Team Canada, representing Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), defeated the Czech Republic, 3-1, at AVG Draci Brno Field, in Brno, CZ. Team Canada finishes the tournament 3-4, at the 4th annual World University Baseball Championships.

Team Canada won the 5th Place Consolation Game with strong pitching and a 3-run second inning. Mathew Wilson (Bucknell) continued to pitch strong for Head Coach Terry McKaig. Wilson, coming off his 8 strong innings against the United States where he allowed no earned runs and struck out 4 US hitters, pitched five shutout innings against the Czech Republic, striking out 6, while giving up one first inning single. The bullpen continued to impress all at the World University Championship as Adam Reynolds (Guelph), Scott Webster (British Columbia) and Kris Dabrowiecki (Northeastern) all pitched shutout relief innings, giving way to Team Canada’s closer Hiarali Garcia (Kansas) who gave up a walk and hit before settling down to record Canada’s first save at the tournament. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: British Columbia, Bucknell, Kansas, Northeastern, Saint Mary's, Team Canada

Team Canada, representing Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), were defeated by Team Korea, 5-4, at Skokani-Olomouc Field, in Olomouc, CZ. Team Canada finishes the round robin, 2-4, at the 4th annual World University Baseball Championships and will face the host, Czech Republic, in Sunday’s 5th Place Game, at 1:00 PM (7:00 AM EDT).

Team Canada knew coming into the game they needed to win the game to force a three-way tie with Chinese Taipei and Korea and then let the tournament rules decide which two teams would advance to the Medal Rounds. The Canadians received word that the United States defeated Chinese Taipei, 3-2, in 11 innings, earlier in the afternoon, causing the potential three-way tie. Canada would need another strong start to keep their medal hopes alive, but it was Korea who had the first of two big innings in the game as they would score four runs in the second inning on two hits, an error and a bad bounce in the outfield that went over the left fielder’s head enabling three runs to score. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: British Columbia, Dayton, Gonzaga, Lamar, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, Team Canada

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE

Team Canada, representing Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), were defeated by the United States, 4-3, at AVG Draci Brno Stadium, in Brno, CZ. Team Canada falls to 1-3, at the 4th annual World University Baseball Championships while the United States improves to 5-0.

For the second time in four games, at the 2008 World University Baseball Championships, Canada lost a lead late in the game and then fell in 11 innings to their opponent. Tonight Canada built up a three run lead on just two hits and two walks, aided by two US errors that gave the “red and black” a lead going into the bottom of the 8th inning where the US rallied for three runs, on two hits, and one costly Canadian error. The US would go onto defeat Canada on a double and a wild pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning, to send Team Canada to a 1 win and 3 loss record with two critical games remaining against the Czech Republic and Korea, if they are to figure in the Medal side of the Championship.

Team Canada’s Mathew Wilson (Bucknell) was the story of the game, the Senior pitcher gave Head Coach Terry McKaig eight strong innings giving up 6 hits, striking out 4, walking only one, while giving up no earned runs due to the error in the US three-run 8th inning. “Mat showed us he is a big-time pitcher when he helped Bucknell shutout Florida State, in Florida, during the NCAA Regional Tournament, ” said McKaig. “Tonight’s game was a perfect start for Mat he showed his character, poise and proved he can pitch on the big stage.” Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Arizona State, British Columbia, Bucknell, Cal State Fullerton, Coastal Carolina, Gonzaga, Kansas, Missouri, Northeastern, Oklahoma State, Saint Mary's, Team Canada, Team USA, University of San Diego

Team Canada, representing Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), defeated Lithuania, 25-0, at Skokani-Olomouc Stadium, in Olomouc, CZ. Team Canada improves to 1-2 at the 4th annual World University Baseball Championships while Lithuania falls to 0-4.

Canada came out strong and took control of the game from the first pitch as veteran Adam Reynolds (Guelph) retired the side with the help of catcher Jeff Vickers (Lamar) throwing out a runner trying to steal second on the third play of the game. Canada quickly went to work offensively as they scored twice in the first and added six more in the second and never looked back as they won by 25 runs, the team’s largest margin of victory in the three World University Games Canada has participated in. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: British Columbia, Lamar, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, Team Canada

Brno, CZ - Team Canada, representing Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), was defeated by Japan, 7-6, at AVG Draci Brno Stadium, in Brno, CZ. Team Canada falls to 0-2 at the 4th annual World University Baseball Championships while Japan improves to 2-0.

For the second straight night, Team Canada fell behind early as they spotted Japan four runs over the first three innings. However Team Canada, like it did on Friday Night, used the big inning to come from behind and tie the game at 4 all in the top of the 5th inning. Canada would then take a page out of Japan’s playbook and play “small ball” scoring once each in the 6th and 7th inning, on just one hit, to take a two run lead into the bottom of the 9th inning where Japan would score twice, on three hits, to send the game into extra innings. In the extra frames Team Canada reached base in both innings but was unable to score the go ahead run. Japan left two men on in the 10th inning and scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Takeshi Hosoyamada in the bottom of the 11th inning. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: British Columbia, Dayton, Kansas, Northeastern, Saint Mary's, Team Canada, World University Games

Team Canada, representing Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), was defeated by Chinese Taipei, 6-4, at AVG Draci Brno Stadium, in Brno, CZ. This was the first game for both teams at the 4th World University Baseball Championships.

Team Canada started strong and were hurt by inning ending double plays in both the first and second innings of the game. Canada’s Thain Simon (Santa Clara) started strong on the mound as he held Taipei scoreless through the first two innings, striking out two batters. The third inning was the main story of the tonight’s game, in the top of the third inning, Chinese Taipei changed pitchers and brought in Kai-Wen Cheng, who retired Team Canada in order for the first time in the game. In the bottom half of the inning, Chinese Taipei scored five runs off Simon, while only managing one extra base hit a double in the middle of the rally. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: British Columbia, Gonzaga, Lamar, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, Team Canada

Coach Terry McKaig has put together a team consisting mostly of Division I players, plus six members of his NAIA British Columbia team.

Key position players:

1B Marshall MacDonald (Dayton, Red Deer, AB) A Junior who started all 56 games for the Flyers. He hit .306, and led the Flyers with eight home runs and 42 RBI.

OF Ken Fuglerud (Saint Mary’s, Lethbridge, AB) hit .351 with three home runs and 25 RBI for the Gaels. He is a Senior.

OF Grant Kveder (Gonzaga, Lethbridge, AB) A Junior transfer from the College of Southern Idaho, where he was an Academic All-American. He hit .322 with 31 RBI.

C/1B Ryan Pilgrim (British Columbia, Pitt Meadows, BC) A Junior who hit .324 with four home runs and 31 RBI for the Thunderbirds. He has hit well in Team Canada’s pre-tournament exhibition games.

SS Sammie Starr (British Columbia, Toronto) Very good glove guy (.959 fielding), hit .268 with two home runs and 15 RBI. He is a Sophomore. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: British Columbia, Bucknell, Dayton, Gonzaga, Northeastern, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, Team Canada, World University Games

Team Canada finished their exhibition series with a split of two seven-innings games with the Burnaby Collegiate Bulldogs, losing the first game 2-0 and winning the second 4-1.

The Bulldogs were playing with a makeshift roster because four of their regulars were playing for Team Canada. There was a “family feud” factor; Team Canada’s Head Coach, Terry McKaig, and two of the assistant coaches, Cav Whitely and Shawn Corness, are on the British Columbia coaching staff. The Bulldogs Coach, Connor Janes, is another British Columbia assistant coach. Seven British Columbia players and one incoming recruit saw action for the Bulldogs; five British Columbia players played for Team Canada.

First game: Jon Hesketh (New Mexico) and Geoff Burke (British Columbia) combined for the shutout. Each of them gave up one hit. Hesketh, a 38th round draft pick in 2006, got the win; he went four innings, struck out three.

Both of Burnaby Collegiate’s runs came in the fourth inning. David Dick (British Columbia) got an infield hit. He scored when Mike Caleb (Douglas College) reached on an error. Caleb was batted in by Jack Thompson (Douglas College). Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: British Columbia, Bucknell, Kansas, Northeastern, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, Team Canada

Canada’s entry in the World University Games defeated the Lethbridge Bulls of the Western Major Baseball League 12-1 Wednesday night. RF Ken Fuglerud (Saint Mary’s) hit a two-run home run, went 2-3 with 3 RBI. 1B Marshall MacDonald (Dayton) also hit a two-run home run, went 2-4 with 4 runs scored. LF Grant Kveder (Gonzaga) went 3-5 with an RBI, and DH Jeff Vickers (Lamar) went 3-6 with 2 RBI. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Atlantic 10, British Columbia, Dayton, Gonzaga, Lamar, Saint Mary's, Southland Conference, Team Canada, West Coast Conference, Western Major Baseball League

Six Zags Record Multiple-Hits In 7-4 Victory
Los Angeles, Calif. - The bottom four batters in Gonzaga University’s line-up accounted for 10 of the Bulldogs’ 14 hits Friday as the Zags posted a 7-4 victory over Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Tyson Van Winkle led GU at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and one run scored. The game was the opening contest of a three-game West Coast Conference series with the Lions.

With two games remaining in the season, Gonzaga (29-22 overall, 9-9 WCC) is now one game short of 30-wins. Should the Zags hit the mark, it would mark the second consecutive season with 30-plus wins. It would also mark the first time in27 years that GU has won 30 or more games to back-to-back years. Gonzaga last accomplished the feat during the 1981 and 1982 seasons.

Bulldog starter Matt Fields (8-3) posted an impressive outing to earn the win. The junior threw a perfect game through four innings and did not surrender a hit until the sixth inning, as Fields finished the contest allowing three runs on five hits, while striking out seven over 7.2 innings. CJ McClure earned his second save of the season for GU, allowing only one hit during the final 1.1 frames of the game. LMU (22-31 overall, 6-13 WCC) starter Martin Viramontes (3-6) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits, seven walks, over 6.0 innings.

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Tags: Dallas Baptist University, Saint Mary's, Santa Clara, University of San Diego

CBB News Sources

SAN FRANCISCO - Senior Matt Lieb homered and San Francisco had the winning run on first base in the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t come all the way back, as the Dons (29-21) fall to Saint Mary’s 6-5 in non-conference action at Benedetti Diamond on Wednesday afternoon. The Gaels (23-23-1) evened the season series with USF at two games a piece.

Down 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth, USF forged a two out rally, started by Lieb’s pinch hit homerun to right field. Junior third baseman Zach Kim walked and Railey singled to put runners at the corners, but freshman designated hitter Connor Bernatz grounded out to second base to end the threat and the game, 6-5. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Saint Mary's, San Francisco, West Coast Conference

Fresno State at Long Beach State
Fresno State ventured to Long Beach, CA to take on the Long Beach State Dirtbags in a non-conference game. The Bulldogs fell 2-1 on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs and Dirtbags combined to use 15 pitchers in the game with no pitcher recording more than three innings of work. The Dogs recorded five hits but scored their only run in the top of the ninth. The Dirtbags scored in the second and the deciding run in the fourth. The Bulldogs fall to 28-24 overall while LBSU improves to 28-17.

Fresno State Recap
Long Beach State Recap

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Tags: Fresno State, Long Beach State, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, Saint Mary's, San Jose St., WAC

Florida State at Clemson

The Florida State Seminoles head to Clemson SC for a Saturday-Monday series against the Clemson Tigers. The Seminoles enter with a 37-7 overall record while being 19-5 in the ACC. The Seminoles have been one of the better hitting teams in the country with a team batting average of .346. All-American catcher candidate Buster Posey is the top hitter on the team with a .470 average and a team leading 13 homers on the year. Matt Fairel has been the ace of the staff with an 8-1 record with a 2.81 ERA. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: ACC, ACC Weekend Preview, Big South, Boston College, Campbell, CBB Column, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, FSU, GT, High Point, Independents, Maryland, Miami (FL), NC State, Presbyterian College, Saint Mary's, Southern Conference, VT, West Coast Conference

CBB News Sources

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The 12th-ranked University of San Diego baseball team completed a three-game sweep over Saint Mary’s College with a 5-1 win Sunday afternoon in a West Coast Conference game at USD’s Cunningham Stadium.

With the win, the Toreros improve to 31-11 overall, move to 10-2 in the WCC, run their winning streak to 12 games and sweep their third consecutive WCC team. With the loss, the Gaels fall to 20-16-1 overall and 4-8 in the WCC.

The Toreros got on the scoreboard first as they scored one run on one hit in the second inning. With two outs, both Kevin Hansen and Tony Strazzara got things started with back-to-back walks. Jose Valerio then drove in Hansen with a RBI single up the middle to give USD a 1-0 lead.

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Tags: Saint Mary's, University of San Diego, West Coast Conference

FROM PRESS RELEASE

San Diego 6 Fullerton 2

FULLERTON, Calif. - The 21st-ranked University of San Diego baseball team scored four unanswered runs in picking up a 6-2 win over No. 16 Cal State Fullerton Tuesday evening in a non-conference game at Goodwin Field.

With the win, the Toreros improve to 8-7 overall and improve to 6-1 against ranked opponents this season. With the loss, the Titans fall to 8-5, suffered their first home loss of the season and saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: ACC, Atlantic Sun, Big West, CAA, Cal State Fullerton, Campbell, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, Kentucky, MAC, Maryland, Mountain West, Nevada, Northern Illinois, Prairie View AM, Saint Mary's, SEC, Southland Conference, SWAC, TCU, UNC-Wilmington, University of San Diego, UT-San Antonio, WAC, West Coast Conference