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Concordia hosts “Spaceman” film screening

Prior to each screening, a panel of Montreal baseball personalities discussed the film. Photos by Ana Hernandez.

Former Montreal Expos pitcher Bill Lee’s life and career are shown on the silver screen

On Oct. 1, a group of Montreal baseball personalities, in collaboration with Dans La Rue, hosted a special screening of the film Spaceman at Concordia. The film was released on Aug. 19 and is based on former Montreal Expos pitcher Bill “Spaceman” Lee’s first book from 1984, titled The Wrong Stuff.

The film stars Josh Duhamel as Lee and depicts Lee’s life following his departure from the Montreal Expos and ultimately, to his career as a Major League Baseball pitcher.

“I had my doubts about Duhamel, [but he] captured the essence of Bill,” said Montreal radio personality Mitch Melnick. “He got his soul down—I mean that was Bill Lee on the mound to me for 90 minutes,” Melnick said.

The film screening took place at the de Sève Cinema, in Concordia’s Webster Library building. There were screenings at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., each one preceded by a panel of Montreal baseball personalities discussing the film and Montreal’s baseball scene.

The panel included Melnick and TSN 690 host Matthew Ross, editorial cartoonist Terry Mosher, RDS baseball analyst Marc Griffin, Philadelphia Phillies scout Alex Agostino, as well as the primary organizer of the event, CBS Sports’ Jonah Keri and Bill “Spaceman” Lee himself. The panel was emceed by CJAD’s Dave Kaufman.

“There’s a certain amount of conformity in baseball and [Lee] didn’t believe in that,” Keri said. “The fact that he’s still pitching competitively now is great. He’s such a fun storyteller, and has a great joie de vivre.”

At the entrance to the cinema, Lee autographed Spaceman caps, t-shirts and photos, depending on which type of ticket guests purchased for the event.

“I think it would have been an even better movie if it was shot in Quebec,  but I’m happy with the way I was portrayed—Josh Duhamel did a beautiful job,” Lee said. “I would have changed a lot of the script. I would have taken the divorce out of it and made it more about baseball.”

The event was branded, in many respects, as another way for Montreal baseball fans to unite and discuss their nostalgia for the Expos. The event was also a way to honour Lee and speculate on the possible return of the Expos to Major League Baseball.

“It’s a chance to get people together, and we feel that anytime we do a baseball event like this, there’s always a heartbeat with baseball in Montreal,” Keri said.

Bill “Spaceman” Lee signs autographs at the Spaceman movie screening.

The movie intended to capture the eccentric character of Bill Lee, a man whose passion and desire to play the game of baseball persisted even when he knew his MLB career was over.

“I just continued to play—in Longueuil, I played for Moncton and all over, even in Alberta and British Columbia,” Lee said. “We shot a documentary about it in Cuba, then [director Brett Rapkin] bought the rights to the book to make the movie. I thought it was going to be shot here in Montreal, but ended up being in [Los Angeles].”

Lee’s relationships with his friends, teammates, MLB executives, wife and kids as well as the city of Montreal are all documented in the film and help the viewer realize why a film was made about Lee in the first place.

“He’s the essence of baseball. He played for the love of the game,” Melnick said. “He had his career taken away from him when he still had a lot left, and that was at a time before the advent of the left-handed specialist.”

The second screening ended around 11 p.m., and most people followed Lee and the panel guests to Hurley’s Irish Pub for a drink and a chance to talk about the film.

“He’s an iconoclast, a loner, very much his own man, but also the ultimate team guy and a guy who was really born to play baseball,” Melnick said. “That’s the message of the film. He’s a fascinating guy because he’s well-read, incredibly intelligent, he’s philosophical, worldly but he’s down to earth.”

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Stingers pick up two wins against Ottawa

The Concordia Stingers received solid pitching in their two games against Ottawa. Photos by James Kierans.

Concordia’s star pitchers came through in back-to-back games

The Concordia Stingers baseball team picked up a pair of wins in their double-header against the University of Ottawa on Oct. 1. The wins were supported by solid back-to-back performances from their duo of star pitchers. The win improved the team’s record to 9-6 on the season.

Pitcher Sam Belisle-Springer had his most dominant game of the season, throwing over 100 pitches in eight innings. Holding Ottawa to three hits in the first game of the afternoon, Belisle-Springer stayed cool under pressure, keeping the score tied at 1-1 late into the game.

“He was starting to get a little tired, although he’ll never admit it. He’s always good to go,” said Stingers manager Howie Schwartz.

Belisle-Springer kept the Stingers in the first game, denying Ottawa with timely strikeouts.

“He does have a lot of potential to come around when he needs to, when his mind’s right,” Schwartz said. “He now has confidence.”

Concordia still had difficulty building momentum in the first game though, with only one hit in the first seven innings. Ottawa pitcher Roberto Suppa pitched a strong game, getting eleven strikeouts.

The Stingers only managed to break the tie in extra innings, when Suppa was replaced with relief pitcher Justin Raymond. Raymond allowed four batters to reach base, and quickly lost composure, receiving two warnings from the umpire for complaining about strike calls. Stingers third baseman Sammy Fagan got the walk-off run batted in (RBI) in the eighth inning, sealing a 2-1 victory.

In the second game of the double-header, Concordia’s batters were able to adjust to the game.

“We had a talk at the end of the first game,” Schwartz said. “I explained to them that they have to have quality at bats, whether they’re gonna get a hit or not.”

The Stingers almost quadrupled their number of hits in the second game, building an eight-run lead by the end of the fourth inning. Stingers center fielder Roberto Zapata led the team with four hits in four plate appearances.

“He’s an extraordinary talent,” Schwartz said of Zapata. “When he focuses, he’s our number one guy.”

The Stingers improve their record to 9-6 on the season.

Pitcher Dan Connerty started the second game for Concordia, and although the Stingers had another strong defensive game, there was still room for improvement from Connerty. Ottawa batters earned five hits against him in six innings, and made contact on a lot of his pitches.

“We faced these guys last game. They were a little bit more prepared [for my pitching style],” Connerty said. “I like to get away with getting as much contact as I can.”

Still, Connerty allowed only one run, and with an improved offence, the Stingers won the second game of the afternoon, 8-1.

“They responded,” Schwartz said. “They’re a good, talented team, but sometimes, they’re young, and they don’t keep focus on what they’re supposed to do. This is a mental game, not a physical game.”

The Stingers now sit in second place in the Northern Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association division, and will close out their season on Oct. 6 against the Université de Montréal Carabins.

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Stingers dominate Carabins in 8-3 win

The Stingers are now 4-4 on the year.

Concordia’s baseball team pulled out a victory against the Université de Montréal

The Concordia Stingers baseball team picked up their fourth win of the season against the Université de Montréal Carabins on Sept. 22, as quality base-running and solid pitching propelled them to an 8-3 win.

Despite some poor weather conditions and some shaky defensive plays, Concordia played a strong game, headlined by pitcher Jarryd Taylor’s first game of the season.

“[The game] was solid,” Stingers manager Howie Schwartz said. “Our last two games have been our first two games of the year that we’ve pitched well.”

Through almost a full seven innings, Taylor held the Carabins to two hits and eight walks. He struck out nine batters, and did not concede a single earned run on his way to his first win of the season.

“What [Taylor’s performance is] going to do is set the table for our number one and two guys, Connerty and Belisle-Springer, to [pick up] their performances,” Schwartz said.

The Stingers received great pitching in their 8-3 victory. Photos by James Kierans.

Despite the strong pitching, the Stingers were far from perfect on defense as they made mistakes due to a lack of communication and a combination of wind and rain.

During one play in particular, second baseman Alex Hall and right fielder Matthew Litwin collided going after a ball which allowed the Carabins to pick up two runs.

It was the Stingers offensive play that set the tone for the game, as they got on base 18 times, their second highest mark of the season. The team also capitalized on their success at the plate, stealing six bases without being caught once.

“We’re not big hitters, we’re a very fast team, we have to take the extra base, we have to steal, we have to do hit and runs,” Schwartz said. “In the first four games we didn’t have a chance to do that because we were behind the whole time.”

Shortstop Michael Makarios led the team with three stolen bases, including one in the bottom of the fourth. Carabins catcher Alexandre Cloutier tried to pick him off, but the throw was dropped by the second baseman, allowing Stingers first baseman Stefan Brady to steal home from third base.

“A lot of running, a lot of extra bases, a lot of stealing, a lot of hit and run. That’s what our team is all about,” Schwartz said.

The Stingers now have a 4-4 record as they prepare for their doubleheader on Sept. 24 in Ottawa.

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Stingers edged out by Redmen

The Stingers lost on a walk-off pitch at the end of the game. Photos by Derek Swales.

Concordia’s baseball team battled hard but lost on a walk-off pitch to McGill

The Stingers held their own and played as though they were capable of beating a strong Redmen team at Gary Carter Field on Sept. 21, but fell just short, losing by a score of 4-3.

“The team did well enough to win, we just didn’t get enough hits,” said Stingers manager Howie Schwartz.

The Stingers only managed to get three hits the entire game, which was a drastic decline from this past weekend where they got 26 hits in a doubleheader against Carleton. However, the Stingers still never actually trailed in the game until the moment that McGill pinch-runner Zachary Aaron stole home and scored after the wild pitch from Stingers pitcher Sam Belisle-Springer at the end the game.

The Stingers were able to get runners on base due to a few uncharacteristic errors by the Redmen defense and some control issues from McGill starting pitcher Henry Dennis.

“We got good at bats, we just didn’t hit the ball well,” Schwartz said. The Stingers weren’t able to take advantage of those baserunners, stranding the bases loaded in the first inning.

The Stingers however would not blow the same opportunity twice. After loading up the bases again in the second inning, catcher Dario Vincelli hit a bases clearing double to give the Stingers an early 3-0 lead.

Control issues by Concordia starting pitching, leading to a high number of walks has been an issue so far this season. However, Stingers starting pitcher Sami Brochu was firing on all cylinders against the Redmen.

He was cruising along until McGill was finally able to get to him with a few hits in the fourth inning to tie up the game 3-3.

“McGill deserved the runs they got, those were some solid hits and credit to them, you can’t say anything bad about Brochu, he didn’t make any mistake pitches,” Schwartz said. Brochu pitched four and two thirds of an inning, striking out five batters while allowing five hits and two walks.

The Stingers failed to take advantage of baserunners once again, this time in the sixth inning stranding runners on second and third base. This led to McGill squeaking two base hits through the middle of the infield in the seventh inning, eventually leading to the wild pitch walk-off.

“That’s just the way the game goes, sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn’t, turns out tonight it didn’t go our way,” Schwartz said. Schwartz added that he expects more of the same effort and intensity from his team for the remainder of the season.

It will be a quick turnaround for the Stingers as they will host the Montreal Carabins on Sept. 22 at Gary Carter Field. The Stingers currently sit at a record of 3-4.

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Stingers mercy rule Ravens in back-to-back games

Concordia’s offense was simply too much for Carleton University

The hot bats of the Concordia Stingers baseball team lead the team to decisive back-to-back mercy rule victories against the Carleton Ravens at Gary Carter field on Sept. 18. The Stingers won the first game of the day 13-3, and the second 11-1.

In the first game, it took the Stingers a couple of innings to get warmed up, but after falling behind 3-0 after an inning and a half of play, the Stingers began to chip away, eventually exploding for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. They scored 13 unanswered runs, forcing mercy rule after six innings of play.

In Game two, the Stingers jumped on the Ravens early, taking a 6-0 lead after two innings. With another offensive explosion in the fourth inning, this time for five runs, the Stingers needed four and a half innings to mercy rule the Ravens again.

“A lot of timely hitting today is exactly what I know this team is capable of doing,” Stingers manager Howie Schwartz said. Schwartz added that the team was disciplined at the batter plate.

Every player who went up to bat for the Stingers got on base at least once, and they combined for a total of 26 hits in the two games. Centre-fielder Mathieu Paquette-Groulx led the charge in game one with three hits and four runs batted in (RBI’s), while catcher Dario Vincelli had two hits and led the team with three RBI’s in the second game.

The one cause for concern was the amount of walks allowed by the Stingers starting pitchers. “That’s been our nemesis the first six games,” Schwartz said. “We’re walking way too many guys, having a hard time finding the plate; a lot of mechanical issues.”

Stingers pitcher Dan Connerty lasted three and two thirds of an inning, walking seven batters, while pitcher Shane Mullen, in game two, walked three batters in only two innings before leaving the game with an apparent elbow injury. Despite the walks, Schwartz wasn’t worried about his pitchers.

“I have no problem,” Schwartz said. “They’ll come back, they’re much better than that, it’s not like them.”

One bright spot for the pitching staff was five year veteran Matthew Adams-Whitaker, who came in as relief for both games and closed them out. He totaled five and a third innings pitched between both games, allowing only one hit and one run. He now has three straight relief appearances where he has allowed one run or less.

“I’ve seen teams take a while to get the chemistry going—with this team it was right there, even from training camp. They just haven’t translated it onto the field yet,” Schwartz said.

However, Schwartz feels like Sunday might have been the start of something, telling his players after the game that “our season began today.”

The Stingers will have a chance to continue their momentum on Sept. 21, when they get to take on their divisional rivals the McGill Redmen at Gary Carter Field.

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Stingers lose at home to McGill

The Stingers lost 11-3 against the McGill Redmen. Photo by James Kierans

The Concordia baseball team fell to a strong Redmen squad 11-3

The Concordia Stingers baseball team fell flat in their first game against divisional rivals, the McGill Redmen, with Concordia starting pitcher Sam Belisles-Springer allowing eight runs in the first three innings of a 11-3 loss on Sept. 15.

Defensive breakdowns put the Stingers behind early in the game. With no one out in the top of the second inning, Stingers catcher Dario Vincelli let a pitch get past him, giving Redmen hitter Rocky Hroch a chance to steal home from third base. Belisles-Springer rushed to the plate to prevent the run, but the ball was knocked out of his glove and away from the plate by the runner, giving another Redmen player the opportunity to score.

The night was a forgettable one for Belisles-Springer, as he allowed seven walks, five hits and eight runs before being called off the mound part-way through the third inning.

“It seems to be there’s a mechanical problem there that we have to work out. He’s doing fine mechanics on his breaking balls, but his fastballs are way up, and he’s [alerting the batter of his pitch],” Stingers manager Howie Schwartz said.

Belisles-Springer added that for him to succeed he needs to get to strike one, no matter what kind of pitch he gets there with.

Despite giving up eight runs, the Stingers starting pitcher managed seven strikeouts before being pulled. Schwartz praised him and noted that he knows Belisles-Springer is a more than capable pitcher.

“That’s not a guy who throws eighty-eight pitches in two and a third innings, and I’ve known him for three years,” Schwartz said. “Everybody gets roughed up every now and again.”

Stingers designated hitter Matthew Adams-Whittaker, who pitched almost four innings as a replacement for Belisles-Springer, received high praise from his coach.

“I was very impressed. He’s going to get a lot more innings,” Schwartz said.

The Stingers next games are against Carleton on Sept. 18.

Adams-Whittaker held McGill to one run while in the game, and allowed no walks. His slower pitching style caught the Redmen off guard.

“He’s not over-powering—that’s the beauty,” Schwartz said. “We have a fastball pitcher in there at the beginning, and then to throw somebody in there like that, it really throws the batters off base.”

In the fifth inning, the Stingers mounted their only significant offensive push of the game, scoring two runs and advancing additional runners to second and third, before a foul fly ball and a strikeout dashed their hopes of a comeback.

The Stingers would concede two last runs in the seventh inning, although a diving grab by Concordia’s second-string shortstop Liam Griffin to keep the ball in the infield helped prevent a mercy rule.

“[Griffin’s] going to be coming into late innings mostly. He’s gonna get his chances. He’s a good kid, great attitude, but [Matthew] Litwin’s our shortstop,” Schwartz said. “We might move [Griffin] around third and second base, just to get him into the game because his glove is so good.”

Despite his team’s struggles, Schwartz took the game as a learning experience.

“We’re still finding out a lot about this team. So many new, young guys are getting their first taste of this,” Schwartz said. “You have to get ready for a long season of learning to get ready for the playoffs. It’s not about winning every game.”

The Stingers will return to Gary Carter Field on Sept. 18 for a double-header against Carleton University.

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The comeback kids

The Stingers won against the Carabins by a score of 15-5. Photo by James Kierans.

The Concordia Stingers came back from five points down to defeat the Université de Montréal

The Concordia Stingers baseball team stunned the Université de Montréal Carabins on Sept. 12 with a comeback victory that saw the Stingers score 15 unanswered runs in one inning to force a mercy rule. They were down 5-0 going into the inning.

“I’ve been around baseball for a couple hundred years now, and that’s the wildest game I’ve ever seen,” Stingers manager Howie Schwartz said with a laugh.

Adversity hit early and often for the Stingers in their home opener against the Carabins. A fielding error in the top of the first inning by Stingers second baseman Nicolas Côté allowed the Carabins Pascal Grégoire to score from second base. An illegal motion by Concordia starting pitcher Shane Mullen would then bring opposing base runner Vincent Dion into scoring position. Dion would capitalize on his opportunity soon after.

Mullen’s fortunes did not improve over the first five innings of the game, as he and the Stingers defense allowed six hits, two errors, and five runs to the Carabins.

“They were hitting him, he wasn’t fooling anybody,” Schwartz said. “These [Montréal] guys are hitters. He was leaving some stuff up there, he’s gotta work on that. He can’t leave the ball up like that against other teams.”

Offensively, the Stingers had no luck as they were shut down by Carabins pitcher Charlie L’Oignon. L’Oignon was nursing a no-hitter through the first five innings of the game, allowing only one walk in the second.

“The pitcher kept us off balance, he had a nasty curveball. He kept our batters off balance completely,” Schwartz said.

Despite the 5-0 point lead, the Stingers stormed back and made the sixth inning the last one of the game.

At the top of the sixth, Mullen retired three Carabins batters in just six pitches. Then, L’Oignon conceded his first hit of the game to Côté. Stingers shortstop Matthew Litwin, taking advantage of the tired pitcher, drove the ball over second base for a single, loading the bases. After another walk by L’Oignon, the Stingers captured their first points of the game and never looked back.

L’Oignon came undone in the sixth inning and was eventually replaced by relief pitcher Pascal Desjardins, who allowed three additional runs. Desjardins was then pulled and Dion replaced him until the score was 10-5 in favor of the Stingers.

Dion was replaced by Carabins infielder Josh White. White allowed four more runs and cursed out the umpire on his way off the field.

The Stingers added one more run to bring the score to 15-5. With the ten point lead, the Stingers forced mercy rule and ended the game.

For Schwartz, there was no single turning point in the game, adding that the way the Stingers came out offensively in the sixth inning is something he has never seen from his team before.

“We’ve never had a 15-run inning, in the years that I’ve been playing,” Schwartz said. “Fifteen in one inning from a [no hitter]—you can add that on to what’s never happened before.”

The Stingers baseball team will be back in action on Sept. 15, where they will host the McGill Redmen at Gary Carter Field.

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Reflecting on the past and the present

Schwartz has been with the Stingers since the team’s inception in 1995. Photo by Alexander Cole.

Coach Howie Schwartz talks about his career with the team, as well as the upcoming season

During the entire 21-year history of the Concordia Stingers baseball team, the club has only had one coach, and that man is Howie Schwartz. In 1995, Schwartz went from coaching his children to coaching university baseball and he hasn’t looked back since.

“In 1995, I was at a social function and met one of the players that was playing for Queen’s [University] and he told me they were looking for a coach for Concordia,” Schwartz said. “He put me into contact with the guy who was putting the team together and after a few interviews, I found out I was the coach.”

“I’m surprised they haven’t smartened up and got rid of me,” Schwartz added jokingly.

Schwartz’s love of baseball began even before the Montreal Expos came into existence in 1969. Schwartz said watching baseball with his brothers got him engrossed in the sport and he eventually took up playing it.

While playing in little league, Schwartz would lie about his age so that he could play in multiple leagues at the same time, he said. When his junior career was over, Schwartz played softball for a few years until his children were born, and that’s when he started to coach. Including his time with the Stingers, Schwartz has been coaching baseball for 30 years.

Schwartz, who is also a sports psychologist who worked with the Montreal Expos, said that the first few years with the Stingers involved a rough adjustment period.

“Oh, it was brutal. To go from coaching teenagers to adults who have a history of playing elite baseball made me feel completely out of my element,” Schwartz said. “Despite how much I knew about the game, I was totally intimidated by their skills and knowledge of the game. I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared going into something.”

Once getting into a rhythm with the team, Schwartz said he quickly realized that his fears and anxieties were unfounded and that he should have had more faith in himself. When he would reflect after each game, he felt that he was doing his best and did in fact belong as manager of the team.

In terms of his approach to coaching, Schwartz sees himself as a players coach.

“I don’t like to run the team with an iron fist or in a militaristic kind of way,” Schwartz said. “I like to get a lot of input from the players and I give them a lot of leeway. I just believe that that is how people respond best to being managed.”

In his 21-year career with the Stingers, Schwartz has two moments he is most proud of. The first being the team’s national championship win in 2009, and the other being the 2014 national championship finals, where the team lost 1-0 to the McGill Redmen.

For Schwartz, the 2009 national championship team was a special team that carried themselves well, both on and off the field. He said he had a feeling they would go all the way that year and felt it was one of the most talented teams he had ever coached. Meanwhile, Schwartz said that he was proud of the 2014 team because of how much heart they played with, especially in the end at nationals.

Schwartz added that throughout his two decades of coaching the team, the Stingers program and the league itself have evolved immensely.

“At first the school told us that we could use the Stingers name but they said not to embarrass [the school] and they wouldn’t give us a nickel,” Schwartz said. “It’s gone from that to being a varsity club team where we have tremendous financial and moral support. We’re part of ‘Stingers United’ now, and we definitely feel like we are a part of the athletics department.”

However, Schwartz also said that when it comes to baseball, there is a huge difference between the skill level of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) players and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) players.

For Schwartz, this is because the NCAA teams in Division 1 have more finances to recruit great players, and that the leagues are more known. Schwartz said if the Stingers were in the NCAA, they could probably compete at the Division 3 or Division 2 level.

“We make do with what we have, but there is no way we can compete against the Americans,” Schwartz said.

When speaking about recruitment, Schwartz said he has brought players in from British Columbia and Ontario to play for the team. However, baseball isn’t what he sells his players on.

A Concordia Stingers hitter during a game against McGill. Photo by Michael Maclean.

“Concordia has established itself as a bonafide university with quality programs to offer to compete with McGill,” Schwartz said. “Nobody is going to come to Concordia to play baseball, and I really try to stress that they will come to continue their studies in a strong program while getting to play baseball at the same time. I’m selling the university, not the baseball program.”

In the last few years, the Stingers baseball team has found success with six appearances at nationals in the last nine years, including a championship in 2009 and a national final in 2014. Despite that, last year was a rebuilding year for the team with many veterans graduating and new players coming in to fill those shoes.

Last season, the team finished with a record of 12-4, however, they were forced out of the playoffs in the semi-finals after losing their best-of-three series against Carleton University 2-1.

Schwartz explained that when a team gets a high influx of new and young players, it can be quite a challenge to integrate everyone into the system.

“What I’ve found historically is that if you only have a handful of new guys every year with a strong returning team, it’s easier to meld everyone in and get their feet wet,” Schwartz said. “When you have a large number of new players in one shot the challenge is much more [evident].”

“Last year we got upset in the playoffs because we couldn’t handle the pressure and didn’t have the maturity to play up to that level,” Schwartz added. “This year we have a lot of returning guys and they seem intent on making this a productive year. We’re seeing a lot of leadership this year.”

Schwartz said that going into this season, the expectation is to do better than last year in terms of wins. He said the new players are already integrating well and that the team has the potential to go far.

Schwartz added that there are no standout superstars on the team, but the talented and balanced roster bodes well for the upcoming season.

In order to win a national championship, Schwartz said that playing smart and playing great defense is how they are going to get there.

“Pitching is the key and it looks like we have a lot of talent there. I like what we have up the middle [outfield], and in terms of offense, we need to stick to the fundamentals. We have a lot of speed on the team,” he said.

“It’s such a short season so we can’t afford to get into a slump,” Schwartz added. “We have to be on top of the game at all times.”

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Stingers stumble late to give Redmen a comeback win

Concordia’s pitching gave up seven runs in the last two innings in a tough loss.

The Concordia Stingers baseball team saw their four-game winning streak come to an end this Sunday afternoon as they dropped a 7-2 decision to the McGill Redmen.

The loss was the first game of a doubleheader against McGill played at Gary Carter Field in Cote Saint-Luc.

According to Stingers Manager Howie Schwartz, the loss against the Redmen doesn’t call for any adjustments.

“We’re 1-1 as far as I’m concerned against them, and we have three more games to play against them,” said Schwartz. “I have confidence in my team, I know my guys are great ball players and they’re really solid, and if they keep their focus, we should be fine.”

The first two innings saw both teams employ similar strategies. Concordia and McGill’s defenses both anticipated each play with high intensity, leaving hardly any room for an earned run, keeping the score at a 0-0 tie in the process.

Stingers starting pitcher Nick Harrison did his part early on, forcing the first out on a pop fly and earning two consecutive strikeouts for a McGill three-up, three-down first inning.

The bottom half of the inning began with a leadoff single from Stingers shortstop Matthew Litwin. Litwin attempted to steal second-base, but was picked off by McGill’s starter Ryan Kramer. Kramer would then walk outfielder Andre Lagarde, setting up first baseman Jean-Christophe Paquin for a two-run hit deep to right field, clearing the fence for a 2-0 Stingers lead.

The lead would stand steady until the sixth inning until McGill outfielder James Pavelick kicked off the top of the sixth with a leadoff single. Infielder Robert Sedin then sent a jack off a Harrison pitch, tying the ball game with a two-run homerun to left field.

McGill’s hot bats continued into the top of the seventh inning, with a leadoff double from first baseman James Vardy setting the tone. Outfielder Alexander Levis then drove a single past Concordia’s infield, sending Vardy to third.

Concordia called upon Lagarde, also a left-handed pitcher, to relieve Harrison from his duties. Following the single, Third Baseman Zachary Aaron hit an RBI double, allowing Vardy to trot home, giving the Redmen a 3-2 lead.

With two outs and the bases loaded after a Pavelick walk to first, center fielder Adam Gordon went deep to left field on the first pitch, earning a grand slam and extending McGill’s lead 7-2.  McGill’s defense capped off the game after Concordia’s last half inning, ensuring a 7-2 win.

“We had [McGill] on the ropes and we didn’t execute on a couple of plays, made a few key mistakes in a couple of key situations and McGill was certainly good enough to capitalize on that,” said Schwartz on Concordia’s seventh-inning collapse. “They didn’t beat us, we just didn’t finish our game plan.”

Although the loss came late in the game, Schwartz said that he is optimistic moving forward and doesn’t think that the score truly indicated what the game was really like.

“We’ve been rattled with injuries, we’ve done pretty good moving things around and I think it’s a tribute to the team to how well they are put together to be able to come under such adverse conditions, so I’m really happy with these guys,” Schwartz said.

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Concordia’s king of the hill

Star pitcher Andre Lagarde is almost unhittable when he’s on the mound.

Every starting rotation needs a go-to pitcher: a dominating presence on the mound, with an arsenal that can deliver a gem when called upon. For the Concordia Stingers baseball team, that man is veteran pitcher Andre Lagarde. Armed with a devastating fastball, Lagarde is Concordia’s ace.

Entering his fifth year with the Stingers, Lagarde’s most recent victory came at the expense of the McGill Redmen, at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park in Côte-Saint-Luc on Sept. 23. The southpaw fired a stat line of five innings pitched, two hits given up, zero earned runs, six walks and six strikeouts. Numbers that good are enough to give any team a sure-fire win. Lagarde’s advantage on the diamond is not hard to spot. His velocity is a cut above and it is an asset that his long-time head coach, Howard Schwartz, has had the privilege to watch.

“The guy throws gas,” said Schwartz, recalling his first encounter with Lagarde. “I watched him throw and noticed he had very tight mechanics.”

Schwartz’s first piece of coaching advice to Lagarde had nothing to do with how he threw the baseball, which can reach up to with 90 miles per hour on the radar gun. Lagarde’s natural talent would evolve over his first year under the watchful eye of Schwartz.

“I told him that he needed to breathe. Relax. Mental focus,” said Schwartz.

Lagarde’s emergence as a force on the mound is only half his story. Concordia’s ace is also a solid contributor at the plate and his speed is a catcher’s nightmare when running the base paths. When he’s not on the mound, he’s playing stellar defense in center field and putting that arm to use. Lagarde forces opposing runners to think twice about scoring an easy run from second base.

“He’s a joy to watch play,” said Schwartz. “He’s a special character. He’s funny, and a bit of a loose cannon.”

His value to the team goes beyond statistics, however. Schwartz wasn’t shy or hesitant about what Lagarde means to the Stingers.

“He’s our backbone, our captain. He’s a role model and he respects the game.”

Like all players, Lagarde has aspects of his game that he needs to improve on. A starting pitcher needs to be composed even in the tightest moments.

“He needs to control his intensity,” said Schwartz.

Lagarde sometimes lets that fire emerge after striking out or giving up a walk, but it is the nature of a true athlete who is immersed in his passion. That flash of self-annoyance comes from the same place that his respect for the game is rooted: a sincere love of baseball and his team. Any doubters need only ask to see his jersey number tattooed on his ribcage in Concordia colours.

Drawing comparisons wouldn’t be quite fair. Lagarde, as you can tell, is unique. You can spot him a mile away by his six-foot-three, 210-pound frame. Coach Schwartz likened Lagarde’s work ethic and the respect he earned from his teammates to that of Derek Jeter. As for his untouchable fastball?

“Nolan Ryan or Randy Johnson,” said Schwartz.

Lagarde’s respect for the game doesn’t come without a hint of swagger. After shutting down McGill’s batters for an afternoon, Lagarde couldn’t help but admire his work.

“I gave them six free base runners and they couldn’t score a single earned run off of me.”

Lagarde is just as competitive off the baseball diamond as he is on it. Having graduated last year with a Bachelor’s in Statistics with a 3.40 GPA, Lagarde’s joy of learning led him to enroll in further classes this fall.

Schwartz realized that his star pupil, now in his final season as a varsity athlete, will have to move on.

“He’ll be one of the players that will be sorely missed,” said Schwartz.

Schwartz noted that he never forgets anyone he coaches, but that Lagarde has had such an impact on the Stingers, forgetting him would be impossible.

There’s a star in our midst who tosses gems on the regular. He is one shining reason, out of many, to check out a Stingers game. Their exciting brand of baseball is only amplified when Lagarde is mowing down batters with overwhelming efficacy.

Concordia’s next game is on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. when they travel to McGill to square off against the Redmen.

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NFL Season ready to kick off

On Thursday, Sept. 4, the reigning Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks will host the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field to kick off the NFL season. Only seven teams in NFL history have won back-to-back championships; the last team to do so was the 2004 and 2005 New England Patriots. Led under head coach Pete Carroll, the core of Seattle’s roster is back and is considered to be this season’s Super Bowl favourite. One of the biggest off-season stories was star-rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel and whether or not he would be given the starting job in Cleveland. The Cleveland Browns, who have been a dismal franchise for the past two decades, have chosen to start veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer instead.

Wildcard spots still up for grabs

With less than a month of the regular season left, the fight to the finish in baseball couldn’t be closer. As of Friday, in the American League, five teams are in contention to win the final two wildcard spots. While the Oakland Athletics have a 5 1/2 game cushion, the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners are tied for the second wildcard with records of 72-60. Right behind them are the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. The Yankees are three games behind Detroit and Seattle, while the Indians are just four games out. In the National League, The St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants hold the final two playoff spots. Trailing them however are the Atlanta Braves, who sit 1 1/2 games back, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are two games behind.

Als finally find a win

It took nine games but the Montreal Alouettes finally found their second win of the season to improve their record to 2-7. The Als hosted the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday night at the McGill Stadium and managed to pull out a 20-10 victory. Als quarterback Jonathan Crompton went 15 for 25 in the passing game while throwing for 245 yards and an interception. The best player on the field was Als receiver Duron Carter who hauled in five catches that accumulated for 127 yards. It has been a crushing season for the Als and their fans as they try to cope in a post-Calvillo era. Despite their record, the Als remain in the mix for top spot in the East Division. As of Sunday, East teams have a combined record of 7-20.

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Baseball spirit returns to Montreal

This past weekend the city welcomed the return of professional baseball

Marking the return of Major League Baseball, the green metro line towards Honoré-Beaugrand was packed with fans sporting baseball accessories and clothing. People were going to see the Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Mets for two pre-season games at the Olympic Stadium on Friday and Saturday.

Nostalgia really hit when the ticket was ripped to confirm entry, especially since the last professional baseball game in Montreal was in 2004. The smell of steamed hot dogs was immediate There were inflatable playgrounds for children while several kiosks were prepared around the stadium with Expos and Jays memorabilia.

“It is so great to live moments like these again,” long-time baseball fan Katherine Moreau said. “It brings back so many memories from the early 2000s when I was in my teens and I see areas selling clothing and people walking.”

Before Friday’s game started, a tribute was paid to Gary “The Kid” Carter – the Expos’ Hall of Fame catcher who passed away in 2012. His family, along with former teammates Steve Rogers, Tim Raines and Warren Cromartie, witnessed the unveiling of a banner in the shape of home plate on the right field wall. On Saturday, there was an homage to the 1994 Montreal Expos as a banner was unveiled in left field. Twenty members of the team were present, including manager Felipe Alou and Canadian-born Larry Walker.

Overseeing a turf that was much better than what the Expos played on, chants of “Let’s Go Expos” broke out early and often. The waves were strong and the bench-slamming got louder as the games progressed.

The Olympic Stadium was buzzing during the entirety of the games and the fans knew where their allegiance lay. The Mets were booed when they scored, while the Jays were cheered for, as if they really were the home team.

“When Jose Bautista made contact with the ball, everybody knew it was gone,” said Anthony Matton,an enthusiastic attendee from New Brunswick.

Blue Jays infielder Edwin Encarnación’s two-run game-tying hit in the bottom of the seventh inning and outfielder Ricardo Nanita’s walk-off single excited the fans in a Jays 5-4 victory during game one.

The following day, Blue Jays outfielder Melky Cabrera’s two-run blast ignited fireworks in center field and led the Jays to a 2-0 win and weekend sweep.

The pre-season games were a wonderful experiment for Major League Baseball and deemed a successful event. Over 96,000 people walked into the Olympic Stadium this weekend as 46,121 people attended Friday’s game, while 50,299 were in the stands for Saturday’s match. The fans were loud and proud, making their case to the major league front offices that baseball belongs in Montreal once again. While the return of a permanent team will still take time, the spirit of baseball was alive and well in the city, if only for a weekend.

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