Baseball sweeps Sheridan on opening day

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

ETOBICOKE – As the summer comes to an end and the temperatures go down, Humber baseball (2-0, 1st OCAA) started the season by heating up the weather with a doubleheader sweep against the Sheridan Bruins (0-2) at Connorvale Park. Callum Blue paced the way for the Hawks during the doubleheader, leading Humber at the dish with five RBIs.

Game One (Humber 9, Sheridan 5)

After ten long-awaited months, the Hawks fans would finally have the chance to watch Humber baseball as they returned to Connorvale Park for their first game of the season. Following another year of coming short of being provincial champions, the Hawks only had one goal: the gold medal.

Mexican-born pitcher Juan Diego Lagunes was the choice from coach Troy Black to lead off the Humber dream of returning to the top spot on the podium. Lagunes, though, did not have his best start, as the Bruins would come out of the gates early with a home run. The second-year pitcher stayed calm on the mound, throwing an unhittable pitch to send the Hawks on offence. The Hawks' offence would be red-hot – as usual. After 2023 OCAA Championship All-Star Jack St. Louis singled to right field, he would be driven home safe by Xavier Whittle's RBI single. Whittle would not be left behind, thanks to Dylan White's one-run single to right field. The Hawks would leave the inning up 2-1.

After a not-too-exciting second inning with only one run recorded on the Bruins' side, Oakville-born player Callum Blue came to the dish hot, banging to deep right field to record a one-run double for the Hawks. Fourth-year player David Boatto, who had recorded a single before, scored on a sacrifice fly to set the Hawks up 4-2.

Humber came out firing in the bottom of the fourth frame. With the bases loaded after Whittle scored on a walk, Blue would once again come up clutch. The second-year player saw the plates loaded and unloaded a rocket to deep right field, recording a two-RBI double. Boatto would still score on an error to give the lead for good for Humber, 8-2.

After both teams got one run each in the fifth, the Bruins finally got their offence on business as Lucas Marciello smashed to deep center field, driving two players home in the top of the sixth. Mississauga-born pitcher Noah Garner would come in relief in the seventh, slamming the door shut with two strikeouts. Sheridan's Tyler Scovell would hit to left field, but Charlie Towers would come up clutch with a diving catch to wrap up game one for Humber, 9-5.

Transfer Isaac Duva was named the Hawks Nation Player of the Game in game one, going one-for-two and recording two runs.

Game Two (Humber 6, Sheridan 4)

Fourth-year lefty Maxim Skoropadsky walked toward the mount to lead off the frame in game two. The Huntsville-born made quick work of Sheridan's lineup, grabbing two strikeouts and leaving the Bruins pawing at thin air. The Hawks' offence would reward the outstanding performance of its pitcher. Towers got to the dish and smashed a double to deep right field, recording his first RBI of the day as St. Louis would get to home plate safely. He would later score on a wild pitch to put the Hawks up 2-0 at the end of the first.

After two scoreless innings, the Bruins would finally find momentum, scoring twice to even the game up 2-2 in the top of the fourth. The Humber fans in the crowd were witnessing a very different scenario in the second game, as the Hawks were struggling to find the right response from hot pitches from Sheridan's Marciello, who stopped Humber from scoring through four innings. The Bruins would carry the good momentum over to the sixth, recording two runs to jump ahead in the lead, 4-2.

When the season opener seemed to be leading to a split, the Hawks would flap their wings faster to soar above the Bruins. White would add another RBI to the scoresheet, as the fourth-year player recorded a one-run single. With the bases loaded, Blue would once again step in to put on a show. The lefty got to the dish and smashed a single to center field, driving two players home to put the Hawks back in the lead. Boatto would later score on a fielder's choice, leaving the Bruins chasing feathers.

Eric Alcaraz would come in relief in the seventh, shutting the door defensively to capture the doubleheader sweep for the Hawks, 6-4.

Callum Blue was named the Player of the Game, recording an impressive doubleheader-high five RBI's.

Humber Highlights

• The Hawks improve to a 6-0 record all-time against the Bruins.
• This doubleheader was just the third-ever meeting between Humber and Sheridan.
• Callum Blue's three RBI's in game one are now his career-high.

What's Next?

Humber fans can keep the excitement going as the Hawks return to Connorvale Park tomorrow, Sept. 8, for a twin bill against the Centennial Colts (0-0). The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.