRA BASES III -- Results from the third week of the nationals.
EXTRA BASES IV -- The best 15-16-year-olds from Canada gather at the Rogers Centre for the annual Mizuno Camp.
EXTRA BASES V -- Checking in on the National Junior Team in Florida.
EXTRA BASES VI -- Dropping in on the Cincinnati Reds instructional camp in Sarasota, more Canucks on the roster than anyone else.
EXTRA BASES VII -- Letters of Intent list of Canadians committed to college.
EXTRA BASES VIII -- WBC SS job goes to Chris Barnwell, Jay Johnson pops at the PBA.
EXTRA BASES VIX -- Baseball Ontario and Baseball Canada's best hear from former Expos ace Steve Rogers.
EXTRA BASES X -- Past All-Canadian team members to go on to the pro ranks
EXTRA BASES XI -- Alexandre Periard (Brewers) Chris Leroux (Marlins) promoted to 40-man rosters.
KEVIN GLEW -- First Blue Jays draft pick, Tommy Goffena, visits the Canadian Ball Hall
EXTRA BASES XII -- R.I.P. Tommy Burgess, former MLB player, National Team coach
EXTRA BASES XIII -- R.I.P. Jim Ridley, former minor-league pro, Intercounty MVP, scout and national team coach. Our all-time hit leader.
EXTRA BASES XIV -- 2008 All-Canadian College Team with links to 2000-07 teams.
EXTRA BASES XV -- Dany Wood is Canuck born, Jim Lutton and Howie Birnie -- Fab 50s, Baseball Canada banquet, BA top prospects
EXTRA BASES XVI -- Justin Morneau, Ernie Whitt to Lead Team Canada in WBC, Tip O'Neill award to Morneau, All-American honours to Shane Davis, Garret Regan
EXTRA BASES XVII -- Zak Miller, Brett Van Pelt turn in skates for scholarships
EXTRA BASES XVIII -- The top 100 Most Influential Canadians in baseball
EXTRA BASES XVIX -- Team Canada's WBC roster and more
EXTRA BASES XX -- Don Campbell wins Volunteer award in Ottawa
EXTRA BASES XXI -- Larry Walker first named to Baseball Canada Wall of Excellence
EXTRA BASES XX II -- Justin Morneau makes dreams come true in the desert
SHI DAVIDI Q & A -- Cincinnati Reds Joey Votto
KEVIN GLEW -- Strong Canuck lobby helps put Jim Rice in Cooperstown
EXTRA BASES XXIII -- Jays All-time manager? Ottawa's Neate Sager, Mark James signs with the Cincinnati, Taylor Boyle asks for help, Gordon Sinclair's Let's Be Personal still a hit, Free hitting clinic, sad day in Simcoe County
EXTRA BASES XXIV -- Larry Walker, Ernie Whitt, Bernie Soulliere, Doc Miller HOF bound, Jon Prevost Pre-season All-Conference, Langley Blaze (Jake Eliopoulos, Mike Monster) heads to Arizona, The Rookie, a poem, Tim Nelson Heads to Italy will miss Canadians 30th gala celebrations, (Justin) Randall has the Handle, All-TIme Expos Sweep Jays, Canadians in College hit 650, Facebook Group nears 1,300
EXTRA BASES XXV -- Scott Richmond, Adam Loewen to chat.
KEVIN GLEW -- Checks in on Russell Martin.
SHI DAVIDI: Stubby Clapp Q and A.
EXTRA BASES XXVI -- Scott Richmond chat.
EXTRA BASES XXVII -- Adam Loewen chat, Jim Shearon's new Canuck ball book, Ty Bouchard helops Northwestern, Pitching opportunties in Sherwood Park, Medicine Hat.
KEVIN GLEW -- Ron Taylor's 40th anniversary of winning with the Amazing Mets.
EXTRA BASES XXVIII -- With Team Canada Day One, Flight Delays, Memories of '06, Jake Peavy Starts for Team USA, Starting Lineup behind Scott Richmond vs. the Jays, Corey Koskie on his concussion, Hockey Night in Dunedin, Canuck Notes.
EXTRA BASES XXVIV -- With Team Canada Day two, Early Reading, Walker Talk, Visitors in Camp, Richmond works 2 2/3 innings, Koskie scores three times Canuck blood lines, Canuck Notes.
EXTRA BASES XXX -- With Team Canada Day 4, Early reading, 9-2 loss to the Phillies, Walker insukted by the Jays starting lineup, Davey Johnson says it is Pay Back time, Late reading, Canuck notes.
EXTRA BASES XXXI -- With Team Canada, Day Four, A (Scott) Diamond in the Rough at Steinbrenner Field against the Yankees, Four Team Ontario grads on WBC, Seven of Danny Thompson's players turn pro off 2002 16U club.
EXTRA BASES XXII -- With Team Canada, Day Five, Early Reading, David Letterman's Top 10 Reasons to Watch the WBC, TV-Radio Coverage, Which WBC Team Canada was better? 2006 or 2009? Jamie Pogue wears the Stars and Stripes, Justin Morneau has a new lid and it fits, Joey Votto comes home, Mike Johnson will start.
EXTRA BASES XXIII -- With Team Canada Day Six, Pre-game Intros; Mike Johnson holds starts Game 1, ,,, Canada-USA Today, Canada-US how they scored. ... What now for Canada? Phillippe Aumont the Great, Davey Collins back with the (Ontario) Blue Jays. ... Jays FLA sked, Late reading.
EXTRA BASES XXVIV -- With Team Canada Day Seven, Upper Deck Stairs, Montreal Station said no to WBC broadcasts, Famous Fathers -- Larry Walker and George Morneau, Where Ontario player learned their ball.
EXTRA BASES XXXV -- With Team Canada Day Eight, Plenty of Reading, One Canuck Advances -- Leon Boyd with the Netherlands, Fire Ernie? Will Scott Richmond Ever Pitch for Canada?
A DAWGS LIFE -- Jonathan Hodgson, our WMBL man, Chris Bisson (Ottawa, Ont.) hit a walk off for Kentucky in 9-8 win over Eastern Kentucky ... LHP James Paxton (Ladner, BC) dominted for Kentucky whiffing 11 against  Western Michigan ... LHP Mark Hardy (Campbell RIver, BC) gained the win, Shawn Hetherington (Tsawwassen, BC) the save as the British Columbia Thunderbirds took the opener, then reliever Josh Brink (Abbotsford, BC) gained the win, Hetherington the save as UBC won a series from the defending NAIA Lewis-Clark Warriors champs. ... DH Kyle Maloney (Peterborough, Ont.) knocked in the winning run and picked up the win for the Greensboro Pride.
SHI DAVIDI -- Q and A with Mark Teahen.
ALLAN SIMPSON -- A Canuck's view of the WBC from south of the border ... UBC likes look of the new yard and news slugger Mike Elias ... Okanagan sweeps pair. ... Chris Bisson hits walk-off, for first college HR, with vid ... Brandon Kaye impressive in Douglas spring debut.
EXTRA BASES XXXVI -- We're No. ? We're No. ? We're No. ? ... Britton-Foster, Eric Brown pitch UBC to doubleheader sweep ... Aaron Johnson leads Illinois ... Tim Cozier had two hits in Niagara opener ... Steve Wickens has two for Gulf Coast ... Gord Gateman wins for Saint Joseph's ... Home Run Society Lobbies for team in Cranbrook.
EXTRA BASES XXXVII -- Canadian Baseball Did Not Die with 6-2 loss to Italy ... James Paxton headed first round bound, 47 Ks in 30 IPs ... Three 90 MPH outings for Jake Eliopoulos ... George Kottaras likely a Red Sox ... Brothers Johnson, Jay and Aaron, from around to corner to PBA, Illinois and then where ... Rory Young, Mike Monster in the 90s ... 21 in all clocked at 88 MPH or more.
EXTRA BASES XXXVIII -- Bench Watch List nominee Marc-Olivier Mimeault-Jodoin, Roomie Carl Moniz help Georgia State upset No. 3 Georgia Tech ... Jonathan Malo turns heads in Mets camp ... R.I.P. John Brattain ... Stubby Clapp opens Hitting Facility, vid worth seeing ... We’re No. 8 ... Douglas Royals hit ball and books ... Jeff Hutton Heartland POW ...  Around the Majors ... Out of Left Field: Corey Koskie ... Shawn Hill signs with Padres -- not Jays ... WBC: Good for Leon Boyd, bad for Scott RIchmond ... David Davidson Demoted ... In the Minors ... Phillippe Aumont's "Best Inning of My Life" ... Matt Stocco Signs with Bologna ... In College ... Steve Anderson Homers for New Mexico State ... Ryan MacDonald homers for Brownsville ... Two Hits for Tim Cozier in Niagara win ... Russell Deutschmann 4-for-4 for Maryland Eastern Shore ... Jacob Yousif drives in four for Brownsville ... Steve Wickens has four his in FGCU Sweep ... Gord Gateman wins for St. Joe's ... Mark Sikorski gets Niagara win ... On the Sandlots ...  Clickey Taylor, Mark Walters, St. Catharines HOFers ... Coburg Baseball Survives.
KEVIN GLEW -- The Montreal Expos hit 4,481 home runs as a franchise, Vladimir Guerrero (234) had the most and Brad Wilkerson the last one, but Dan McGinn hit the first ... Jonah Keri manages All-Time Expos to win over Braves in SHL ... Neate Sager's All-Time Jays lose to Indians in Game 5 stimulating action ... Joel Collins signs with Bucs ... Five Canucks released ... Pierre Miville-Deschenes, Steve Teno win POW ... Around the majors ... Justin Morneau wins Best of B.C. honours ... Book review: Over the Fence is Out! The Larry Walker Story ... In the Minors ... Ottawa out of Can-Am ... R.I.P. Cracker Cats, Hello Capitals ... In College ... Justin Cook, Chad Northcott two hits apiece for IH ...Michael Carbone has two hits, scores winner for Saint Rose ... Cory Hill gets New Mexico State W ... Jesse Reinsten pitches 6.1 scoreless for Buffalo ... Western Mustangs Head south ... Andrew Firth Commits to UBC ... Shawn Wilyman impressive for Taft ... On the Sandlots ... Richard Wright: Two Larry Balkwills ... Sean Moore sticking with the Moncton Mets.
EXTRA BASES XXXVIV -- EXTRA BASES -- Vauxhall wins Best of the West as Mike Washburn, Steven Inch, Brandon Petit, Jordan Wong ... Fergie Jenkins headed to Hanlan's Point SABR meeting ... Scott Thorman signs with Rangers ... Jeff Zimmerman signs with M's ... Four Canucks Released ... Rich Harden No. 3 in 10 or more K games ... Tyler Delaney NAIA POW ... Will Richards, Marc Wilson, Desmond Sullivan win POW honours ... Around the Majors ... No smelter for Bay ... Around the Minors ... Aumont moves to bullpen ... Stern on track ... Guiel a Swallow returns to Yakult ... White Rock's Boyd Holland's Hero ... In Colleges ... Paxton Headed for first round? ... Praise for NCCC's McKenna, Whidden ... Broatch throws shutout for Thompson Rivers ... Maine's Jebb beats Sacred Heart, now 3-0 ... Vendette suffers first loss ... Prospects return to Edmonton ... LaMantia four RBIs, LaPensee three hits as Wayne State drops pair ... Frederico homers against Eastern Michigan ... On the Sandlots ... Rembering Newfoundland's 1966 national junior title ... Coquitlam has deep pitching staff.
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