HOUSTON, Texas-The Junior National Team kicked-off their final selection camp exhibition schedule today taking on San Jacinto Junior College at Cougar Field on the grounds of the University of Houston.
San Jacinto took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first and came back from one run down to eventually record a 10-2 win.
What looked to be a close game turned into a one-sided affair with San Jacinto scoring nine out of their ten runs in the last three innings, while also recording nine out their 13 total hits in that span.
After giving up a run on a RBI groundout in the top of the first, Team Canada starter Matt Ianni (Ottawa, ON) settled in retiring six batters in a row at one point to finish his three-inning outing that saw him scatter three hits and a walk, while he struck out two batters.
Mitch Bigras (Sarnia, ON) got things going for Canada in the bottom of the third when he led off with a walk and moved to third when Robert Byckowski (Georgetown, ON) singled through the right side. Bigras then scored when JF Garon (Terrebonne, QC) hit into a double play with nobody out.
Both teams were held scoreless for the next two innings with Brad Smith (Vancouver, BC) tossing two scoreless frames and Keenan Williams (Vancouver, BC) getting three consecutive fly-outs in the sixth.
Canada then took a 2-1 lead when Bigras crossed the plate for the second time in the game in the bottom of the sixth when the catcher’s throw to third on a steal attempt sailed into left field. Bigras had lined a single to centre to leadoff the inning and moved to second base when Robert Byckowski walked.
Williams came back out for the top of the seventh and things began to sway in the favour of San Jacinto with a leadoff single followed by a walk. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners over, Williams uncorked a wild pitch to score one run, while a sac-fly to left scored the go ahead run.
RJ Freure (Burlington, ON) entered the game in the top of the eighth and didn’t get much held from his defence right away as a dropped third strike allowed the leadoff batter to reach and eventually score on a RBI single, while a throwing error by allowed another run to score. San Jacinto wasn’t done there adding another run in the eighth and all of a sudden Canada found themselves down by four.
Things went from bad to worse in the top half of the ninth as San Jacinto used five hits including a pair of triples to score four runs to go up 10-2.
Both Robert Byckowski and JF Garon singled to open the bottom of the inning, but a double play with one out ended any hope of a comeback.
Notes: Team Canada will open a four-game series against the United States 18U National Team beginning tomorrow when the two teams meet at Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy in Houston (6:35pm ET)…RHP Mike Sorokoa (Calgary, AB) is expected to start…You can follow this game pitch-by-pitch with live scoring courtesy of USABasebll.com and by following @Team_C_Updates
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