HOUSTON, Texas-Team USA scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to erase a one-run deficit and went on to add another run in the seventh en route to a 3-1 victory over the Junior National Team today at Houston’s Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy
“I was happy with the game tonight,” explained Head Coach Greg Hamilton. “It was a good ballgame and I thought we competed well.
“Their pitching was outstanding as it always is.”
Four Team USA pitchers combined to limit Canada to six hits, while they struck out twelve Canadian batters.
After a scoreless first inning, Canada opened the scoring in the second when Mitch Robinson’s (Surrey, BC) single to right field scored Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, ON) from third base. Orimoloye had been hit by a pitch with one out and moved to third base on a beautifully executed hit and run by Mitch Bigras (Sarnia, ON) that gave Canada runners at the corners.
Canadian starter Mike Soroka (Calgary, AB) was solid through three innings retiring seven batters in a row after he gave up a single in the first inning.
“Mike’s a kid that knows how to compete, he likes the spotlight and he has the stuff to compete at this level,” said Hamilton.
His outing saw him pitch six innings and allow two runs, seven hits and one walk, while he struck out four batters before giving way to Nolan Bumstead (Calgary, AB) in the seventh.
Bumstead’s outing only last one batter as a line drive deflected off of him for a single, which caused him to exit the game.
Mitch Bigras left his position from third base and took the mound later allowing a single to right field with a runner on third to give Team USA a 3-1 lead.
Bigras settled in for the eighth erasing a two out double by fielding a throw from new first baseman Josh Naylor (Mississauga, ON) on a groundball and stepping on the bag at first to end the inning.
Canada got the go ahead run to the plate in the top of the ninth as Luke Horanski (Dugald, MB) doubled and Naylor reached on a dropped third strike, but both runners were left on base to end the game.
Naylor led the six-hit Canadian offence with two hits including a leadoff double in the seventh.
The game was the first in what will be a four-game exhibition series with Team USA prior to the opening of the 18U Pan American Championship September 5th in Mexico.
Head Coach Greg Hamilton is looking for his squad to put forth a good effort over the remainder of the series.
“We’re looking to compete with them (USA),” he said. “They are the standard, along with Cuba, so we’re looking to fight tooth and nail with them.
“They have the pitching, we know we’re going to see that again (tomorrow), so you need to battle at the plate and be ready to play.”
Notes: The series shifts to Minute Maid Park tomorrow, home of the Houston Astros, for a 6:30pm EDT start…LHP Ben Onyshko (Winnipeg, MB) is expected to start…You can follow this game pitch-by-pitch with live scoring courtesy of USABaseball.com and by following @Team_C_Updates…Earlier today the schedule was revealed for the 18U Pan American Championship/World Cup Qualifier that will take place September 5th – 14th in La Paz/Los Cabos, Mexico…Please see the link below.
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18U Pan Am Championship schedule
