May 19, 2026

Hawks Say Goodbye to Seniors in Split With Dinos

EDMONTON, AB- The Edmonton Collegiate Hawks put the capper on a record setting 2026 Canadian Collegiate Baseball Conference regular season with a split of their final doubleheader of the campaign. Playing Sunday (May 17) at RE/MAX Field, the Hawks took the first game of a ‘double dip’ with the University of Calgary Dinos 13-1 in seven innings before falling in the nightcap 5-3. The Hawks finished the regular season with a record of 20-16. That was good enough for a fourth place finish in the CCBC. The Dinos wind up at 17-19. Both teams have qualified for the CCBC National championship later this month. Between games, the Collegiate Hawks honored their graduating players with their parents. Edmonton paid tribute to # 51 Kyle Sakaguchi, #6 Amar Mahmood, # 23 Brayden Morris,# 1 Koby Smith, # 16 Jace Daku, # 25 Nick Backstrom,#9 David Browning, #46 Jack Robertson,# 24 Jake Roggensack and #21 Kolbe Blackburn. Daku has spent the last three years with the Collegiate Hawks and is continuing his education at Ottawa University. Robertson has spent the last three seasons with the Edmonton JV team after starting his CCBC career with the varsity squad. SERIES SUMMARY: Game 1-Sunday, May 17-Edmonton Collegiate Hawks_13_University of Calgary Dinos1 (7 Innings)__ RE/MAX Field First Baseman #55 Caeden Colford continued his ‘all star’ calibre season as he smashed a grand slam in a seven run fourth inning to power the Collegiate Hawks. Colford stroked his league leading 12th homer and upped his CCBC best RBI total to 41. Colford went 1 for 3 and scored two runs. Catcher #34 Kendall Burns hit a three-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning. He was 1 for 1. Skaguchi was 2 for 3 with three runs scored and an RBI. Smith went 1 for 3 with two runs batted in and a run scored. #18 Simon Virostek was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI. #2 Colby Tessier went 1 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI. #5 Sam Honke got the start for Edmonton and was the winner to move to 3-2 on the season. He pitched six innings of one hit ball, striking out three and walking two. #27 Mason Bistrow fell to 0-1 as he pitched only two thirds of an inning of relief. He gave up six runs on three hits with a walk and a strike out. Game 2-Sunday, May 17-University of Calgary Dinos 5 Edmonton Collegiate Hawks 3_RE/MAX Field After the Dinos took a 1-0 lead in the first, Edmonton tied things up in their half of the inning. Roggensack led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly to right off the bat of Colford. Calgary broke it open in the top of the eighth inning. With the bases loaded and two out, #18 Aiden Szautner sent the ball down the left field line off reliever #38 Kallen Taylor-Gagne. Three runs came into score and the Dinos led 4-1. Taylor-Gagne was the loser. He falls to 1-1. Those three runs came in his lone inning of work where gave up two hits and walked one. In the bottom of the eighth, Sakaguchi was able to single to left field. Colford, who had earlier walked, raced to the plate and beat the throw home to reduce the deficit to two (4-2) .Colford and Sakaguchi were both 1 for 3 with a run scored and a run batted in. #43 Bill Hosegood gave up an RBI single off the bat of Edmonton’s Browning who delivered Burns to make the score 4-3. #21 Drew Schnell earned his first victory of the year coming on in relief for Calgary, giving up three hits and had a strike out in his one and a third innings of work. The Dinos added one more in the 9th when #28 Tyler Armstrong led off with a single and crossed the plate on a single off the bat of designated hitter #17 Jacob Carlson. COMMENTS FROM COACH JAKE LANFERMAN: “ I thought we hit the ball extremely well in the first game. Sam (Honke) was solid on the bump. We go into game two, Backstrom (Edmonton starter #25 Nick-who tossed five and two thirds innings of one run, four hit ball with eight strikeouts) also did a great job. We got a lot of guys (graduating seniors) –who hadn’t started a lot, got plate appearances or at bats recently-into the game. They competed well and made it a good ball game . We tried to get a lot of our regulars out early to save them for the championships.” On finishing with a .500 weekend (splits with PBA and Calgary) to end the season: “ Coming off that tough weekend against VIU, splitting these games was a step in the right direction for sure.” Lanferman admitted it was challenging getting all 11 of his graduating seniors into the last contest” We have never had that many bodies coming in and out (with the re-entry). Coach Moon (Levi) helped me. We were pre-planning if a guy got on base who we would bring in. Add to that the defensive changes we had to make. I love this day (Seniors Day). To celebrate them and what they have done for us is special.