A highly skilled Lambton College (LC) baseball player is getting provincial accolades for his stellar first season.
Kale Murray, who both pitches and plays infield, was honoured as the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Male Rookie of the Year across all sports for the 2024-25 season.
The 19-year-old Mitchell, Ontario native is the first Lambton student-athlete to receive the recognition.
Murray was among the league leaders in many different categories, both as a pitcher and as a hitter, ranking inside the top-15 in 24 different categories during the year.
He tied for the league lead with five wins, and pitched to a 2.80 ERA over 35 innings pitched. His 35 strikeouts ranked third in the league.
At the plate, Murray led all OCAA players with 24 RBI while posting a .400 batting average across 45 at-bats. He scored 16 runs, many of which to help his own cause on the mound, and racked up 18 hits, five of which went for extra bases.
In his first-career OCAA start, Murray threw an extra-inning complete game on the road in London against Fanshawe, helping the Lions secure a 7-4 win.
His first home start came on September 15 against George Brown, where he spun a five-hit shutout, while also going 2-4 at the plate with three RBI, to help the Lions pick up a 14-0 win.
Murray started three games at the 2024 OCAA Men’s Baseball Championship, posting a 2-0 record and helping the Lions bring home a silver medal on their home diamond.
He was also named the OCAA Men’s Baseball Rookie of the Year, along with being named to the All-Rookie Team and a Second Team All-Star.
In the postseason, he was named an OCAA Championship All-Star while also achieving OCAA all-academic status for his efforts in the classroom.
Murray will be honoured as the 2024-25 OCAA Male Rookie of the Year in May at the 2025 OCAA Hall of Fame Banquet.
