Baseball falls to Centennial, eliminated from championship tournament

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

SARNIA – Humber baseball (13-6, 3^rd OCAA) is out of the 2024 OCAA Baseball Championship after falling to the Centennial Colts (8-11, 7^th OCAA) under the lights at Error Russell Park in Sarnia, Ont. Third-year player Charlie Towers led the Hawks at the dish, going three-for-four and recording an RBI double.

Game Recap 

The Hawks travelled to Sarnia with their sights set on reclaiming the provincial gold medal for the first time since 2019 after finishing with three consecutive silver medals. Humber's offence was undeniably potent throughout the regular season. However, lack of solidity on defence led to some key home losses this season. A strong start to the postseason could set the Hawks on the right path and build momentum for the games ahead. 

This was only the third postseason meeting between Humber and Centennial and the second career start for rookie pitcher Owen Marshall. Marshall faced a Centennial offence that was hot from the very first at bat, with Shoya Hase driving in two runs with single in the top of the first inning. 

After a scoreless home half in the first, Marshall returned to the mound with a quick three up, three down inning, retiring three hitters with one strikeout and two ground outs. The Hawks came close to trimming the lead down to one in the bottom portion of the frame, with Jaykob Turner reaching third, but the rally ended when Landen Clark flew out for the third out. 

In the third inning, things got tougher for Humber as Centennial's Riley Briggs launched a solo home run over the center fence, making this a 3-0 ball game. 

In the top of the fifth frame, with two outs and a runner on first, Mark Rizzotto came in relief for Marshall and slammed the door with a strikeout, giving the Hawks' offence a chance to get going. After a four-pitch walk and a steal of second, Jack St. Louis was cashed in by Charlie Towers, who ripped a double off the right field wall. Towers would steal third before fourth-year player Xavier Whittle drove him in with a single up the right-center gap. 

It was a one-run game in the top of the sixth, and Rizzotto knew he had to come up clutch to keep it close. He delivered, rolling through the lineup with a one-two-three inning, sending the Hawks on offence. Though the bats stayed quiet, Rizzotto remained sharp, retiring the side again in order in the top of the seventh. 

It was a do-or-die home side of the frame, with the Colts leading 3-2 and elimination on the line. Towers led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a flyout by Whittle — he was ninety feet from the tying run. Dylan White got to the dish but could not come through with a hit to bring Towers home, ending the Hawks' 2024 season with a 3-2 loss. 

Game Notes

• Humber's streak of eight straight podium finishes came to an end. 
• Despite outhitting the Colts 10-7, the Hawks left nine runners on base.
• Humber dropped their first-ever loss against Centennial in the postseason.
• The Hawks finished the season with a 6-3 record on the road.