Guatemala City, Guatemala – The Canadian U17 Junior Men’s National Team registered its first win by defeating Guatemala 3-1 at the Pan American Softball Championship. Canada opened the scoring with a run in the top of the third and held Guatemala to one hit until they tied the game in the fifth, but the red and white got a key go-ahead double in the sixth and added an insurance run in the seventh to earn the victory.
Ryan Bicknell (Prince Albert, Sask.) led off the game with a double down the third base line for Canada and he advanced to third on a one-out single by Connor Brooks (Napanee, Ont.), but a pair of ground outs left both runners stranded. After a two-out single by starting pitcher Andrew Van Boekel (Bright, Ont.) didn’t go any further in the second, Canada was able to open the scoring in the third when Owen Rahn (Durham, Ont.) reached on a fielder’s choice, moved up to second on a wild pitch, to third on a passed ball and crossed the plate on another wild pitch. Meanwhile, Van Boekel allowed only a two-out single in the third over the first four innings as Canada held a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Guatemala got a one-out walk before their pitcher Juan Diego Morales pinch hit for the designated player and lined a double over the second baseman to score the runner from first, knotting the score at 1-1 and leading to a pitching change as Reese Yantzi (Shakespeare, Ont.) entered the circle in relief. The next batter singled to put runners on the corners, but Yantzi induced a pair of ground outs to keep the game tied.
In the sixth, Max Major (Delisle, Sask.) earned a one-out walk and was replaced on the bases by Xavier Daneau (St-Celestin, Que.), who moved ahead to second on a pitch in the dirt before scoring on a deep double to left-center by Mason McKay (Tavistock, Ont.) as Canada regained the lead at 2-1. Canada added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Yantzi beat out a throw from the third baseman for an infield single, moved up to second on a fielder’s choice and to third when the third baseman’s throw to second went into right field, and crossed the plate on a single up the middle by Jackson Pegelo (Cargill, Ont.). Yantzi retired Guatemala in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win.
Box Score: Canada 3 vs. Guatemala 1
Van Boekel pitched four and a third solid innings for Canada, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out seven batters. Yantzi earned the win after entering the game with the game tied, allowing only one hit and striking out two in two innings and two thirds. Van Boekel also led Canada at the plate, hitting a double and a single. McKay had the key go-ahead RBI double, Bicknell also doubled with Pegelo adding a run-scoring single and Yantzi and Brooks each chipping in with a single.
Canada evened its record to 1-1 and will have a short turnaround with a game against first-place Mexico (3-0) at 2:00pm CST (3:00pm EST) on Tuesday. Mexico improved to 3-0 by coming back from a 6-4 deficit to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 7-6 walk-off win over the United States (1-1) prior to Canada’s game against Guatemala (2-1). Argentina currently sits at 1-1, with Belize and Panama both at 0-2.
Live streaming is available on the Pan American Softball Facebook page, with Softball Canada providing live GameChanger scoring for all of its games. The event can also be followed through the WBSC Americas social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the #U17SoftballPanam hashtag, as well as the Softbol Guatemala Facebook page.
Ryan Bicknell (Prince Albert, Sask.) led off the game with a double down the third base line for Canada and he advanced to third on a one-out single by Connor Brooks (Napanee, Ont.), but a pair of ground outs left both runners stranded. After a two-out single by starting pitcher Andrew Van Boekel (Bright, Ont.) didn’t go any further in the second, Canada was able to open the scoring in the third when Owen Rahn (Durham, Ont.) reached on a fielder’s choice, moved up to second on a wild pitch, to third on a passed ball and crossed the plate on another wild pitch. Meanwhile, Van Boekel allowed only a two-out single in the third over the first four innings as Canada held a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Guatemala got a one-out walk before their pitcher Juan Diego Morales pinch hit for the designated player and lined a double over the second baseman to score the runner from first, knotting the score at 1-1 and leading to a pitching change as Reese Yantzi (Shakespeare, Ont.) entered the circle in relief. The next batter singled to put runners on the corners, but Yantzi induced a pair of ground outs to keep the game tied.
In the sixth, Max Major (Delisle, Sask.) earned a one-out walk and was replaced on the bases by Xavier Daneau (St-Celestin, Que.), who moved ahead to second on a pitch in the dirt before scoring on a deep double to left-center by Mason McKay (Tavistock, Ont.) as Canada regained the lead at 2-1. Canada added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Yantzi beat out a throw from the third baseman for an infield single, moved up to second on a fielder’s choice and to third when the third baseman’s throw to second went into right field, and crossed the plate on a single up the middle by Jackson Pegelo (Cargill, Ont.). Yantzi retired Guatemala in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win.
Box Score: Canada 3 vs. Guatemala 1
Van Boekel pitched four and a third solid innings for Canada, allowing one run on two hits and two walks, striking out seven batters. Yantzi earned the win after entering the game with the game tied, allowing only one hit and striking out two in two innings and two thirds. Van Boekel also led Canada at the plate, hitting a double and a single. McKay had the key go-ahead RBI double, Bicknell also doubled with Pegelo adding a run-scoring single and Yantzi and Brooks each chipping in with a single.
Canada evened its record to 1-1 and will have a short turnaround with a game against first-place Mexico (3-0) at 2:00pm CST (3:00pm EST) on Tuesday. Mexico improved to 3-0 by coming back from a 6-4 deficit to score three runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 7-6 walk-off win over the United States (1-1) prior to Canada’s game against Guatemala (2-1). Argentina currently sits at 1-1, with Belize and Panama both at 0-2.
Live streaming is available on the Pan American Softball Facebook page, with Softball Canada providing live GameChanger scoring for all of its games. The event can also be followed through the WBSC Americas social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the #U17SoftballPanam hashtag, as well as the Softbol Guatemala Facebook page.
