Palmerston North, New Zealand – The Canadian Junior Men’s National Softball Team fell behind early but fought back with five runs in the fourth inning to double up Singapore 8-4 on the second day of competition at the 2020 WBSC U18 Men’s Softball World Cup. Singapore surprised Argentina with an 8-3 win on Saturday and carried that momentum with three runs in the first inning against Canada, but Connor Brooks (Napanee, Ont.) and Max Major (Delisle, Sask.) paced the Canadian offence to the win.
Singapore used their patience to load the bases with three walks in the top of the first and scoring three runs on a fourth walk, an infield single and a wild pitch. In the bottom of the inning, Major led off with a double over the centerfielder followed by an infield single by Mason McKay (Tavistock, Ont.) and a bunt single by Joey Rousseau (St-Charles de Bellechasse, Que.) to load the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly to center by Brooks scored Canada’s first run, while Jackson Pegelo (Cargill, Ont.) singled up the middle to plate another run to cut Singapore’s lead to 3-2.
In the second, Singapore got a one-out single but the runner was left stranded, while Canada got a leadoff single to center by Ryan Bicknell (Prince Albert, Sask.) who moved up to second on an error by the centerfielder but a pair of pop outs and a ground out left him stranded as well. After a quick third inning for both teams, Canada got things going again in the bottom of the fourth. Jack Becker (Drumbo, Ont.) led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch, and later moved up to third on a single off the third baseman by Xavier Daneau (St-Celestin, Que.) before crossing the plate on a double to left-center by Major to tie the game. Canada took its first lead of the game when Daneau crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and Major scored on another wild pitch to make the score 5-3. Brooks followed up by lining a two-run blast over the left field fence as Canada took a four run lead after four innings of play.
Singapore got back-to-back singles in the top of the fifth to put runners on the corners, forcing a pitching change as Reese Yantzi (Shakespeare, Ont.) came on in relief of Brooks. After the runner on first was called out for the leaving the base early, a wild pitch scored the runner from third to cut Canada’s lead to 7-4 before Yantzi struck out the next two batters. In the bottom of the sixth, McKay led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ball in the dirt before scoring on a single up the middle by Brooks. Yantzi struck out two batters and got a fly out to right in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Box Score: Canada 8 vs. Singapore 4
Brooks started in the pitcher’s circle for Canada and allowed four runs on four hits and four walks, striking out four batters four plus innings of work. Yantzi pitched three innings of hitless relief, issuing only one walk and striking out five batters. Brooks was the key offensive player for Canada with a two-run homerun, a run-scoring single and a sacrifice fly to drive in four runs. Major continued his hot hitting with a pair of doubles and an RBI, with Pegelo singling in a run and McKay, Bicknell, Rousseau and Daneau each contributing singles to Canada’s nine hit attack.
Canada improved its record to 2-0 while Singapore fell to 1-1. The Canadian squad will face the Czech Republic (0-1) at 2:30pm local time (8:30pm EST on Sunday). In a late score on Saturday, Japan beat New Zealand 12-1 and also defeated Guatemala by that same score on Sunday.
For more information including schedules, live scoring and streaming, visit the tournament website at https://u18mswc.wbsc.org/en/2020.
Singapore used their patience to load the bases with three walks in the top of the first and scoring three runs on a fourth walk, an infield single and a wild pitch. In the bottom of the inning, Major led off with a double over the centerfielder followed by an infield single by Mason McKay (Tavistock, Ont.) and a bunt single by Joey Rousseau (St-Charles de Bellechasse, Que.) to load the bases with no outs. A sacrifice fly to center by Brooks scored Canada’s first run, while Jackson Pegelo (Cargill, Ont.) singled up the middle to plate another run to cut Singapore’s lead to 3-2.
In the second, Singapore got a one-out single but the runner was left stranded, while Canada got a leadoff single to center by Ryan Bicknell (Prince Albert, Sask.) who moved up to second on an error by the centerfielder but a pair of pop outs and a ground out left him stranded as well. After a quick third inning for both teams, Canada got things going again in the bottom of the fourth. Jack Becker (Drumbo, Ont.) led off with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch, and later moved up to third on a single off the third baseman by Xavier Daneau (St-Celestin, Que.) before crossing the plate on a double to left-center by Major to tie the game. Canada took its first lead of the game when Daneau crossed the plate on a wild pitch, and Major scored on another wild pitch to make the score 5-3. Brooks followed up by lining a two-run blast over the left field fence as Canada took a four run lead after four innings of play.
Singapore got back-to-back singles in the top of the fifth to put runners on the corners, forcing a pitching change as Reese Yantzi (Shakespeare, Ont.) came on in relief of Brooks. After the runner on first was called out for the leaving the base early, a wild pitch scored the runner from third to cut Canada’s lead to 7-4 before Yantzi struck out the next two batters. In the bottom of the sixth, McKay led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ball in the dirt before scoring on a single up the middle by Brooks. Yantzi struck out two batters and got a fly out to right in the top of the seventh to end the game.
Box Score: Canada 8 vs. Singapore 4
Brooks started in the pitcher’s circle for Canada and allowed four runs on four hits and four walks, striking out four batters four plus innings of work. Yantzi pitched three innings of hitless relief, issuing only one walk and striking out five batters. Brooks was the key offensive player for Canada with a two-run homerun, a run-scoring single and a sacrifice fly to drive in four runs. Major continued his hot hitting with a pair of doubles and an RBI, with Pegelo singling in a run and McKay, Bicknell, Rousseau and Daneau each contributing singles to Canada’s nine hit attack.
Canada improved its record to 2-0 while Singapore fell to 1-1. The Canadian squad will face the Czech Republic (0-1) at 2:30pm local time (8:30pm EST on Sunday). In a late score on Saturday, Japan beat New Zealand 12-1 and also defeated Guatemala by that same score on Sunday.
For more information including schedules, live scoring and streaming, visit the tournament website at https://u18mswc.wbsc.org/en/2020.
