The old saying goes that you have to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky.
Luck really didn’t have anything to do with the first home run hit during game play at the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase, which came off the bat of Vauxhall Academy product Hudson Nikkel.
The Manitoba native’s sixth-inning blast served as an insurance marker in Team New Blue’s 3-1 win over Team Grey to start Friday’s action at the annual event, being held this year at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver.
“It feels great,” Nikkel said post-game. “I was just trying to get my first hit, put a good barrel on the ball, and I just got lucky there, I guess, and I’m grateful for that.”
While he might think some luck was involved, did he think it had a chance coming off the bat?
“I was assuming so,” the 6-foot-4, 220-pound outfielder smiled. “I was looking at the wall out there and I was like, ‘There’s no way this goes off the top of the wall, right?’”
Nickel is quickly becoming known as a heavy hitter, putting it all on display at this summer’s Road to Okotoks and Morneau Cup.
He was outstanding with a combined .414 batting average in 11 games for Vauxhall between the Prairie Qualifiers and the main event in Okotoks, adding two doubles, four bombs, 10 runs batted in and he even stole three bases.
His well-rounded game is something he was hoping to display in Vancouver.
“I’m really just trying to showcase my offense and maybe a little bit of speed on the basepaths,” Nikkel said. “I was working on that before I came here and was trying to get good games in beforehand at Vauxhall.”
Once the tournament wraps up, he plans to spend the offseason getting even stronger in the gym, then go into spring ready to play his best baseball ahead of high school graduation.
“A couple of years ago, my only goal was to just play college baseball,” Nikkel said. “Now, it’s looking more likely every day, and I’m just trying to work hard, and I’m grateful for every day.”
He remains uncommitted … for now.
DAILY RUNDOWN
As mentioned, the day started with Team New Blue pulling out the 3-1 win over Grey. Aside from Nikkel’s big performance, Webber Academy teammates Zach MacDonald and Hudson Harding drove in runs for the victors, while Arnold Ohanian drove in the lone Grey run in what was a solid pitching duel.
It was a solid pitchers dual with Team Royal edging Team Black 4-3. Ethan Reason led the way with seven strikeouts over three innings for Royal while Dawgs Academy hurler Jake Trask picked up the save with five punchouts through the final two innings.
The offense came alive in the third game of the day as Team Red doubled up Team Navy 8-4. Joshua Holden’s two-run double in the fifth was part of a four-run inning that gave Red the lead that they never relinquished. AHP’s Nathan Bailey had an RBI in the win for Red, while Albertans Brooks Froese, Ethan Renaud and Riley Wolbeck all had hits for Navy.
Caleb Quack went 2-for-3 with two RBI while Will Henderson had a triple and a two-run inside-the-park home run for Team New Blue as they ran away with a 7-3 win over Royal. Will Zielinski (Vauxhall Academy) also drove in a run while Gabe Fink was solid in his start with New Blue, allowing a run on two hits and a walk while striking out four in three innings of work.
The final game was a weird one where Team Black picked up a 4-1 victory despite being no-hit by Team Grey. A pair of throwing errors in the first inning allowed for three Black baserunners to score, while their fourth run was scored when a balk allowed a runner at third to cross the plate. Grey pitchers Max Covriga, Lucas St-Laurent, Aidan MacLellan and Mac Warawa (Calgary/Webber Academy) combined for the no-hitter, while the Black combination of Noah Corrente and Jack Bello of Dawgs Academy, along with Peyton Markwood and Jackson Rouse, allowed just two hits while striking out 15 in the win.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
9 a.m. MT – Navy vs. Royal
12 p.m. MT – Black vs. Red
3 p.m. MT – Grey vs. Navy
6 p.m. MT – New Blue vs. Black
9 p.m. MT – Red vs. Grey
Main photo credit: Mark Zhuang (BCIT)
