In their first game since 2019, Team Canada faced the defending champion club team in Argentina, CEF No. 5 Primera in an exhibition game.

CEF got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first inning when the leadoff batter tripled and scored on an error by the right fielder. Canada responded immediately in the second when Jason Hill (St. John's, N.L.) drew a one-out walk, advanced to third on a single to center by Blake Hunter (Nanaimo, B.C.) and came in to score on a single to center by Cory Jones (Leduc, Alta.).

The game remained tied 1-1 until Canada scored three runs in the top of the fourth. Shane Boland (St. John's, N.L.) led off with a single and moved up to third after a double by Tyler Pauli (Mitchell, Ont.) before Mathieu Roy (St-Gervais, Que.) delivered a two-run single to left. Later in the inning, Derek Mayson (North Vancouver, B.C.) ripped an RBI double to right to push Roy in to score to give Canada a 4-1 lead.

After allowing the leadoff triple in the first, Canada's pitching tandem of Sean Cleary (Harbour Main, N.L.) and Devon McCullough (Saskatoon, Sask.) held CEF hitless until a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh. Cleary picked up the win allowing only one unearned run on one hit and striking out eight batters in four innings of work. McCullough closed out the final three inning, allowing one hit and striking out five.

Offensively, Hunter doubled and singled for Canada, with Hill, Pauli and Mayson each contributing with a double. Roy drove in two runs with a single, while Jones and Boland each added a single. Hill added three walks to go along with his fifth inning double.

In a low-scoring game between the two rivals, Team Canada earned a hard fought 1-0 win over Venezuela in exhibition action in Parana, Argentina.

Canada's pitching was strong once again, with Zach Pierce (Saskatoon, Sask.) making his Team Canada debut in the circle and holding Venezuela to no runs on two hits and three walks, notching seven strikeouts in three innings of work. Sean Cleary (Harbour Main, N.L.) earned the win with four inning of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and walking two while striking out nine.

The Canadian offence was held in check for most of the game as well, with Bradley Ezekiel (Harbour Main, N.L.) going 2-for-3 and the other hit going to Tyler Pauli (Mitchell, Ont.). The only run of the game was scored in the bottom of the sixth, when Mathieu Roy (St-Gervais, Que.) reached on a fielder's choice, moved up to third on a double to right by Ezekiel and after a walk to Jason Hill (St. John's, N.L.) loaded the bases, Derek Mayson (North Vancouver, B.C.) drew another walk to push Roy to the plate.

In the top of the first, Canada put two runners on with walks but a double play ended the inning. Neither team was able to get much going over the first few innings until Argentina U23 got the game's first hit with a one-out single in the bottom of the third. Making his second start in as many days, Zach Pierce (Saskatoon, Sask.) struck out the next batter and induced a pop out to shortstop to leave the runner stranded.

Canada was able to break through offensively in the top of the fifth. Colin Walsh (Petty Harbour, N.L.) led off with a single followed by a double by Tyler Pauli (Mitchell, Ont.) to put runners at second and third. Walsh later scored on a single by Justin Laskowski (Warman, Sask.) with Pauli crossing the plate on a single by Bradley Ezekiel (Harbour Main, N.L.). Derek Mayson (North Vancouver, B.C.) drove in Canada's third run with a single, while the fourth run scored on an error.

Devon McCullough (Saskatoon, Sask.) relieved Pierce in the fourth and retired Argentina in order, then hit the first batter in the fifth but struck out the next thee to end the five-inning exhibition game.

Pierce allowed one hit and struck out six over three innings and McCullough struck out five in two innings.

Gold Medal Game