Baseball continues dominant start to ’21 campaign

ETOBICOKE – Humber baseball extended its win streak to five straight games, picking up three wins over the weekend. The Hawks (5-0, 2nd OCAA) swept the doubleheader at Durham on Friday and rolled to a big win against Centennial on Saturday afternoon.

Humber has been dominant on both sides of the ball to begin the season, as the pitching staff has only allowed four earned runs in five games. The offence has been blistering to start the year, combining to hit a new program record 11 home runs – one off the OCAA record of 12 set by Seneca in 2019.

Aidan Murphy is off to one of the best starts in league history and combined to go 8-for-9 with two home runs and 11 RBIs for the week.

Game One: Humber 8, Durham 1

Rookie Dalton Brownlee, fresh off his no-hitter against Lambton, picked up his second victory of the season, limiting the Lords to three hits and one unearned run over five innings of work. Cam Hibbs slammed the door shut, not allowing a hit over the next two frames.

Stephen Nahrabeki continued to set the table at the top of the lineup, picking up two hits and a stolen base, while Cameron Wilcox finished with a game-high two RBIs.

Game Two: Humber 9, Durham 0

Humber wasted little time to put up a crooked number, plating six runners in the third frame. Rookie outfielder Robert Champion continued his impressive start, recording his first of two doubles on the day. Shortstop David Boatto recorded his first multi-RBI game, while Aidan Murphy also had two doubles and two RBIs.

Shaine O'Keefe went the distance, picking up his second victory on the young season. He finished with seven strikeouts, scattering four hits for the complete-game shutout.

Game Three: Humber 31, Centennial 4

The Hawks welcomed Centennial to the league by breaking numerous OCAA and program records in a five-inning victory at Neilson Park. Humber scored 22 runs in the second and third frame, cruising to its fifth win on the season.

Four Humber players combined to hit six home runs, establishing a new single-game record for the Hawks.

Dennis Dei Baning finished the game with four hits, including two home runs, and a career-high seven RBIs. Cameron Wilcox and Jaykob Turner both hit their second homers of the season, while Turner finished with a career-high three RBIs.

The story of the game was Aidan Murphy, who tied the OCAA record with five hits while setting a new league record with nine RBIs. Two of Murphy's hits were home runs, including a grand slam in the third inning.

Corey Vandegraaf recorded his second career victory, recording six strikeouts while scattering four hits.

Humber Highlights

• Humber's 31 runs against Centennial was a new OCAA record, breaking the previous mark of 23 set by the Hawks in 2013 against George Brown. The combined total ties the OCAA high.
• With 11 big flies, the Hawks have shattered their previous record of seven with nine games remaining.
• Dei Baning and Murphy have established career-highs with three home runs this season, one off the program record set by Brian MacDonald in 2014.
• Murphy's 16 RBIs are a new career-high.
• Humber's six home runs are a new single-game high.
• Through two career starts, rookie Dalton Brownlee has recorded 20 strikeouts with a 14.0 K/7 mark – both tops in the OCAA.

What's Next?

The 2021 home opener for Humber baseball is scheduled for Oct. 1 against George Brown. First pitch for game one is set for 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on the Hawks Sports Network.