Palmerston North, New Zealand
– The Canadian U18 Men’s National Softball Team secured seventh place
at the WBSC U18 Men’s World Cup with a 6-1 win over Mexico. Mason McKay
(Tavistock, Ont.) hit a two-run homerun
in the third inning and added some insurance with a two-run single in
the seventh to pace the offence, while Reese Yantzi (Shakespeare, Ont.)
pitched the complete game win.
In the top of the first, McKay hit a one-out single but was caught
stealing and Canada was retired in order, while Mexico got a leadoff
single and a two-out walk but both runners were left stranded. Team
Canada opened the scoring in the top of the third inning,
as Ryan Bicknell (Prince Albert, Sask.) earned a
one-out walk and came in to score on McKay’s two-run homerun over the
centerfield fence, giving Canada a 2-0 lead. Mexico seemed poised to get
on the board after starting the bottom of the fourth
with a pair of walks, but Yantzi got two strikeouts and a fly out to
center to end the threat.
After a quick fifth inning, Joey Rousseau (St-Charles de Bellechasse, Que.) drew a walk and
Connor Brooks (Napanee, Ont.) hit a single through the
right side of the infield, but Mexico notched a pair of strikeouts to
stay within striking distance. The following inning was a big one for
Mexico, as they managed a one-out triple to the
right field corner and the runner crossed the plate on a single up the
middle to cut the lead to 2-1. Mexico proceeded to load the bases with
another single and a walk, but the next batter lined out hard to center
as Yantzi escaped the inning with a one run
lead.
Canada put the tight game out of reach by scoring four insurance runs in
the top of the seventh. The red and white loaded the bases with no outs
when
Jack Becker (Drumbo, Ont.) walked, Andrew Van Boekel
(Bright, Ont.) singled and Bicknell reached on a fielder’s choice.
McKay lined a single up the middle to plate two runs, while Rousseau
tripled to the right-center field
gap to score two more as Canada took a commanding 6-1 lead. Yantzi
retired Mexico in order in the bottom of the inning to notch the
complete game win.
Box Score:
Canada 6 vs. Mexico 1
Yantzi was great in the pitcher’s circle for Canada, allowing only one
run while scattering four hits and five walks, striking out 10 batters
in his seven inning complete game. McKay was the offensive star for
Canada, driving in four runs with a homerun and
two singles. Rousseau contributed a two-run triple, with Brooks, Van
Boekel and
Jackson Pegelo (Cargill, Ont.) each adding a single.
The win improved Canada’s Placement Round record to 4-0, with
head-to-head wins over Mexico and Singapore meaning they have secured
seventh place in the tournament. They will wrap up the World Cup with a
game against Denmark (0-3) at 1:00pm local time on Saturday
(7:00pm EST on Friday). For more information including schedules, live
scoring and streaming, visit the tournament website at
https://u18mswc.wbsc.org/en/2020.
-SC-
For more information, please contact:
Gilles LeBlanc
Manager – Marketing & Communications
Softball Canada
p: (613) 523-3386 ext. 3105 |
m: (613) 795-1996
w:
www.softball.ca | e: gleblanc@softball.ca