Hermosillo, Mexico – Canada dropped its first game 10-3 against Mexico at the WBSC U18 Men’s Softball World Cup on Monday. The game was scoreless after three innings before Mexico’s bats broke out with five runs, scoring in each of the game’s last four innings.
 
Team Canada seemed poised to take an early lead in the second when Alex McGillivray (Durham, Ont.) hit a ball over the right fielder’s head, but a good relay on the throw from the fence was able to retire McGillivray at home to keep the game scoreless. Joe Weiler (Hepworth, Ont.) led off the bottom of the third with a ground rule double, but Canada wasn’t able to bring him in to score.
 
In the top of the fourth, Mexico got its leadoff batter on base on a strikeout that got away from the catcher, followed by a triple, an RBI single, a hit by pitch, a two-run single and an RBI double to build a commanding 5-0 lead. However, Canada responded with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Danny Scott (Stratford, Ont.) earned a walk, followed by a single by Sharl Leclerc (Sainte-Claire, Que.), a run-scoring single by McGillivray and a two-run double by Weiler as Canada cut Mexico’s lead to 5-3.
 
Mexico was able to add a run in the fifth after getting a leadoff double and later bringing that runner in to score on a safety squeeze. They proceeded to add two runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings, with Canada going down in order in the last three innings.
 
Box Score: Mexico 10 vs. Canada 3
 
Weiler and McGillivray each had two hits for Canada, with Leclerc and Cam Weatherbee (Brookfield, N.S.) each adding one. Cohen Christner (New Hamburg, Ont.) got the start in the circle and allowed four runs on three hits to go with five strikeouts in three plus innings pitched. Leclerc allowed two runs in an inning and a third, while Nate Thiessen (Surrey, B.C.) allowed four runs – three earned - over the last two and two thirds.
 
Canada (2-1) will look to bounce back against Colombia (1-2) at 5:00pm local time (7:00pm EST) Tuesday. In other games played on Monday, Colombia defeated Singapore 8-5, Australia edged the Czech Republic 3-2, Argentina beat New Zealand 18-1 and the United States defeated Japan 9-1.