ORLANDO – The Junior National Team started off their Fall Instructional League schedule with a solid effort against the Atlanta Braves, however they couldn’t muster enough offence and the Juniors fell to the Braves by a score of 3-0.
Jake Eliopoulos (Newmarket, ON) got the start on the mound for the Canadians and got things started on the right foot for his team as he would pitch three shutout innings, allowing only two hits and a walk while striking out a pair.
The score would remain tied at zeros until the fifth inning when a pair of walks and a two-out double against Jerome Werniuk (Toronto, ON) allowed the first two runs of the game to score and gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Werniuk went two innings, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout.
The Braves would add to their lead in the seventh inning on back-to-back doubles against Ethan Stewart (Campbell River, BC) to take a 3-0 lead. Stewart gave up one run on three hits and a walk with one strikeout in two innings of work.
Evan Zerff (Regina, SK) went to the hill in the ninth inning for the Canadians and was almost perfect, allowing only one walk with no hits in his inning on the mound.
Offensively, Canada banged out four hits in the game led by Darren Kolk (Mill Bay, BC) who was 2-for-4. Mike Washburn (Fredericton, NB) and Keaton Briscoe (North Vancouver, BC) collected the other two hits for the Juniors.
Next up for the Junior National Team at the Fall Instructional League Camp is a matchup with Seminole Community College on Sunday, October 5 at 1 pm.
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