HUMBER'S GROVES HEADLINES OCAA MEN'S BASEBALL AWARDS

TORONTO - Justin Groves (Peterborough) of Humber Polytechnic is the 2024 Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Men's Baseball Player of the Year.

The third-year outfielder was among the league leaders in most offensive categories during the regular season with 35 total bases, 25 hits, 23 RBI and 21 runs scored. Groves produced a slash line of .472/.595/.660 in 74 plate appearances, and tied for the league lead in doubles with seven. Groves also headlines the OCAA League First-Team All-Stars.

Kale Murray (Mitchell) of Lambton College is the OCAA Rookie of the Year. Murray was a duel threat for the Lions both at the plate and from the mound. Murray led the OCAA with 24 RBI in 54 plate appearances, and was second with a 2.80 ERA in 35 innings pitched. Murray is an OCAA League Second-Team All-Star and headlines the OCAA All-Rookie Team.

Lambton's Allan Bezaire is the OCAA Coach of the Year. The Lions recorded their best regular season record in their fifth season of OCAA play going 12-6, good for fourth in the final standings. The Lions will compete at the OCAA championship for the first time.

Brady Knelsen (Leamington) of St. Clair College is the OCAA Pitcher of the Year. The second-year hurler led the league with a 6-0 record, 35 innings pitched, 51 strikeouts and a 0.40 ERA. Knelsen allowed just two earned runs and walked only nine for a Saints team that won the regular season championship. Knelsen is also an OCAA League First-Team All-Star.

St. Clair's Andrew Sleiman (Leamington) is the OCAA Batting Champion. The third-year outfielder had a slash line of .486/.633/.571 in 15 regular season games, scoring 19 total runs. Sleiman is also an OCAA League First-Team All-Star.

Joining Groves, Knelsen and Sleiman as OCAA League First-Team All-Stars are Griffin Oliver (Oshawa) of Durham College; Charlie Towers (Toronto), Dylan White (Brampton) and Xavier Whittle (Oakville) of Humber; Wes Brooks (Sarnia) and Logan Buntrock (Sarnia) of Lambton; and Joshua Hudvagner (Essex), Henry Real (Panama) and Brock Whitson (Chatham) of St. Clair.

Along with Murray, OCAA League Second-Team All-Stars include Liam Oates (Brampton) of Centennial College; Zach Rivers (Oshawa) of Durham; Charles Bowman (London) and Nolan Rice (Port Hope) of Fanshawe; Ethan Robertson (Barrie) of George Brown; Jack St. Louis (Mississauga) of Humber; Tyler Brown-Amlin (Windsor) and Kanaan Gale (Leamington) of St. Clair; AJ Rowe (Whitby) of Seneca Polytechnic; and Lucas Marciello (Bolton) of Sheridan College.

In addition to Murray, members of the OCAA All-Rookie team include Mark Baxter (Oshawa) of Durham; Fanshawe's Rice; Jordan Miller (Kitchener) of St. Clair; and Sheridan's Marciello.

2024 OCAA MEN'S BASEBALL AWARDS

OCAA Men's Baseball Player of the Year
Justin Groves, Humber

OCAA Men's Baseball Rookie of the Year
Kale Murray, Lambton

OCAA Men's Baseball Coach of the Year
Allan Bezaire, Lambton

OCAA Men's Baseball Pitcher of the Year
Brady Knelsen, St. Clair

OCAA Men's Baseball League Champion
Andrew Sleiman, St. Clair

OCAA Men's Baseball League Champion
St. Clair Saints

OCAA Men's Baseball First-Team All-Stars
Wes Brooks, Lambton
Logan Buntrock, Lambton
Justin Groves, Humber
Joshua Hudvagner, St. Clair
Brady Knelsen, St. Clair
Griffin Oliver, Durham
Henry Real, St. Clair
Andrew Sleiman, St. Clair
Charlie Towers, Humber
Dylan White, Humber
Brock Whitson, St. Clair
Xavier Whittle, Humber

OCAA Men's Baseball Second-Team All-Stars
Charles Bowman, Fanshawe
Tyler Brown-Amlin, St. Clair
Kanaan Gale, St. Clair
Lucas Marciello, Sheridan
Kale Murray, Lambton
Liam Oates, Centennial
Nolan Rice, Fanshawe
Zach Rivers, Durham
Ethan Robertson, George Brown
AJ Rowe, Seneca
Jack St. Louis, Humber

OCAA Men's Baseball All-Rookie Team
Mark Baxter, Durham
Lucas Marciello, Sheridan
Jordan Miller, St. Clair
Kale Murray, Lambton
Nolan Rice, Fanshawe

- OCAA -

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