They hail from three Canadian provinces, nine American states, and even Hong Kong. Yet, according to head coach and field manager Jason Starr, BCom’05, closeness was one of the major factors in McGill’s historic fourth consecutive Canadian Collegiate Baseball Association championship in 2017.
Thanks to their latest triumph, the baseball Redmen became only the fourth team in McGill’s 150-plus-year sporting history to capture at least four straight national titles, joining synchronized swimming (eight consecutive banners) and both the men’s and women’s lumberjack squads (five and four, respectively). A dominant 10-1 victory over Carleton in the CCBA final in October capped a perfect 25-0 campaign in regular and post-season play.
“Every season and every team is special, especially when it ends with a championship,” says Starr, a former Redmen infielder who has been with the program for 17 years, including the last six as bench boss.
“Overall, we played 42 games in two-and-a-half months and we were together every day,” says Starr. “We had so much fun on and off the field. There were some very entertaining card games on bus and train rides to Toronto, New York, Ottawa and Fredericton, and no doubt that helped translate to on-field success.”
Among the many leaders on the club, Starr identifies fraternal twins Sasha and André Lagarde of Pierrefonds, Que., who study management and education, respectively, as well as Emerson Dohm of West Vancouver and Jack Pantalena from Connecticut, both economics majors.
“And of course Rocky Hroch. He’s the only player who has been part of all four championship runs.”
One of three Californians on the 2017 team, Hroch put an exclamation point on his sensational university career on Oct. 22 by throwing a two-hit gem against Carleton in the CCBA title match, in Fredericton. A year ago, the 22-year-old righty was the winning pitcher in both the national semifinal and final.
“The feeling of winning this fourth title was incredible,” says the versatile Hroch, a management senior who patrolled the outfield for the Redmen when not starring on the mound. “The whole season was some of the most fun I’ve had in my entire life. I chose McGill a few years ago because it was the best school academically where I could also play baseball. I also wanted to experience something new as I had lived in southern California my whole life before coming here.”
Starr is adamant that McGill pride has been an integral part of the team’s remarkable four-year run.
“We say it all the time, it is such an honour to have the privilege to represent McGill. The guys walk around in their McGill gear and understand the standard they have set for this program and all programs at the school. The support we get from the University and alumni is unbelievable. We got a text from former team captain Shiraz Rehman [BCom’00], now the assistant GM of the Chicago Cubs, before the national final wishing us good luck!”
And now the drive-for-five begins.
