Ravens Cap Remarkable 2026 Baseball Season with National Silver Medal

Photo: Sachtin Bhatia

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 1, 2026— The Carleton University Ravens baseball team capped another successful season in 2026, finishing with a 19–12 overall record and capturing silver at the Canadian National University Championship (CNUC), held October 22–25 at Ottawa’s Upper Kinsmen Park.

The result marked the Ravens’ third consecutive appearance in the national championship final, following their gold medal in 2024 and silver medal in 2025, further establishing Carleton among the country’s most competitive university baseball programs.

Under head coach Daylon Courchene, who celebrated his 100th career victory during the season, the Ravens combined a potent offence with several exceptional pitching performances.

Carleton finished its Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Division schedule with a 7–5 record, earning a berth in the provincial championship after defeating cross-town rival Ottawa 10-0 and 10-2 during the last doubleheader of the season.

At the OUA Provincial Championship in Welland, Ontario, the Ravens opened with a 5–4 victory over Wilfrid Laurier before facing defending provincial champion Toronto. Trailing 6–0, Carleton mounted a dramatic seventh-inning comeback to tie the contest, only to fall 7–6 on a walk-off single. A subsequent 8–5 extra-inning loss to Waterloo ended the Ravens’ provincial championship aspirations.

Carleton rebounded at the national championship, where the Ravens served as tournament hosts. The team completed pool play undefeated, earning a direct berth in the semifinals. There, Carleton defeated Toronto 11–4 to advance to Sunday’s gold medal game.

The Ravens’ championship run ended with a 15–4 loss to Queen’s University, which completed an undefeated tournament to claim the national title.

Offensive leaders power Ravens’ success

Carleton’s offence was anchored by several outstanding individual performances, led by Rian Malig, who produced an exceptional .458 batting average, collecting 33 hits, including nine doubles and five home runs. Malig also drove in a team-leading 33 runs and finished with a remarkable 1.325 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Carter Smith supplied another major offensive contribution, hitting .355 with five home runs and 29 RBI while scoring a team-leading 27 runs. Jordan Cruz batted .394 with a .506 on-base percentage and 21 RBI, while Mathieu Albert hit .338 and scored 22 runs.

Dylan Merpaw provided clutch production during the season, recording 29 hits and 18 RBI, while Eric Del Fatti contributed 25 runs scored and drew a team-leading 23 walks.

Pitching staff delivers memorable performances

On the mound, Jack Novak led the Ravens with four victories, posting a 4–1 record and a 2.98 earned run average across 39⅓ innings. Novak struck out 40 batters and provided a reliable presence in the starting rotation. His season included a memorable no-hitter against Laurentian.

Nathan van Putten matched Novak’s 40 strikeouts in just 30⅔ innings, finishing with a 3–1 record and one save.

The Ravens also received important contributions from Will Zurell, who recorded two victories and 24 strikeouts, and Ben Stockert, who struck out 26 batters in 21⅓ innings.

Out of the bullpen, Nic Bertrand emerged as a valuable contributor, finishing with a 2–1 record, one save and a 2.46 ERA, allowing just four earned runs over 14⅔ innings. Alex Roy also provided dependable pitching, posting a 3.57 ERA over 17⅔ innings.

Building on a championship tradition

The 2026 campaign added another chapter to a remarkable period for the Ravens baseball program. Since capturing the Canadian national championship in 2024, Carleton has returned to the championship final in each of the following two seasons.

The team’s accomplishments have been built on a combination of experienced returning players, emerging talent and a coaching staff that has maintained a consistent standard of competitiveness.

With another national silver medal secured and Courchene passing the 100-win milestone, the Ravens enter the offseason with a strong foundation as they look ahead to 2027.