Titans’ Top 10 CPBL Performances-- Week 1

by Jim Stewart

The Titans Baseball Club hustled on to the field in ballparks across Ontario for the May 7-8 weekend and racked up impressive individual performances in their second Opening Weekend in the Canadian Premier Baseball League.  Included among the teams competing on May 7 and 8 was the Titans 14U squad which was playing its inaugural regular season CPBL games.  Led by Head Coach Johnny Bethune, the youngest Titans generated some fine weekend performances both at the plate and on the mound, especially by Nathan O’Neill and Adam Visram, respectively. 

Here are the Top Ten Titans’ CPBL Performances for Week One (May 7-8, 2022):

  • Cam Byers (17U)-- Byers threw a complete game, 6K performance to give the 17U Titans their first win of the season. With his overpowering fastball and timely off-speed pitches, the Titans ace kept Astros hitters at bay all game long.  According to 17U Titans Coach Jesse Barker, “Cam Byers has set out to prove that all his off-season hard work is going to pay off big for the lefty this summer and, in his first start of the season, he set the tone.” 

  • Nathan O'Neill  (14U) – O’Neill made the most of his team’s debut weekend by going  4 for 9 in the leadoff spot, collecting an RBI, scoring a run, and stealing 3 bases.  The young Titan’s balanced offensive performance was praised by 14U Head Coach Johnny Bethune:   “Nathan saw the ball well all weekend. His hard work in the offseason earned him starts in the leadoff spot.  Loved seeing him swipe three bases.”

  • Tarek Emara  (18U)— A 2021 CPBL All-Star, Emara picked off where he left off last season and hit a blazing .400 on Opening Weekend 2022 for the 18U Titans.  The speedy and steady outfielder collected four hits during his 10 at-bats and stole 6 bases to pace his team’s attack. 

  • Nolan Thomson (18U)—Thomson has been historically one of the most reliable Titans’ hitters and Opening Weekend was no exception.  The 2-time Annual Movember Game MVP and 18U infielder continued his winning ways by batting .308, collecting 4 hits in 13 at-bats, and driving in 4 runs for a very productive start to his 2022 CPBL season.

  • Adam Visram (14U)—Visram gave the newly-minted 14U Titans a quality start on their first weekend in the CPBL by striking out 7 batters and yielding only 2 earned runs over 5 1/3 innings of work.  14U Head Coach Johnny Bethune was pleased with his starter’s Opening Weekend performance:  “Adam pitched solid versus the Astros. He got ahead in the count versus 85% of the batters faced. He struck out 7 and walked none.”

  • Brennan Hedrick (17U)—The Titans’ Top Student-Athlete picked up where he left off in 2021 with a hot start on the CPBL’s Opening Weekend. “With 3 hits and 3 runs scored along with some stellar defense at 1st base, Hedrick continued his attack on CPBL pitching in the 3-hole of the Titans lineup,” according to 17U Coach Jesse Barker.

  • Eric Lanoue (18U)—The veteran Titans starter provided another quality start  for Head Coach Denis Bailey’s 18U squad on Opening Weekend by striking out 8 and walking 3 over 5 2/3 innings pitched over which he yielded 3 earned runs.  Coach Bailey was “pleased with Eric’s performance and leadership on the mound.”

  • Josh Yi (17U)--  The veteran middle-infielder got on base 4 times during the opening weekend, including a line drive double to start the attack in the Titans’ Opening Day victory. “With 3 hits and a disciplined walk, Josh scored two runs in our win,” added Coach Jesse Barker about his clean-up hitter’s balanced offensive performance. 

  • Kai Hernandez (16U)—Coach Eddie McKiernan was pleased with his dual player’s performance both on the bump—3 strong innings pitched-- and at the plate where he hit a double.  

  • Bryan Chao (16U)-- Chao caught 2 complete games after 1 year off due to a serious shoulder injury. According to Head Coach Eddie McKiernan, “Josh looked great behind the plate and he said he felt great, too!” Wishing Bryan continued excellent health after a lengthy rehabilitation. 

Honorable Mention:

Honorable mention goes to 17U Titans J.T. Fenn, Nolan Keating, and Mitch Crowley for “team-first at-bats in the team’s opening day victory with ground out and sacrifice fly RBIs to help pace the offence,” observed Coach Jesse Barker.