SARASOTA, Florida - The Junior National Team came just short against Italy in the second game of the Placement Round at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup but the Italians scored in the fifth to tie the game, 2-2, before adding the eventual winning run in the top half of the seventh.
Reece Usselman (Langley, BC) was the starter on the mound for Canada, working a solid six and one third innings allowing three runs while recording six strikeouts. Zak Szabo (Whitby, ON) came into the game to get the last two outs of the top half of the seventh and allowed two hits as Italy managed to scrap a run on the board in the final frame.
The Juniors failed to get anything going offensively after the Myles Naylor (Mississauga, ON) 2-run double in the bottom half of the fourth. Naylor would finish the day 2-for-3, collecting two out of the four total hits for his team. Dylan O’Rae (Sarnia, ON) and Tyrus Hall (Victoria, BC) picked up the other two hits, both finishing the day 1-for-3.
Canada will face off with Panama in their last game of the competition, as the final six spots of the 12-team event will be determined tomorrow.
First pitch is set for 9AM ET at LECOM Park in Bradenton.
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