Nolan Thomson Wins 2nd Consecutive Movember Charity Game MVP

Veteran Titan Nolan Thomson won his second consecutive Movember MVP award at windswept Milliken Mills Park in Markham on Sunday afternoon.  The 17U infielder was perfectly productive for the players’ squad out of the lead-off spot.  He scored a run, stole a base, and built a 1.000 OBA with a hit, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch in a 7-6 loss to the Coaching Staff.  Pacing the players’ offence were Zach Tomlinson with two RBI’s while Nolan Keating, Josh Yi, and Alex Strapko drove in one run each. Ethan Charron, Liam Dupuis-Cundy, Sam Hess, Cole Robinson, Thomson, and Strapko scored one run each for the players’ squad that rallied to score 4 runs in the eighth and 1 run in the ninth to pull within one run of the Coaches’ to create some end-of-game suspense.  Notable pitching performances by the Titans players included scoreless relief innings registered by Ryan Smith and Sam Puttock.  Smith struck out two in the seventh inning to keep the players’ squad within comeback distance.  Puttock notched a 1-2-3 efficient eighth inning; he induced two fly balls and a grounder to shortstop to spark the players’ four-run offensive rally at the bottom of the inning. 

The spry, sly, and opportunistic Coaching Staff squad was anchored by the 18 K performance of Pitching Coordinator Eddie McKiernan who kept the Titans batters guessing all afternoon. Coach McKiernan schooled the players during the middle of the game as he  struck out 11 in a row spanning innings 2, 3, 4, and 5. The Coaches jumped out to a 5-0 lead after five innings—a lead that was never relinquished. Coach Jeremy Uylenbroek had a big 2-RBI double, bunted for a hit, and displayed some fancy footwork at third base and on the baselines to pace the Coaches both offensively and in-game antics.  Everybody had a great time at the climactic event of the Titans Fall Ball season and Director of Baseball Operations was happy about the successes of the Titans on and off the field:  “It was great to see all the smiles at Milliken Park on Sunday.  The Movember Foundation is such a worthy cause and we hit our $2.5 K goal for fundraising during the game itself. The best part of the day—beyond the fact that the coaches won the game for the second year in a row—was the competitive nature of the game with also had the right balance of fun and good times.”

A big part of the fun and good times was the surprise arrival of “Coach Denis Bailey” impersonated by 18U Johnny Mantia whose bearded costume likeness of our beloved 18U Head Coach and College Placement Coordinator raised the spirits of all participants.  Johnny’s assumption of Coach Bailey’s persona in the 3rd Base Coach’s Box put his stellar costume in full view. Mantia also spurred on the players’ team with between inning pep talks! It was great to see such leadership from our veteran players! Imitation is, indeed, the sincerest form of flattery!

Fundraising Update:  The second annual charity game has generated over $2700 by far surpassing its $2.5K goal.  The Titans have re-set the goal as $3K and the Titans organization has 13 days left in the month to achieve this laudable charitable landmark. Proceeds from the fundraiser go to the Movember Foundation which focuses its research on cures for testicular and prostate cancers.  Please donate by clicking HERE