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2022 Smirnoff Series
Waterloo Warriors versus Saskatchewan Huskies
The Waterloo Warriors are defending their title and the Saskatchewan Huskies are out to revenge last seasons defeat. The 2022 Smirnoff series is a repeat of last season's as well as 2013.
The Huskies come into the series as top qualifiers this time round and will be desperate to avoid three straight series losses. Waterloo are aiming for their 2nd title and will relying on their bats to blast them to it.
Saskatchewan has the best rotation in the league and it's led by Matthew Wadsell who's 20 wins were the most by any pitcher in 2022. He is well supported by the promising Dusty Echard and the screw ball throwing Brad Wilson. Former closer Mike Haddon funds himself in the rotation and posses the best slider in the college league.
With Emmanuel Pelky having been drafted into the CBL by Guelph Storm the Warriors rotation is now led by fire baller Leon Smith. Other key figures in the rotation are Vern Currie and Eroni Brendle. Closer Felix Padron had another fine season picking up 23 saves at a miserly 2.16 ERA. Padron's 23 saves bring his career tally to 78 saves.
Saskatchewan's Jordan Baxter, with a .311 average, and Alex are the batting spearhead and their experience will be vital in this series. Centre field Ali Brokaw provides ample support and plenty of speed around the bases.
The Warriors' Joe Henander won't be a one man show in the 2022 series but the left hander is still the team's star with a batting average of .323 and team leading 39 home runs. Supporting Henander is another left hander in right field Brent Cool. Cool sports a .322 average and 130 RBIs. Rounding out the left handed trio is catcher Busby Sherman who's average was .300 and homered 24 times.
Game 1 (Waterloo 4 Saskatchewan 3)
In the much anticipated dual of the aces Leon Smith came out on top as he managed to produce a game where he showed plenty of control and strike out 8 Huskies. Smith and Wadsell both got hit early but recovered to pitch 6.1 and 8 innings respectively. Felix Padron duly closed the game. Batting for the defeated Huskies Jordan Baxter had 3 hits from 5 at bats to match Henander for the Warriors.
Game 2 (Saskatchewan 12 Waterloo 9)
Brad Wilson got Saskatchewan on the board after pitching 6 innings for 2 runs and seeing off Eroni Brendle. For the second game in a row there were no home runs but there were plenty of hits. Waterloo's 1st base Robert Schwartz collected 3 from 5 with 2 runs batted in and 2 runs as did 2nd baseman Justin McKelvy. For the Huskies Jordan Baxter had 2 hits from 4 at bats as did catcher Danny Trump.
Game 3 (Saskatchewan 9 Waterloo 3)
In a rematch of game 3 from 2021 Waterloo's Vern Currie couldn't the same heroics but he was up against a much improved Dusty Echard. Echard pitched 6 innings striking out 7 without conceding a run. Jordan Baxter continued his fine series with 3 hits from 6 at bats while Joe Henander was strangely silent and is now 1 from 9 in the last two games. Alex Hill and Ali Brokaw stole 2 bases each.
Game 4 (Saskatchewan 11 Waterloo 7)
Saskatchewan Aidan Simmons started and was up against Waterloo rookie Danjai Runyan. The Huskies took to Runyan from the outset scoring 5 runs in the 1st innings. After a scoreless 2nd Runyan conceded 2 more runs in the 3rd and was pulled. In the meantime Simmons was keeping the Warriors in the game by conceding 3 runs in the 1st and 2 in the 2nd and was eventually relived after conceding a final run in the 4th. For the Warriors, Brent Cool had 3 hits from 4 at bats as did Justin McKelvy with McKelvy batting in 3 runs including 2 home runs. The hits were shared around the Huskies lineup with Danny Trump batting in 3 from his 2 hits from 4 at bats being the pick.
Joe Henander watch: 2 hits from 14 at bats in the last 3 games.
Game 5 (Saskatchewan 6 Waterloo 1)
Matthew Wadsell erased the memory of a loss in game win to comprehensively out pitch Leon Smith which took Saskatchewan to the title. Wadsell's 7 innings conceded a single run from 5 hits. Conversely Leon Smith was at his erratic worst as he struck out 10 innings but walked 5, his 5.2 overs conceded 5 runs. Ali Brokaw was the run support for Wadsell as he had 3 hits, including a home run, from 5 at bats batting in 4 and finally stealing 2 bases.
Saskatchewan avoided the ignominy of losing 3 straight Smirnoff series and join Acadia in having won 3 titles.
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2021 Smirnoff Series
Saskatchewan Huskies versus Waterloo Warriors
the return
Waterloo picked up the most wins in the CCBL and make their second appearance in the Smirnoff as they attempt to win their first title. Saskatchewan find themselves back in the Smirnoff series for the second year running and will be desperate to improve on their 2020 and winning their third title in five attempts. Both teams rely on their pitching with the Warriors proving adept at working themselves into a winning position and closing the opposition out.
Waterloo’s ace is the hard and fast throwing right hander Emmanuel Pelky who picked up 20 wins for the season with a tidy ERA of 3.14. Pelky is supported in the rotation by another fire baller in Leon Smith. Smith picked up 17 wins during the season and would have won more if he wasn’t as erratic, but when he’s on he’s a crowd favourite. However the sensation of the pitching staff would have to be closer Felix Padron who lead the league with 32 saves, almost twice as many as anyone else, with an ERA of 3.03.
Saskatchewan’s ace is Brad Wilson who lived up to his hype from his 2020 rookie season by combining his strong fastball with a good screwball to pitch his way to 17 wins at an economical 2.70 ERA. Closer Demarcus Schaaf didn’t have quite the same season as he did in 2020 as he managed only 14 wins at an ERA of 3.53 but again picked 15 wins. However joining him in the closer's role is Mike Haddon who also picked up 14 saves at an ERA of 2.86.
Waterloo’s batting is lead by rookie left fielder Joe Henander who lead the team in average, hits, runs batted in, home runs and stolen bases.
Saskatchewan have the Smirnoff hardened trio of Bruno Glassgow, Jordan Baxter and Alex leading their batting. Glassgow had a very productive season while Alex Hill continues to impress despite his young age .
Game 1 (Waterloo 1 Saskatchewan 0)
Both aces lived up to their top billing by pitching quality innings without conceding any runs. The Huskies Wilson did run into trouble during the 7th and was relived after 6.2 innings of work while Pelky was relieved after 7 innings. It was in the bottom of the 9th when unheralded 2nd baseman Justin McKelvy hit the solo home run that finished the game.
Game 2 (Saskatchewan 5 Waterloo 3)
Leon Smith was on song in game 2 pitching 6.1 innings and conceding the lone run, but he was matched in quality by rookie curve baller Matthew Wadsell who’s 7 innings kept the Huskies in the hunt. The Warriors Joe Henander hit two home runs were not enough as Hill, Baxter and Glassgow came through for the Huskies. Hill was particularly effective with 2 hits from 5 at bats with two runs batted in and 2 stolen bases.
Game 3 (Waterloo 17 Saskatchewan 1)
Waterloo’s Vern Currie pitched arguably his best game of the season as he conceded 1 run of 6 innings however he probably could have pitched his worst game and still won such was the batting support he received. Saskatchewan’s Dusty Echard didn’t pitched too badly but was pulled after 4 innings having given up 3 runs. The Huskie’s Jordan Baxter went 100% in his 4 at bats but had no support around him. It’s a case of who not to mention in the Warriors batting but as expected it was Joe Henander who lead the pack. He collected 4 hits from 7 at bats and picked up 1 of the teams 5 home runs and a stolen base, while short stop Jonathon Knowles batted in 4 runs for the game.
Game 4 (Waterloo 12 Saskatchewan 9)
Rookie Eroni Brendle started for Waterloo and faced the Faaitu Lindemans in a high scoring affair. Brendle gave up 6 hits and 4 runs in his 5 innings while Lindemans gave up 10 runs including 7 in a disasterous 5th innings. Saskatchewan got 15 hits for the game with Alex Hill getting 3, Jordan Baxter getting 3 and rookie 2nd baseman Bobby Karpati batting in 3 runs from his 3 at bats. All that production was not enough however as the impressive Joe Henander’s 2 home runs, extending his home run streak to 3 games of which twice he’s hit 2 home runs in the game, batted in 6. Justin McKelvy collected his 2nd home run of the series and this time yielded 3 runs.
Game 5 (Saskatchewan 7 Waterloo 1)
In a tense encounter both team’s aces produced high quality games but it was the Huskie’s Wilson that prevailed keeping the series alive. His 7.1 innings conceded just the one run in the 8th before the closing duo of Haddon and Schaff finished off the game. Pelky kept the Huskies scoreless until the 7th innings when he was relived after conceding 2 runs. After a quiet series the Huskies Bruno Glasgow finally came alive with the bat as he batted in 2 runs from 3 hits and 4 at bats.
Game 6 (Saskatchewan 5 Waterloo 3)
Matthew Wadsell pitched well to get the win as he gave up 2 runs over his 5 innings in his second match up with Leon Smith. Smith was solid through the first 4 innings but lost his way in the 5th and 6th giving up 2 runs in each. After a game off the Warrior’s Joe Henander got back to home run hitting ways collecting his 6th of the series in his 3 hits from 5 at bats. For Saskatchewan Alex Hill again contributed with the bat running in 2 runs from his sole hit from 3 at bats while lead off and catcher Brett Smith stole 2 bases and collected 2 runs.
Game 7 (Waterloo 10 Saskatchewan 2)
Vern Currie out pitched Dusty Echard for the 2nd time to win his 2nd game of the series and Waterloo their first ever Smirnoff title. Saskatchewan’s centre fielder Ali Brokaw had 2 hits from 4 at bats including a home run scoring the teams only runs. Saskatchewan chose to bat around danger man Joe Henander as they walked him 5 times so it was left to Joe Knowles to get the hits. Knowles’ 3 hits from 5 at bats included 2 home runs as he drove in 3 runs.
Waterloo win their first Smirnoff at the second attempt and it was built around left handed left fielding talent that is Joe Henander.
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2020 Smirnoff Series
Saskatchewan Huskies versus Acadia Axemen
One these two will become the winningest team Smirnoff history after this series the smart money is on Acadia with the strong starting pitching and powerful batting.
Saskatchewan’s Terry Cairns who relies on plenty of variety to keep on top of the batting is the mainstay and their rotation and is supported by the exciting rookie Brad Wilson who is one of the rare pitchers throwing an effective screwball. Closer Demarcus Schaaf had a top season picking up 23 saves, 15 wins and an ERA of 2.34 and can expect to see plenty of during the series.
While Acadia’s Lawrence Blamires lead the league with 20 wins, it’s rookie southpaw Stephen Williams who lit up the Acadia season with his phenomenal sinking pitch. Lefties didn’t stand a chance and righties didn’t fare much better.
Saskatchewan will be looking to the quartet of Ashley Dickensen, Alex Hill, Bruno Glassgow, and Jordan Baxter to produce their runs. At 17 years of age rookie Alex Hill posses remarkable maturity at the plate and won’t be phased by the occasion.
Acadia’s 1st base Juan Luque is the danger man hitting for average and power and he is ably supported by Dylan Byrge. However as a unit Acadia provides slightly better fielding support to their pitchers.
Game 1 (Acadia 11 Saskatchewan 1)
Acadia’s hard throwing Alai Westerfield matched up against impressive 16 year Dusty Echard from Saskatchewan in game one. It wasn’t long before the Acadia bats exposed Echard’s inexperience with Dylan Byrge leading off with a home run in the first innings. Conversely Westerfield was in total control pitching 7 innings for 1 run off 4 hits. Axemen catcher Stephen Roberts batted in 5 runs and hit a home run in a strong performance while Ashley Dickensen batted manfully for a losing cause.
Game 2 (Saskatchewan 8 Acadia 1)
Expectations were high for Stephen Williams in this game as he lined up against Faaitu Lindemans but it was Lindemans who stole the show with a brilliant 8 innings conceding 1 run off 2 hits. Ashley Dickensen again featured with the bat as he batted in 2 runs of a sacrifice fly and around the bases with an incredible 4 stolen, while Alex Hill hit the game’s only home run.
Game 3 (Saskatchewan 5 Acadia 4)
Game 3 saw the respective staff aces match up as Acadia’s Lawrence Blamires took the mound against Terry Cairns. Cairns continued on the heroics of the Huskies and if they go on to win the Smirnoff it could possibly be put down to this performance. Despite conceding 2 runs in the 2nd innings Cairns went on to pitch the complete game conceding 2 further runs but, more importantly, saw off Blamires. Acadia collected 13 hits in the game but couldn’t quite get the hits when they needed them to most. Dylan Byrge hit 3 hits from 5 at bats while Koetsu Iso hit a 2 run home run. Ashley Dickensen had his second consecutive 4 stolen bases in a game and chipped in with 3 hits from 4 at bats and 2 runs.
Game 4 (Acadia 3 Saskatchewan 1)
Brad Wilson for Saskatchewan started Kewaun Twigg whose fast ball has been clocked at 93 mph this season. The normally erratic Twigg produced a top drawer performance to pitch 7 innings for 1 run off 2 hits and he needed to against a quality opponent like Wilson. Wilson struck out 9 opponents but came unstuck in the 6th when Rich Beare hit a 2 run home run. Kevin Zordel and Alberto Diaz saw off the Huskies with an effective innings each. Along with Beare, Dylan Byrge featured for Acadia also hitting a home run and collecting 2 hits off 4 at bats.
Game 5 (Acadia 7 Saskatchewan 5)
Game 5 was the rematch of game 1 and the result was although the way it was achieved was quite different. Where Westerfield was in total control in game 1 he wasn’t in this game. Westerfield was forced to work extremely hard for the win and it wasn’t until Huskie reliever conceded 5 runs in the 5th that he had the lead since the 1st. Aaron Hargit took over from Westerfield in the 6th and maintained the lead before handing over to the closers in the 9th. Saskatchewan shared the hits around although rookie Alex Hill stood out with 1 run, 2 RBIs, and a home run from 5 at bats. Juan Luque had 3 hits from 5 at bats for Acadia.
Game 6 (Acadia 17 Saskatchewan 7)
Stephen Williams again had a chance to show he is a player for the future as he again matched up against his game 2 opponent, Faaitu Lindemans. And it was again Lindemans who came out on top in the duel but this time his supporting pitchers couldn’t hold on for the win as they conceded 14 runs in 4 innings to lose the game and the series. Axemen rookie centre fielder Youngy Hairsteins chose a great time to shine collecting 3 hits from 5 at bats, 3 runs, a home run, and 3 stolen bases in a man of the match performance. Third baseman Felix DeBryun also hit 100% from his 3 at bats including 2 runs and 2 runs batted in. Huskies DH had a notable performance hitting 2 home runs from 4 at bats.
Acadia’s pitching was good throughout the series but their batting really raised the level to ensure their win with centre fielder Dylan Byrge leading the way. Acadia becomes the first team to win three Smirnoffs.
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2019 Smirnoff Series
UBC Thunderbirds versus Laval Rouge et Or
Reigning Smirnoff champions, the UBC Thunderbirds, return to defend their title after fighting off their improved Lager League rivals.
Laval Rouge et Or avoided the controversy of last season but taking out the Ale League by four games over their nearest rival. While not packing the same batting or pitching power as their Ale League opponents their season was built around the never say die attitude.
UBC’s power packed batting lineup maintained their position at the top of the batting averages, although their .267 was only good enough to share first with Brandon. It’s the power though were UBC makes it really count as they led all extra base statistics. UBC’s batting revolved around 3rd base Sean Chambers who batted .327 with 49 home runs for the season. Alan Truett, playing at 2nd, and Andrew Raleigh, centre field, provided ample support batting .314 and .277 respectively.
Laval’s main run supply comes from the trio of right fielder Fred Gallagher who batted .286 , short stop Berent Homler who batted .283, and rookie left fielder David Cobden who batted .288. The trio were responsible for 40% of the runs and 39% of the runs batted in for the season.
Thunderbird’s ace Brent Castleberry used his curveball to good effect over the season and accumulated 19 wins with a tidy ERA 3.79. The number two starter, James Hudson, picked up 21 wins at and era of 4.07 while the surprise of the season was rookie number four, Deniz Mahony, who picked up 14 wins at a very economical 3.49 era. Alan Wilcox was generally given the ball to close the innings and he did so to good effect with 23 saves at an era of 2.95.
When if comes to pitching it is Laval who have the truly dominant force, that being the right handed sinker ball specialist Khalil Jabine. His 22 and 2 record at a miserly 1.60, along with 311 strike outs for the season, put him in the front running for pitcher of the year. However the remaining pitcher are going to have to pitch far better than they have this season if Laval hopes to win the Smirnoff. Only Loius Bartenstein has pitched well with 12 wins at an era of 4.20. Xue Humphreys will most likely to be called upon to close the innings, during the season he saved 17 games at an era of 4.56.
Game 1 (Laval 13 UBC 4)
The two winningest pitchers from both teams took to ball for game one, James Hudson for UBC and Khalil Jabine for Laval. Hudson never had a chance to get into the match up as the Laval bats took to him from the outset. While four runs coming in Hudson’s first innings allowed Jabine some breathing, his control suggests he was never going to lose this game. Jabine pitched 7 innings without conceding a run. Both designated hitter Ben Fife and catcher Gordon Masters were the unheralded Laval batters causing Hudson his nightmares as they picked up 3 hits each. Fife picked up 4 RBIs for the game.
Game 2 (UBC 5 Laval 1)
For UBC’s Daniel Conforti it was game two of 2018 all over, well almost, he went one innings more to pitch 6 solid innings for no runs. Darrell Walsh pitched for Laval and his game was representative of his season. Walsh did manage to last the entire game saving the bullpen for later games and conceded 5 runs in his 8 innings of work. Darren Kee, playing at 1st, had 2 hits and 1 home run while rookie right fielder Emil Currie also hit a home run. Laval’s Fred Gallagher hit a home run, off leftie Verron Bennett, but it was too little too late.
Game 3 (Laval 2 UBC 1)
Rookies Joe Morgan for Laval and Deniz Mahony for UBC started game 3. Mahony continued his good season with 6 great innings striking out 7 and conceding no runs, while Morgan produced a trade mark Laval never say die 6 innings and gave just the one run. Hits were infrequent for Laval’s batters but they didn’t need them, in fact they didn’t even need to hit the ball to score their runs. UBC’s Vernon Bennett’s nightmare series continued when he allowed two free passes to first and a hit while collecting a single out. With bases loaded reliever Guntus Witmyer struck Berent Homler to conceded Laval’s 1st run and then one out later allowed David Cobden a free pass to first and conceded the winning 2nd run. Sean Chambers had 3 hits for the game batting in UBC’s solitary run.
Game 4 (Laval 11 UBC 6)
UBC’s Brent Castleberry couldn’t repeat his game 4 performance from 2018 as he lasted only 4 innings allowing 12 batters to reach base and conceded 4 runs. Laval’s Loius Bartenstein fared only slightly better in allowing only 5 batters to base but still conceded 4 runs off his 4 innings of work. The bullpen of Laval managed to wrap this game up however with notable performances from Roger Day and Trent McNamara. There was plenty of fire from the bats of both teams but it was Laval’s Berent Homler who had the best days as he homered once in his three hits, batted in 2 runs, scoring 2 himself as well as stealing 2 bases.
Game 5 (UBC 11 Laval 6)
Laval pulled a surprise change and started Jabine in an attempt to wrap the series up as he matched up against Hudson in a repeat of game one. Hudson started the game better than game 1 but still leaked runs however Jabine was taking some time to settle also. Hudson eventually left after the 5th while Jabine handed over to the bullpen a 5-3 lead. UBC’s Vern Bennett redeemed himself with two good innings and allowing Alan Willcox to pick up the save. Laval’s Roger Day let UBC back into the game in the 7th and Xue Humphreys, finishing off the 7th, couldn’t rescue the situation. Short stop Mike Kuptz for UBC had the best day of the bat collecting 2 hits, 2 runs, and .batting in 3.
Game 6 (UBC 8 Laval 1)
Daniel Conforti is proving himself to be a real big game player in his two Smirnoff series starts and this third start enhanced this reputation. In his best game yet Conforti pitched 8 innings conceding a single run from 4 hits. UBC broke the 1-1 deadlock in the defining 4th innings which saw Laval starter Darrell Walsh give up 6 runs and before being replaced by a far more effective Frank Hearn. Centre field Andrew Raleigh picked up 3 hits while rookie Emil Currie picked up 3 hits, including a home run, and batted in 3 runs.
Game 7 (UBC 6 Laval 5)
Game 7 was down to the rookie starters in both teams and it was Deniz Mahony again dominated with another 6 strong innings giving up just the one run. Joe Morgan pitch with plenty of grit but eventually came unstuck in the 5th innings as he allowed 2 runs allowing UBC to take the lead 3-1. UBC’s bullpen saw the game home but not without their share of nail biting moments. Andrew Raleigh, Sean Chambers, and Emil Currie all picked up 2 hits for UBC while Laval’s Ben Fife had 3.
UBC defended their Smirnoff crown after being 3-1 down in the series. Laval played better than the pundits were expecting in the series, being true to their season form, fighting tooth and nail but falling short in the final game.
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2018 Simrnoff - The Thunder Series
UBC Thunderbirds versus Lakehead Thunderwolves
The UBC Thunderbirds are a solid team batting and pitching throughout their entire roster while the Lakehead Thunderwolves posses star performers. The Thunderbirds head into the 2018 Smirnoff as the favourites after winning the Lager league by a massive 31 games over their nearest rivals. On top of that the Thunderbirds sport a handy 16 point batting average and .36 ERA superiority over their Ale League opponents the Lakehead Thunderwolves. The Thunderwolves are also battling controversy after they finished with an identical win loss record to Sherbrooke Vert et Or bur were crowned champions without any clarification from the CCBL as to the basis for the decision.
UBC’s .276 batting average was the second best in the CCBL, .278 was the best, while their 4.45 ERA lead the pitching. UBC are lead in the batting by Nick Ruegamer on 1st base who hit .308 with 31 home runs, and rookie Andrew Raleigh in centre field who hit .301 with 22 home runs. The UBC starting pitching is lead by experienced ace Rafael Brown who compiled a 22-9 record with a 3.71 ERA. Daniel Conforti in his second season put together a great season at 16-3 record with a 3.06 ERA. Pat Lowes in middle relief and setup Bob Ellis will be the relievers the Thunderbirds will look towards.
Lakehead’s .260 average was fourth best overall while their 4.81 ERA was second best. Their batting star is Sean Cresswell playing at 1st base who hit .321 with 29 home runs. Cresswell is supported by Jan Sneider at short stop who hit .282 with 21 home runs. Lakehead’s true stars are amongst their pitching though and staff ace Hamish Beard is the brightest. Beard compiled a record equalling 28-wins with only 6 losses at an ERA of 2.41. Their other bright star is rookie closer Jason Ivester who saved 19 games an had a 2.56 ERA. Starter Bevan Campos will be hoping his form in his last Smirnoff start, game 6 in 2016, continues in this series. Should he fail Campos run into trouble however, the Thunderbirds can rely on Dillion Gamble in relief.
Game 1 (UBC 3 Lakehead 2)
James Hudson was up against Bevan Campos in the first game and both pitchers pitched a strong eight innings each. Third base Sean Chambers for UBC picked up three hits including 1 home run while Andrew Raliegh also hit one over the fence. Jory Bawen and Rutger Giles picked up two hits each batting at 1 and 2 for Lakehead. Closer Alan Wilcox held his composer to pick up the save.
Game 2 (UBC 13 Lakehead 1)
UBC’s Daniel Conforti pitched 5 solid innings for no runs and received plenty of support from the bats as he picked up the win in game two. UBC totaled 13 hits for the game with Andrew Raliegh again featuring as he picked up 3 hits and 3 RBIs. Designated hitter Renellepau Cost picked up half of Lakehead’s four hits for the game.
Game 3 (UBC 7 Lakehead 5)
In the match up between the two aces it was UBC’s Rafael Brown who came out on top as he pitched 6 innings conceding 4 hits. Lakehead’s Hamish Beard wasn’t able to turn his team’s fortunes around as he conceded 7 runs in his 5.2 innings. UBC’s third base Sean Chambers picked up another 3 hits to continue his good series while catcher Dave Hawkenberry homer and collect 2 RBIs. For Lakehead left field Matt Hulena collected 3 hits while catcher and Rutger Giles drive in 2 runs.
Game 4 (UBC 6 Lakehead 1)
One big innings, the third, was all it took for UBC to wrap up the Smirnoff, and the Thunderbirds can thank DH Darren Kee for kicking it off with his bases loaded home run. Meanwhile leftie Brent Castleberry was doing his part on the mound as he pitched 7 impressive innings conceding just the lone run. For Lakehead 2nd base Jory Bawen tried his best at the top of the order as he collected 2 hits and the teams only run.
What should have been the thunder series turned out to be for a fizer as UBC wrapped up a comprehensive series win. When their stars failed Lakehead didn’t have the depth for others to step up and be consistently counted.
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2017 Sherbrooke versus Brandon
Sherbrooke Vert et Or survived the battle of nerves in the final week to pip St Francis at the post and win their way into the Smirnoff. Winning their last two games, while having to rely on St Francis stumbling, showed the teams never say die attitude and gives them a major boost heading into the series against the Bobcats.
Sherbrooke boast the outstanding rookie leftie pitcher Jason Leiss. His range of pitches and his power saw him strike out 150 batters this season. Just to underline his potential, Leiss has also been tinkering with a curve ball in training to add to his arsenal. Sherbrooke also depth in their pen which has been the achilles heel of many teams in the past. Rookie setup Slade Thomas has been reliable whenever he’s given the chance and will be looking to further his credentials in this series. Reliever Victor Martis had a great regular season pitching 112 innings for an ERA of 2.63. In his final season Martis has attracted interest from plenty of league clubs and the scouts will be out in force to watch how he performs in this high pressure atmosphere.
To support the pitching Sherbrooke also has a more than capable batting lineup who know how to get around the bases and are great in the field. Showing that they’ll be a long term threat to other teams in the league, their triple crown winning batsman was rookie centre fielder Johan Hayworth. His phenomenal first season saw him hit .358, 39 HRs, and swipe 77 bases. Primary support comes in the form of third baseman Sherman Mejia and, fellow rookie, first baseman Linc Haines.
Conversely the Brandon Bobcats stumbled their way into the playoffs losing their last six games. It was only UBC’s final day loss, after having won six on the trot including a three game series against Brandon, that let the Bobcats win the division.
Brandon will be pinning their hopes on the experienced Kevin Clinkscales, in his final season, to pitch at least two games, if not a third, on the series to get them the win. He’s a workhorse and strikes out plenty of batters. It remains to be seen if the coaching staff decide he can pitch three games. Supporting Clinkscales will be rookie Jamal Ebsworth who had 19 wins and also took plenty of strikeouts. Brandon’s starters will be trying to pitch out the game or pass over directly to closers Adam Henson and Nick Brightful who managed 30 saves between them.
Batting wise, Brandon are very similar in capability to Sherbrooke. They can hold their own with the bat and certainly know how to send the ball out of the park. On top of that, they too are no slouches in the field. Rookie left fielder Antonio Gomez was the start performer this season hitting .320 with 152 RBIs. However he will be well supported by fellow left fielder James Clarke, .319 with 104 RBIs, and centre field Reece Keast, .317 and 54 RBIs. They have home run hitters peppered throughout their lineup.
This is the second time Sherbrooke and Brandon have meet in the finals. The first time was in 2012 where Brandon comfortably won the series 4-0. This time Sherbrooke looks to be the stronger side with their greater pitching depth and has a great opportunity to level the score.
Game 1 (Brandon 1 Sherbrooke 2 )
Game one was a quality match up between Brandon’s ace pitcher Kevin Clinkscales and Sherbrooke’s 18 game winner Greg Witherall. Witherall suffered an early setback as Brandon took an early 1 run in the first while Clinkscales looked poised defending the lead through the first three innings. However in the 4th Clinkscales gave up a 2 run home run to DH Utsuhiko Morita which enabled which was enough to give Witherall the win. Witherall gave up only three hits in his six innings before reliever Slade Thomas took over. Thomas used his change up effectively for two quality innings before Eric Broderick closed out. Morita collected 3 hits from 4 at bats in the game.
Game 2 (Brandon 6 Sherbrooke 0)
Brandon’s Matt Morrison hadn’t had a great season leading into this match although the same could be said for Sherbrooke’s Sandy Gonzales. With Gonzales looking the better pitcher throughout the season and Sherbrooke having momentum, Morrison had to bring his top game to the park and that he did. Morrison saw off Gonzales and then left in the 6th with a 5-0 lead after the Bobcats had taken to star reliever Victor Martis. DH Arnoldo Bray collected 3 hits and 1 homer in the match. The top 4 in Brandon’s lineup collected 8 hits in total, never letting the Gonzales and Martis settle.
Game 3 (Sherbrooke 6 Brandon 9)
Game 3 was possibly the marquee rookie match up with Sherbrooke’s 17 game winner Jason Leiss up against the Bobcat’s 19 game winner Jamal Ebsworth. CBL scouts will be watching Liess even more closely as the result was a shock to everyone. After such a strong season Leiss succumbed to the pressure and couldn’t see out the first innings. His 6 earned runs were always going to be difficult to recover from for Sherbrooke. Ebsworth on the other hand, who had the luxury of a 6 run lead before even throwing a pitch, was instead making the most it while the stands were full of scouts and pitched 7 strong innings only giving up 2 runs, homers in the 4th and the 5th . Brandon’s batter made the most of Leiss’ jitters and batting with patience were rewards with plenty of walks turning into runs. Bobcat’s short stop Reggie Hollis collected 2 hits and 2 RBIs, while Sherbrooke’s 2B Cliff Bastian and DH Max Macumber collected home runs each.
Game 4 (Sherbrooke 1 Brandon 7)
Respective 11 game winners took the mound in game 4 with Sherbrooke’s fireballer John Cooper up against Brandon’s curve ball specialist Neil Reep. Cooper’s 181 strike outs during the regular season meant the Bobcat’s were going to get a workout but as they had in each game, the Bobcat’s kept getting better. Cooper was going well until the 4th innings when he gave up 4 runs and was pulled from the game allowing Victor Martis to come in and redeem himself somewhat with 2 scoreless innings on work. Reep on the other hand quietly went about his work an left in the 5th with a 4-0 lead. Adman Henson recorded his first save of the series with nearly 3 innings of work. However the standout performer was Brandon’s left fielder James Clark who collected 3 hits from 3 at bats at lead off, was walked twice, and stole 4 bases.
Game 5 (Sherbrooke 4 Brandon 2)
Greg Witherall needed to repeat his game 1 performance to keep Sherbrooke alive in the series as he again matched up against Kevin Clinkscales. Another high quality pitching game ensued from both pitchers but it was again Witherall who came out on top against a luckless Clinkscales. Witherall pitched into the 7th innings allowing only 4 hits while Clinkscales also pitched in the 7th conceding only a single earned run. However it was the normally reliable Bobcat’s closer Nick Brightful who conceded the winning runs. Sherbrooke’s centre field Johan Hayworth came out of his batting slumber in this game with 2 hits from 4 at bats including a home run as well as picking up a stolen base to boot. Brandon’s 3B Richard Elliot also picked up a home run.
Game 6 (Brandon 4 Sherbrooke 6)
Brandon’s Matt Morrison and Sherbrooke’s Sandy Gonzales squared off again in game 6. Gonzales made amends for the game 2 loss pitching 6 quality innings giving up 3 hits and no runs while Morrison, in contrast to his game 2 heroics, showed his regular season form to be accurate after allowing 5 earned runs in his 6 innings. Sherbrooke rallied in the 9th innings when they got to reliever Fusaburou Shirai for 4 runs before he was hard throwing Hugo Hayse to close the game. Sherbrooke short stop Louis O’Connor was in form with the bat as he hit 3 from 3 including a home run in the 3rd. However Sherbrooke left field Heath Begley put his team firmly in control of the game as his 6th innings home run drove in 3 runs sending Sherbrooke to a 5-0 lead. Brandon catcher Duncan Corfe’s bases loaded home run in the 9th gave the Bobcats some hope but his was to be the only scoring hit for the team on the day.
Game 7 (Brandon 2 Sherbrooke 5)
So the smirnoff came down to star rookies Jason Leiss of Sherbrooke and Jamal Ebsworth of Brandon. The pressure was on Liess after his game three disaster and his 6 innings for no runs, while conceding 8 hits, were a vast improvement. Like the last Bobcat’s pitchers, Ebsworth’s luck had also run out as he steadily gave away 3 runs over 4.2 shaky innings. Sherbrooke’s star reliever Victor Martis pitched two more strong innings while Hugo Hayse blasted out the final Bobcat’s batter with his 95 mph fast ball. Sherbrooke’s centre field Johan Hayworth collected 2 hits from 3 at bats and swiped 2 bases while first base Linc Haines driving in 2 runs. Again it was a 9th inning rally from Brandon as left fielder Brendan Fisher hit 2 run home run, his 3rd hit from 4 at bats, but it was too little too late. Centre Field James Clark and first base Arnoldo Bray both collected 2 hits from 3 at bats but the team wasn’t able to capitalise.
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2016 Thunderwolves versus Bisons
The Lakehead Thunderwolves are back to defend their Smirnoff against the Manitoba Bisons. The Thuderwolves reached their third finals in succession and did it on the back of their outstanding starters with Curt Howell and rookie Hamish Beard to the fore. Howell who won 28 games in 2015 won another 23 this season and will end his college regular season career with a 68 win 18 loss record and an ERA of 3.08. Is he ready for the big leagues? I don't know many CBL teams that could say no. 20 year old Beard finished his rookie season with a 21 win and 11 loss record and a superb 3.31 ERA which bodes well for the continued success of Lakehead. Marino Chapman plays in his second finals series and hopes to repeat his efforts of 2015. Chapman can this time expect support from centre fielder Bobby Beenken, 1st baseman Dean Gantz, and right fielder Jason Northcote.
In a repeat of the 2014 Battle for the Smirnoff, in their second ever finals series the Manitoba Bisons again meet the Thunderwolves. The Bisons will be hoping for the same result! Manitoba are very similar to Lakehead with strong pitching and a weaker batting lineup. Manitoba's rotation include Brad Hicks, Jose Cervoni, Mile Dameon and Art Teesdale who all pitch sub 5 ERAs. Brad Hicks is the anchor of the rotation and won his only finals series start in 2014 with a scoreless pitching effort. The batting is firmly built around former Rookie of the Year, centre field Dennis Moynihan. The Thunderwolves are likely to try and bat around him as his .318 batting average, 37 home runs and 155 runs batted in make him one of the most productive batters in the league. Moynihan's main support comes from left fielder Archibald Langer, 3rd baseman Matt Jones, and right fielder/DH Andrew Mires.
Game 1 (Manitoba 7 Lakehead 16)
In a season where changes were made to remove the assistance to batting, game 1 was a high scoring affair. Manitoba’s Jose Cervoni pitched strongly for 5.2 innings and giving up 4 runs but was let down by the bullpen who squandered the 5-4 lead and conspired to give away 12 runs in 2.1 innings of work. Lakehead’s Dean Gantz had 3 hits while Jason had 2 hits at .500 and 2 stolen bases. Manitoba’s Dennis Moynihan managed 2 hits from his 5 at bats, both of them home runs driving in 5 runs.
Game 2 (Manitoba 11 Lakehead 3)
Rookie and winningest regular season pitcher, Dameon Miles, took the mound for Manitoba against fellow rookie from Lakehead Bevan Campos. Regular season form rang true as Miles picked up the win after pitching 5.1 innings for 3 runs, while Campos was pulled after 3.2 expensive innings. Bison’s catcher Isaiah Calligaris profited from most Campos’ wayward pitching when he hit a bases loaded home run in the 4th, eventually driving in 5 runs for the game.
Game 3 (Manitoba 3 Lakehead 0)
In what should have been a completge mismatch, Lakehead started with their star pitcher and 23 game winner Curt Howell Rookie while Manitoba started with rookie Art Teesdale. Teesdale held his nerve after the Bisons took the lead in the 2nd inning allowed 1 hit in 5 innings before hading over to his relievers. Isaiah Calligaris’ big match form continued as he drove in two runs from Howell.
Game 4 (Manitoba 4 Lakehead 2)
Manitoba’s ace Brad Hicks started game 4 and faced Lakehead’s own version of Dameon Miles, rookie sensation Hamish Beard. Beard got the better of Hicks, who lasted on 6 innings, but he too probably should have departed in the 6th as he came unstuck in the 8th. Bison’s left fielder, Archibald Langer latched onto a loose pitch from Beard and sent it out of the park for 2 RBIs.
Game 5 (Manitoba 5 Lakehead 7)
Game 5 was almost a carbon copy of game 1 when Jose Cervoni being the victim of another bullpen disaster. Chief Morris battled away for just under 6 innings keeping has Thunderwolves side in the game before handing over to Kevin Eadie who picked up his second relief win of the series. Kevin Emmons, catcher and lead off hitter for Lakehead, collected 5 hits from his 6 at bats while stealing 2 bases.
Game 6 (Manitoba 3 Lakehead 9)
Manitoba had a great opportunity to wrap the series up in game 6 as Dameon Miles again faced Bevan Campos but this time Campos raised his game. Campos was well supported by his team as they took to Miles in the 1st innings giving him an early lead which he never relinquished. Thinderwolves 1st base, Dean Gantz, had 3 hits from 4 driving in two runs and collecting 2 more himself.
Game 7 (Manitoba 5 Lakehead 7)
The opportunity to win the series now swung back in favour of Lakehead as Curt Howell started the decider, however he was facing Art Teesdale who proved he was up to the occasion after winning their game 3 match up. This game though was always going to belong to Howell, he had no intention of bowing out of collegiate baseball on a losing note. He pitched 8 scorless innings, giving up only 2 hits and striking out 10. Lakehead’s third base, Marcus Gardener, and catcher, Kevin Emmons, both drove in three runs each when they homered in the 7th and 8th innings respectively.
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Ding, Your Shout No More
The CBL in conjunction with the CCBL have initiated stadium changes beginning in 2016 when it became apparent that colleges were unable to attract anyone to pitch for their teams.
The vast majority of high school pitchers were only interested in playing college ball if they could switch to batting and only the very best could be convinced to continue as a pitcher. 'Why would I want to throw the ball, I mean I can almost touch the outfield fences' one player said, while another said 'We're lambs to the slaughter out there, the show ponies in the CCBL all swing the bat, I mean it seems everyone who bats can't miss, and they're the ones getting the girls too'.
It all came about when a tradition was started at the first manager's meeting of the CCBL in during the league formation in 2007. At the meeting it was proposed that any manager whose team hits a home run has to knock a beer back courtesy of the opposing manager. Things quickly got out of hand as team managers strived to have had a least a free beer from the opposing manager, ground sizes got smaller and eventually rumours of fences moving between innings started to surface, while pitchers became to be the black sheep of teams. Soon college counsellors started reporting cases a social rejection by pitchers who had no such problems at high school as they were ridiculed for putting up such ridiculous ERAs. It wasn't even a case of how many games a pitcher lost anymore as any pitcher racking up the wins was being called a donkey for having the tail pinned on him so many times.
Together the CBL and CCBL has decided to ban the 'Ding, your shout' tradition and enforce standard ground sizes and hope to bring the status of pitchers amongst their female students into line with their position playing team mates. 'We're hoping to see the smiles back of the faces of the pitchers and an end to frustrating seasons, actually we're guessing their new found social acceptance means they'll last a few more innings in the game too' one CCBL administrator said with a wink.
Expect to see the averages drop from the astronomical levels of previous seasons and a corresponding drop in pitchers ERAs.
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Lakehead Thunderwolves win 2015 CCBL Title!
After the disappointment of losing in six games last season, the Lakehead Thunderwolves held off a stubborn challenge from the Simon Fraser Clan to win the Championship 4 games to 3.
Lakehead won their second Ale League title in a row and this time came into series with their hopes pinned entirely on the shoulders of ace Curt Howell, number 2 Adam Murray and closer Clement Blakeley. Curt Howell led the CCBL with 28 wins at an ERA of 2.75 and was keen to atone for two loses in last season’s finals. Adam Murray, who also lost his only playoff game last season, had the second best ERA in the CCBL at 2.63 while winning 21 games. Left Field Marino Chapman led a consistent batting line-up with his .323 average, 141 RBIs, 22 home runs, and 88 stolen bases.
The Clan from Simon Fraser roared into their first ever CCBL Championship series on the back of ten wins in their last twelve games including a confidence boosting 2-1 series win over defending champions the Manitoba Bisons. In his final college season Paul Sears was a constant danger to the opponents hitting for average, power, stealing bases and handling the difficult short stop position. Sears was well supported by the likes 1st Base Moskal Thomson, Catcher Hilario Leonidas, and 2nd Base Titus Aubrey. Craig Franz, Mitchell Brock and Karoll Amirandy were the mainstay of a solid staring rotation who could almost always rely on the closing pair of Antwuin Linquist and Brett Copelin.
Game 1 (Lakehead 15 Simon Fraser 3)
Just like game one in 2014, Ashton Stark enhanced his big game pitcher reputation by pitching six strong innings and giving up only three runs. Meanwhile Jason Northcott helped to blast Amirandy out of the game after three innings on his way to collecting three hits from four at bats with four RBIs. All in all the Thunderwolves hammered sixteen hits of the hapless Clan pitchers with Marino Chapman and catcher Ayoola Hirsh also collecting three hits each.
Game 2 (Simon Fraser 10 Lakehead 4)
It was the Clan’s turn to produce the fireworks belting thirteen and being especially hard on Kevin Eadie who gave up eight runs in 3 his innings of work. The Thunderwolves Chief Morris had toiled hard during his six innings and handing a 2 run lead to Eadie. Moskal Thomson and Hilario Leonidas both hit home runs and between them had seven RBIs.
Game 3 (Lakehead 1 Simon Fraser 0)
In what could probably be described as the best pitching game in the history of CCBL finals, Curt Howell showed just why he’d won 28 games this season when he out duelled a gallant Mitchell Brock. Neither pitcher deserved to loose but in his eighth and final innings Brock gave up the only run in the game as pinch runner Marcus Gardener stole two bases before crossing home plate.
LAKEHEAD IP H R ER BB SO P-S
Holwell, C. 8.0 1 0 0 4 8 105-61
SIMON FRASER IP H R ER BB SO P-S
Brock, M. 8.0 1 1 0 1 6 112-73
Game 4 (Lakehead 8 Simon Fraser 5)
Thunderwolves number 2 starter Adam Murray exorcised memories of last season playoffs by pitching seven solid innings in seeing off the Simon Fraser number 2 Craig Franz. Clement Blakeley featured for the first time in the playoffs getting the save. Thunderwolves 3rd base Marcus Gardener featured again although this time with the bat when he picked up 2 hits, while DH Kane Motty batted in three runs. Clan 2nd baseman Titus Aubrey collected three hits but couldn’t get the hits with men in a scoring position.
Game 5 (Simon Fraser 5 Lakehead 4)
Ashton Stark pitched his fourth quality start from four playoff games over two seasons and then eventually handed the lead to his bullpen only to see it lost. Karoll Amirandy did enough in his five innings to keep the Clan in the game and they finally broke out with their bats in the seventh with four hits and three when Paul Sears, Moskal Thomson, and Titus Aubrey finally put it together. Thunderwolves’ DH hit his second home run in two games while Marino Chapman was a constant threat.
Game 6 (Simon Fraser 3 Lakehead 2)
A team effort from the pitching staff fronted by a single run of five innings from Simon Gallacher saw the Clan pick up the win to force the Championship deciding seventh game. Chief Morris pitched seven innings restricting the Clan to four hits, one of which was the two run homer to left fielder Quentin Frush. Thunderwolves' centre fielder Bobby Benken also hit twice with two RBIs including a home run. Clement Blakeley couldn’t contain the Clan when he was given the task of ending the ninth innings when he was handed loaded bases and only a single out by reliever Kevin Eadie.
Game 7 (Lakehead 6 Simon Fraser 5)
The final came down to the teams’ respective aces and it promised to be an exciting one after the game three match up. Mitchell Brock pitched well and had a 1-0 lead until he struck trouble in the fifth innings when he gave up three runs. The fifth innings really upset Brock as he gave up two more in the sixth and was eventually pulled with two outs remaining. Curt Howell on the other hand recovered from the run taken off him in the fourth and pitched another three scoreless innings before running into trouble of his own in the eighth when he gave up another run before eventually tiring. The Clan’s Hilario Leonidas had three hits and two runs while Moskal Thomson also collected two hits and a run. Thunderwolves’ DH collected two hits but it was Marino Chapman who capped off his final second college year three hits, two runs, two RBIs, a home run, and stolen base and ultimately a winners ring.
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Manitobia Bisons win 2014 CCB Title!
Manitobia stormed into the top half of the league for the first time in the team's history and then ploughed on past the Lakehead Thunderwolves to take the Championship.
The Bisons were well prepared for the pressure of the playoffs with 40% of their games throughout season being decided by 1 or 2 runs of which they won 60%. Their ability to pressure the fielding team and make the plays allowed them to always stay in the game. In his final year of college, knuckleballer Tomasz Hodder had a sensational season topping the Earned Run Average, Batting Average Allowed, Slugging Percentage Allowed, Hits per 9 Innings Pitched, and Strikeouts per 9 Innings Pitched. Hodder struck out an incredible 17.21 batters per nine innings during the season ending his college career just short of 1000 strikeouts at an average of 16.08. Manitobia's batting was primarily built around Rookie of the Season Dennis Moynihan. He lead the team from centre field with a .347 average, 22 home runs, 174 runs, 117 stolen bases, all the while commiting only 5 errors.
Lakehead came into the series with one of the strongest pitching rotations around lead by Adam Murray who posted 20 wins for the season at a 3.79 ERA. Curt Howell and Ryan Curry also posted strong ERAs and ensured the team was always competitive. The Thunderwolves had some solid batting throughout their batting order which always kept the opposition pitching honest. Right field Marcus Pacifico and first base David Aenone were the major contributors with a combined 279 runs batted in and 53 home runs.
Game 1 (Lakehead 10 Manitobia 4)
A great start to the series when the Thunderwolves struck early and hard when the took 4 runs of Bison starter Spade Webster in the first innings. Another 3 runs in the second innings gave the Thunderwolves a 7-0 lead at the bottom of the second innings which was a lead that Manotobia couldn't recover from.
Game 2 (Manitobia 3 Lakehead 2)
Manitobia's ball under pressure came to the fore in this game as 5.1 strong innings from their 18 game winner, Nathan Short, limited Lakehead to a single run. Moynihan didn't manage a hit in the game but, like the team had been doing all season, others did enough to get onto base and the cross over the home plate. Lakehead's Curt Howell, despite David Aenone's second home run of the series, took the loss after pitching the entire 8 innings.
Game 3 (Manitobia 7 Lakehead 5)
It was the marque match up with the Bisons' Tomasz Hodder, 15 game winner owner of a 2.32 ERA, up against the Thunderwolves' Adam Murray, 20 game winner owner of a 3.30 ERA. Lakehead's David Aenone sent the ball out of the park for the third game in a row but his effort again couldn't match the consistancy of Manitobia's team approach. Seven Bisons made it to base, seven Bisons crossed the home plate while the Thuderwolves left four stranded.
Game 4 (Manitobia 8 Lakehead 0)
For the third time this season the Manitobia Bisons won a game with an 8-0 scoreline and Brad Hicks was the starting pitcher on two of those occasions including this game four of the series. Opposition pitcher didn't fare so well when he lasted only two innings before being pulled after being belted for 5 runs. This game highlighted the all round team performance from the Bisons with everyone making a contribution by doing their own job effectively.
Game 5 (Lakehead 3 Manitobia 2)
The Thuderwolves' Ashton Stark was an unlikely hero as he repeated his preformance from game one and upped his game to meet the level of the Bisons performances. Stark had found the key to success by giving the efficient Bisons few chances to convert getting on base to runs. Stark pitched seven effective innings giving up only four hits and letting another four have free walks. David Aenone supported Stark's effort with yet another home run, his fourth in the five games played in the series to date.
Game 6 (Manitobia 14 Lakehead 4)
With what must be some sort of record, the Thunderwolve's David Aenone smashed in fifth home run of the series but again his lone effort was not enough to beat the team that is Manitobia. Eight of the nine Bisons' batters shared the fourteen hits and they converted 75% of the on base chances into runs. This was the game where the Bisons' put it all together combining work ethic, power, and speed to really put the Thunderwolves to the sword. The only blemish was an error by firstbase man Barry Rodgers but he can be excused considering his four RBIs three hits and two home runs.
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Saskatchewan Huskies win 2013 CCBL Title!
The Huskies of Saskatchewan have done it again. Four years after their first title they picked up their second CCBL Championship in an evenly contested 4-2 series win over the Waterloo Warriors.
The Saskatchewan pitchers were consistent throughout the season and included Dave Satala, who picked up 19 wins, and Mark Patterson, who picked up 15 wins. However the real threat from the Huskies was their leagues most accomplished batting order which was an awesome unit that seemed to pick up hits and runs at will. Batting at clean up was the rookie sensation, third baseman Mike Camphor, who finished the season with a .368 batting average and 189 RBI's.
The Waterloo Warriors had their own rookie sensation in League MVP and Rookie of the Year, right hander Scott Petrie. Scott Petrie has sent out a big message to the big leagues with his 26-1, 2.71 ERA season. He headed the best rotation in the league which also contained the experienced 16 game winner in Andy Scettrini. While the Warriors had the best rotation in the league, the had the worst batting lineup where much rested on the shoulders of their experienced catcher Ken Harper.
Game 1 (Saskatchewan 6 Waterloo 4)
A sterling pitching game from Waterloo's Andy Scettrini who left game after 7 innings with a 4-1 lead only to see the bullpen blow the game after a 5 run 8th innings.
Game 2 (Waterloo 3 Saskatchewan 2)
A different bullpen from Waterloo this time pitched 4.1 effective innings to keep the Warriors in the game and see them home. The Saskatchewan pitchers walked 11 and were made to pay as 1st base Cameon Seed stole 3 bases and third base Thomas Cooper stole 2.
Game 3 (Saskatchewan 8 Waterloo 7)
Scott Petrie finally got a start in the series but it didn't go well for the rookie sensation. Petrie gave away 5 runs in the 2nd and, after the Warriors had pulled the game back with a 6 run 7th, another 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th. Petrie left with the game after the 7th with the game tied at 7 runs each. Warriors pinch hitter Jerry Southcomb's 7th inning grand slam homer wasn't enough as the Huskies responded with two runs and another in the 8th to take the game winning lead. For the Huskies, in the middle of the lineup Mike Camphor collected 3 hits while Aaron Gaylord collected 2.
Game 4 (Saskatchewan 11 Waterloo 9)
Huskie's 19 game winner Dave Satala made his start and, like Petrie, was also roughed up with 6 innings for 6 runs. However the Huskies middle order was again productive batting in and collecting 5 runs between Mike Camphor and Michael Hilton. For the second game in a row, the losing Warriors hit another grand slam homer, this time from Ken Harper.
Game 5 (Waterloo 4 Saskatchewan 3)
Andy Scettrini started his second game of the series and again rose to the occasion, he pitched 6.1 innings giving away 2 runs. The difference was the bullpen didn't let him down and he got the win. Huskies rookie, Jeff Allen limited the Huskies to 5 hits over 8.2 innings but couldn't hold the Warriors runners.
Game 6 (Saskatchewan 6 Waterloo 3)
True to their regular season form, the Huskies got the hits throughout the batting order and they also ran the bases well in support of yet another rookie pitcher pitching a fine game. Wilbur Green pitched 7 innings conceding only 2 runs.
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Brandon Bobcats win 2012 CCBL Title!
After being deafeated in the 2010 CCBL Champions Series, clear favourites the Bobcats have broken through to win their first ever title. They did so in commanding fashion with a 4-0 series sweep of Sherbrooke Vert Et OR. The Bobcats featured strong batting from the likes Roy Eicholtz, Montae Tohill, and Kai Danshirou, and a dominating rotation with Matt Bacsu and Bob Stickings to the fore.
Sherbrooke Vert Et OR were reliant on their pitching staff to try and win the series while their batting lineup looked unlikely to serously threaten the Bobcats. The pitching was lead by Jordan Whitta and also featured several promising rookies in Paul Garret, Jade Henry, Nenad Silcock, and Al Graham. Jordan Whitta, who was arguably the best pitcher in the league, unfortunately never got a chance to start more the game 1 before the series was over.
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Acadia Axemen win 2011 CCBL Title!
The 2011 CCBL champions for the second year in a row are the Axemen. In a year where the batting clearly dominated the pitching it was only fitting that the most feared batting line-up in the league won it all. Accompanying the potent Axemen line-up was the most demanding pitching staff in the league. The Axemen were convincing 4 games to 0 winners!
The Saskatchewan Huskies made the Axeman work hard in game one of the series but couldn't keep up with the Axemen's scoring in the remaining games.
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Acadia Axemen win 2010 CCBL Title!
The 2010 CCBL champions are the Axemen. The Axemen batting managed to overpower the Brandon Bobcats and eventually take the series 4 games to 2!
While the Bobcats had the best performed pitching staff in the league, their batting wasn't able to keep up the the prolific Axemen.
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Saskatchewan Huskies win 2009 CCBL Title!
The 2009 CCBL champions are the Huskies. They beat last years champ, the X-Men 4 games to 3!
The 2009 season will give the CBL owners an insight into the upcoming draft, and a look ahead to the future drafts. The players have changed quite a bit since you last looked, so please make note.
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St. Francis Xavier X-Men win 2008 CCBL Title!
The 2008 CCBL champions are the X-Men. They beat the UBC Thunderbirds 4 games to 1, and had great offensive numbers this season.
The 2009 season will get underway very soon, and the CBL team owners will be scouting the seniors very closely to get the best players possible with their picks.
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Welcome to the CCBL
This is the Canadian Collegiate Baseball League Site, the developmental league for the CBL. The first season has been played, and the Simon Fraser Clan ran away with the championship!
There were some big stars in the first season of the CCBL, with some players dominating some of the statistics. We hope that this will help owners judge the upcoming drafts, and be another great tool for the CBL owners.
I hope to get a biorhythm set up for the CCBL to help us a little more, and get the potential ratings up as well.
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