Elliott: Bazinet, Gravelle lead SUNY Niagara to JUCO Div III title

May 31, 2026

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

It’s a tough choice.

Which season would you rather have if you were the SUNY Niagara Thunderwolves, who went 51-2 in 2025?

Or would you rather finish 55-6 as coach Matt Clingersmith did this season?

Never mind the losses, this year the Thunderwolves won their final game of the season 12-8 against Rowan College at TVA Credit Union Ballpark in Johnson City, Tenn. to win the 2026 NJCAA DIII World Series title. It was a rematch of SUNY Niagara’s second-round victory.

Shortstop and lead-off hitter Cam Gravelle (Smithville, Ont.) led the blue-and-gold to its first national championship in its 59-year history, going 2-for-5 with a double and four RBIs. DH Alexander Graham (Toronto, Ont.) singled and knocked in a run.

RHP Keegan Bazinet (Windsor, Ont.) started and picked up the win for the New York State JUCO version of Team Canada. Given a 10-2 lead, he pitched six innings allowing six runs on 11 hits and two walks, while fanning five.

Four runs in the fifth helped Niagara to beat the Dallas Eastfield Harvester Bees 6-5 in the semi-final. Again, Gravelle had two hits from the lead-off spot, including a double, while RF Luke Gigliotti (Toronto, Ont.) and DH Graham each added a single.

The Thunderwolves moved to 2-0 when they beat Rowan 9-7 as Gravelle had three hits, including a double, knocked in a run and stole a base. DH Graham had two hits and singled in a run.

Ex-Ontario Royals SS Cam Gravelle (Smithville, Ont.) led SUNY Niagara to a title.

Again in the opener, Gravelle, the former Ontario Royal, was the man in an 11-5 victory against the Northern Essex Knights as he went 3-for-5, while stealing two bases. It was Gravelle’s 24th multi-hit game of the season and his most hits in a postseason since he tallied four and drove in a career-high five runs in SUNY Niagara’s 8-0 Region III semifinal against Hudson Valley in Auburn.

RF Gigliotti had a pair of hits. Bazinet started the opener and picked up the first of two wins. He pitched seven innings, allowing five runs -- four earned on 11 hits and four walks, while fanning three.

Besides earning first team all-conference honours, the resident of C Bobby Killins hometown, Gravelle hit .452 with 24 doubles, five triples, three homers, 64 RBIs and 29 stolen bases. Gravelle owned a 1.182 OPS in 61 games.

Bazinet, who also earned first team honours, finished with an unbeaten 13-0 record in 12 starts, with a 2.54 ERA in 78 1/3 innings and 14 career wins, tying Ryan Birchard for fourth-most in the modern era. His 118 strikeouts are the sixth-most. Bazinet struck out 89 while walking only 23.

Gigliotti batted .377 with eight doubles, two homers and 33 RBIs. He had a .940 OPS in 55 games. Graham batted .353 with five doubles, four homers and 33 RBIs. He had a 1.090 OPS in 29 games.

Nolan Bigras (Burlington, Ont.) was 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts. He struck out 13 in 12 innings.

Charlie Chubak (Petawawa, Ont.) was 0-1 with a 4.32 ERA in six games. He struck out five in 8 1/3 innings.

Austin Barton (Kitchener, Ont.) had a 3.60 ERA in five games. He struck out nine in five innings.

Jackson Sheehy (Guelph, Ont.) was 1-0 with a 16.88 ERA, striking out five in 2 2/3 innings.

C Carter McCormick (Oshawa, Ont.) was also on the roster.