WOLFPACK BASEBALL TO WORK WITH MINOR PLAYERS NEXT WEEK April 30, 2009
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“We want to make our program the one that young baseball players aspire to make.” The words of Thompson Rivers University WolfPack Baseball coach Ray Chadwick. In an effort to strengthen the bond between themselves and Kamloops Minor Baseball, the WolfPack will have their players helping out youngsters who are playing the sport. The WolfPack will have players attending minor baseball practices next week.
“Its almost like WolfPack/Minor Baseball week,” says WolfPack Sports Information Officer, Larry Read. “ We wanted to do something which would see our players giving back to the sport that they love. And in return, we are hoping that the youngsters will want to come out and support our team. The timing for this is perfect, with our final Canadian College Baseball Conference Spring season games that weekend.”
“It’s been a coordinated effort to get this done,” states Chadwick, who credits Dean Martin and Al Avila of Kamloops Minor Baseball for putting this together.
The WolfPack will be working with Midget and Pee Wee “AA” players Monday (May 4) in the evening at NorBrock on pitching and hitting. The following night, (May 5), WolfPack players will be assisting over 100 mosquito aged players along with 33 bantam house players. TRU will resume their clinics on Thursday May 7 th working with 92 tadpole players. Tadpole is the youngest group of minor baseball players. The clinics wind up Friday night with the ‘Pack players doing some general drills with Bantam Interlock players. All of the clinics will be at NorBrock or the surrounding minor baseball diamonds.
TRU will be hosting Okanagan College Cubs in an exhibition game Wednesday night (May 6) and then entertain Kwantlen Polytechnic Eagles in two CCBC Doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday (May 9-10). Minor baseball players who wear their hat or uniform will get into those games at Norbrock for no charge.
“We are hoping that this can become a partnership which will grow substantially in the years to come,” adds Read.
WOLFPACK VB SIGNS UBCO PLAYER (CASCHETTO) April 30, 2009
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There will be quite the dogfight for spots on the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack Men’s Volleyball team this season. This is especially true at the Middle Blocker position where head coach Pat Hennelly has announced the signing of 21 year old Joel Caschetto.
The 6’6” Caschetto played three seasons at the University of British Columbia Okanagan in Kelowna (BC College Athletic Association). The native of White Rock, BC (Earl Marriott Secondary) plans to take general Arts courses potentially majoring in psychology or anthropology.
“Pat (Hennelly) has done a great job with the program,” says Caschetto, who was among the BCCAA leaders in kills and blocking this past season with the Lakers. “The WolfPack have shown that they can be a successful team over the past two seasons. There are openings at my position in the middle which provides incentive because there is a greater chance of working towards a starting position.” The Lakers finished third in the BCCAA this season after winning the league and a national silver medal in 2008.
“He is someone who I have kept in mind for a number of years,” says WolfPack Head Coach Pat Hennelly. “ He has long arms and a big jump. For a big guy, he is very quick and athletic. Despite the fact he started the sport late, he always possessed the raw talent.”
Caschetto will enter his fourth year of eligibility is excited about being with an ‘up and coming’ program like Thompson Rivers. “ There’s a lot of big names in terms of recruiting heading to TRU and the returnees have made a name for themselves around the CIS. The outside hitters are definitely some of the tops in the country and I know that Pat will be fielding a strong group of guys around their existing core.”
“He really worked on his skills at UBC-O,” added Hennelly “ Especially in the way he executes off the floor and his blocking. Our goal over the next couple of years is to take his athletism and get him up to speed in the CIS Level. In terms of size and jump, he is there already.”
Caschetto becomes the fourth player from the White Rock area to potentially suit up for TRU in 2009-10. He played club volleyball with current WolfPack libero Kyle Donen where they won the provincial title as U-18 players. Both were members of the Team BC U-19 squad. He outlines why the South Surrey/White Rock area is becoming such a hotbed for volleyball. “ There have been some good coaches in the area. Chris MacIver, Sharon Carter, Kyra Iannone and Paul Bruce have all put their time in with the respective athletes in the area. I played for Sharon and Paul in my short three years of high school volleyball. Not just White Rock, but the Fraser Valley is really well known in BC for fielding strong programs year after year.” Other White Rock players committing to TRU are freshmen Stephen Richter and Alex Davis (Semiahmoo) .
“Shane Donen (Kyle’s Dad) has been a great advocate for us in that community,” says Hennelly. “With a daughter still playing in high school, Shane is always out promoting how well our program treats athletes and our success. That has truly helped in us getting these players.”
The newest WolfPack believes he’ll see quite a step up moving to CIS. But, he is ready for the challenge: “I think there will be a bit of a learning curve in the beginning, but I have no double that I am capable of doing it. We have had the opportunity the last two seasons at UBCO to compete against some CIS teams. I’m looking forward to playing in that environment on a regular basis starting this fall.”
WOLFPACK WIN EXHIBITION GAME IN KELOWNA April 30, 2009
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Chalk up another victory for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack Baseball Team. The WolfPack won an exhibition game against the Okanagan College Cubs in Kelowna Wednesday night (April 29). The score was 8-4.
The Cubs, who have yet to beat TRU in either exhibition or league play this year, actually led 3-0 after the fourth inning. TRU cut the margin to two after scoring a run in the 5 th. The WolfPack added two more runs in the sixth to tie and then went ahead with four more in the 8 th. The teams exchanged runs in the ninth. Both teams committed three errors. The Cubs actually outhit the ‘Pack 8-7 in the contest.
Danny Moore (RHP, Victoria, BC) was the winning pitcher. He pitched two innings giving up a hit and striking out two. Matt Walker (RHP, Bowen Island, BC) started for TRU and went the first two innings, giving up three hits and two earned runs. He fanned two and walked two.
Offensively, TRU was led by catcher Brian Burston (Kelowna, BC). He was 1 for 3 with a double and a pair or runs batted in. Kyle Dhanani (shortstop, Blaine, Wash) was 1 for 2 with two walks, a double and a run batted in.
TRU has now beaten the first year Okanagan College 11 times. They have one final exhibition game at NorBrock Stadium next Wednesday night (May 6 th).
The WolfPack are hoping to play the University of Calgary Dinos in a pair of Canadian College Baseball League Doubleheaders this weekend (May 2-3). The four games are scheduled for Calgary right now. But due to weather conditions, they might be moved to NorBrock Stadium. The WolfPack enter the weekend 2nd in the CCBC Chris Reitsma Division with a record of 13 and 7. Calgary is in the basement at 4 and 12.
WOLFPACK HAVE TWO MVB NAMED TO TEAM BC FOR 2009CANADA SUMMER GAMES April 27, 2009
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Two members of the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack Men’s volleyball team have been chosen to represent the province at this year’s Canada Summer Games. Libero Kyle Donen (3rd year, White Rock, BC) and outside hitter Gord Perrin (2nd year, Creston, BC) have been named to the 12 player squad which will travel to Charlottetown Prince Edward Island in the end of August.
“It’s excellent for our program to have two players chosen,” says head coach Pat Hennelly. “Actually, Josh (Boruck, 1st year, outside hitter, Revelstoke, BC) and Conor (Eatch, 1st year, middle, Aurora, Ontario) were both invited to the Team BC camp. Conor got an invite to the Ontario team as well. But both declined. “
Boruck , due to financial reasons, is concentrating on his representing Canada at the upcoming Maccabbi Games in Isreal this summer. Team Ontario doesn’t allow its athletes to compete for both the Canada Summer Games and the National Junior Team. Boruck, Perrin and Eatch are all invites to that team’s training camp.
“Looking at the list, Kyle is the only Libero on it,” says Hennelly “When you look at the best Under 21 players in the province, that is a lot of guys that Kyle had to beat out. I’m pretty proud of him to do that. The Canada Games is a great experience. I think Gord (Perrin) is somebody they really wanted on the team. The Team BC officials are working out a way for him to play both with this club and the Junior National squad. It’s great that Gord went out there. I understand they both went out this weekend and did well and were great representatives of our program.”
Perrin and Donen will participate in the second week of the Canada Summer Games. They will return to instruct at WolfPack Volleyball Camps in Creston, BC and Kamloops, BC after wards.
Other CIS players named to Team BC include Justin Merta of Quesnel, BC (University of Alberta), and four players from Trinity Western University (Ben Ball, Rudy Verhoeff, Josh Dornenball and Marc Howatson).
WOLFPACK EXTEND WINNING STREAK TO FIVE WITH TWO MORE WINS OVER CUBS April 27, 2009
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If the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack had some confidence problems going into the ‘dog days’ of the Canadian College Baseball Conference regular season, that was alleviated this weekend. The WolfPack extended their league winning streak to four and overall streak to five after sweeping another doubleheader from the Okanagan College Cubs. The scores Sunday (April 26) at Norbrock Stadium were 7-0 in the first game and 5-1 in the second. The victories give TRU an overall Spring record of 25-15.
In the first game, TRU jumped to a 3-0 lead after the first inning and led 4-0 after two. They then added singles in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Their 12 hit attack included one error.
Jordan Broatch (RHP, White Rock, BC) tossed another complete game shutout. He now moves to 6 and 2 in league play. Broatch tossed a one hitter, striking out four while walking one.
Kyle Dhanani (shortstop, Blaine, Wash) had a double and a triple with a run scored and an RBI. He was 2 for 3. Ben Bradford (catcher/outfielder, Kamloops, BC) was 1 for 3. He had a triple, scored a run and an RBI.
Outfielder Greg Cros (Montpellier, France) was 2 for 4 with two runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI. Yoshi Nakamura (catcher/outfielder, Yokohama, Japan) was 2 for 2 with a sacrifice fly and an RBI.
In the second game, TRU was up 2-0 after one and 4-0 after two. the teams exchanged runs in the 8 th inning. TRU had five runs on 11 hits and two errors. OCC had a run on six hits and two errors.
Bryan Mahon (RHP, Fruitvale, BC) went seven innings and had four strikeouts. His record evens at 3 and 3. Jordan Lane (RHP, Kamloops, BC) notched his first save of the year. Lane came in for the final two innings, giving up two hits, an earned run and striking out two.
Cros, Nakamura, Bradford and Dhanani were all leaders on offense. Cros was 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. He now has 12 RBI on the year. Nakamura was 2 for 4 with a double. Bradford was also 2 for 4 with a run scored. Dhanani was 1 for 4 with a double and an RBI. He has a team leading 27 RBI this spring
The WolfPack are now 13 and 7 in the CCBC Chris Reitsma Division. OCC fall to 8 and 8 in the Larry Walker Division.
Next up for TRU are the U of Calgary Dinos next weekend. They close out their spring season at home against Kwantlen Polytechnic Eagles on May 9 th and 10 th.