Coach Roberto Suppa described the game as having “been circled on the calendar since last year”.
The Gee-Gees baseball team, led by second-year ace Max Zentil, are showing their second-place finish in last year’s OUA East Regionals was no fluke. Zentil pitched to an astonishing 0.75 earned run average (ERA) last season, while striking out 35 batters in 27.2 innings pitched.
To no one’s surprise, it was Zentil who took the bump for the Gees as they faced off against rival Carleton in the first game of the annual O-Train series, a three-game rivalry series that takes place in September and October each fall. The games take place at Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton (RCGT) Park in Vanier – better known to the city’s baseball fans as “The Stadium”. Coach Roberto Suppa described the game as having “been circled on the calendar since last year”.
Zentil, a 6’5” Business Technology Management student, started the game with back-to-back swinging strikeouts, both on devastating breaking balls. He would go on to pitch five strong innings, allowing just one earned run, and striking out five Raven batters.
The third inning was problematic for the Gee-Gees infielders though, and three errors were committed during the bottom half of the frame. The errors led to two unearned runs on Zentil’s line.
In the top half of the fourth inning, it was the Gees turn to get on the board. First-year right fielder Sebastien Pasquali worked a walk-off star Ravens pitcher Nathan van Putten to lead off the frame.
Then, fellow first-year Gee-Gee Carson Barker came to the plate. The left-handed hitter smoked a shot high and deep to straight-away centre field. Pasquali was nearing third and about to easily score, but the ball took one bounce off the outfield grass and sailed over the fence for a ground-rule double, which sent Pasquali back to third.
The right fielder wouldn’t have to wait for long to cross the plate, however. After left fielder Brennan Hedrick struck out looking, van Putten fired a wild pitch that sailed by his catcher and allowed Pasquali to score the first run of the game for the away team. Van Putten struck out two more Gee-Gees to get out of the inning, three of his 10 strikeouts on the evening.
After Zentil struck out two more Ravens in the bottom of the fourth, the Gee-Gees batters showed they were hungry for more. Catcher Tommy Pilkington sent a moonshot deep to left field that was lost in the lights by the Carleton fielder and subsequently dropped. Jackson Pallandi then sent a bloop popup behind first base that was again missed by the Ravens.
With runners on the corners, none out, and the top of the order coming to the dish, the Gees were threatening. Centre fielder Hassan Ammar stepped to the plate with an opportunity to cash in the runners in scoring position. He poked a squeeze bunt down the first base line that was placed so well, the Ravens had no shot at throwing out Ammar at first. Pilkington scored from third, and the Gees were back in the game.
Van Putten attempted to pickoff Pallandi on second base but balked when stepping off the mound. The Gee-Gees fans in attendance cheered loudly as the runners advanced one base. The Gees would add two more runs on groundballs, one hit by Pasquali that was questionably thrown home and on which no outs were recorded, and one on an RBI groundout by Carson Barker.
Zentil started to show signs of slowing down in the fifth, as he gave up two walks, and two singles, one of which scored a run. His day would be over after five strong innings, and he left with a 4-3 lead intact.
The very first batter of the sixth would change the course of the game for the Gees, intentionally or not. Toronto-born designated hitter Andrew Johnston joined the team this year from San Jose State University, and also plays catcher. He hit a soft ground ball to the third base side, and nearly beat out the throw.
The Ravens’ first basemen appeared to motion to the umpire that Johnston elbowed him on his way past the bag. Words were exchanged and both benches cleared, eager to back up their teammates. No one was ejected after a long discussion by the umpiring crew.
In the top of the seventh, the Gees were back at the plate. Pallandi ripped a line drive single to left to start the inning, and the away team was showing they were getting to van Putten. Ammar bunted for the second straight at-bat, and van Putten threw it just far enough from his second baseman’s glove that Pallandi slid into second safely. The Ravens were getting greedy, and it was costing them.
Keiran Martini-Wong then walked, and the bases were loaded with no outs. Pasquali smoked a grounder at the Carleton third baseman, who couldn’t make a play after bobbling the ball. Everyone was safe. Hard-hitting Barker was next up, and he put another charge into the ball, sending it deep to right field, and off the base of the wall. He would finish the game with 3 RBIs.
Suppa was excited to recruit Barker this year.“He came for training camp in really good shape, but has also demonstrated incredible professionalism off the field”. Suppa also credited hitting coach Josh Todd as another huge reason why the team is having success to start the year.
The Ravens finally replaced van Putten, but the damage was done. The Gees were up 7-3. Their first reliever out of the bullpen walked four batters and hit another one, helping the garnet-clad U of O team rack up eight runs in the seventh.
Reliever Alex Gerard picked up the save, going three strong innings, striking out four, and allowing two earned runs. Gee-Gees had just five hits in the game, scoring most of their runs on walks, hit-by-pitches, and mistakes from the Ravens defence. They managed to rack up eleven runs in total, while Carleton plated six men on six hits.
Game 2 of the O-Train series goes next Wednesday, Sept. 13, again at RCGT Park. Admission is free, and concessions will be made available. The start time is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. Follow the team on Instagram for more information and updates.
