HAMILTON - The McMaster Marauders will get an opportunity to compete for the OUA Baseball Championship after winning the OUA West Regional Qualifier at Bernie Arbour Stadium.
 
The Marauders faced the Brock Badgers for the first time this season in the weekend opener. The Badgers got on the board first with three runs in the 3^rd inning, but the Marauders responded, adding one in the fourth and an impressive eight runs in the fifth while holding Brock to just one run scored. The Badgers mounted a comeback with five runs of their own in the sixth before adding another three in the 7^th and 8^th. McMaster added one in the top of the 8^th, but it was too little too late as the Badgers secured a 12-10 victory after trailing by six. Matt Underwood and Nicolas Velocci led the way for the Marauders in Game 1 with one hit each. Seth Cabezas, Marcello Colucci, Josh Kalmin and Devan Fenwick took on pitching duties for McMaster, recording five strikeouts for the home team.
 
After a break during Game 2, the host Marauders returned to the field for the final game of Day 1 against the 1-0 Guelph Gryphons. Justin Meade scored the opening run for the Marauders on a single by Matt Underwood in the 3^rd. From there, McMaster dominated, picking up a total of four runs in the 3^rd and an additional five in the 7^th en route to a 12-2 mercy over Guelph. Underwood continued his impressive season with three hits, one run and three RBIs while 1^st baseman, Ethan Seymour, added one hit, one run and two RBIs. With the victory, the Marauders secured the #1 seed for Day 2 and the automatic bye to the West Regional Final.
 
With the season on the line, McMaster was set to face the Badgers for the second time in two days in the Regional Final. It was the host Marauders who got on the board first in the opening inning on a ground out by Underwood that brought home Velocci. It didn't take long for the Badgers to draw even, scoring one run in the third. Brock scored a go ahead run in the top of the fifth but from there, the maroon and grey broke the game open. Ethan Seymour homered a line drive to left field that kick-started an impressive seven run fifth inning for the Marauders to make the advantage 8-2. Both squads would add one more but it was McMaster who secured the 9-3 final and the victory.
 
The Marauders punched their ticket to next weekend's OUA Championship and will play the winner of the OUA Central Regional at 10AM on Friday October 13^th at Bernie Arbour Stadium. This will be McMaster's first Championship appearance since 2021.