CARY, North Carolina– The Junior National Team is set to take the field once again for the Pan American U18 Tournament Selection Camp from July 24 to July 30. This camp will see national team hopefuls compete against top-tier talent as they prepare for the prestigious Pan American U18 Qualification Tournament.
Held at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, this 7-day camp will feature daily workouts plus three exhibition games against USA Baseball National Team Development Program squads, followed by matchups against the finalized U-18 USA National Team during the last two days of camp.
At the culmination of the camp, 20 players will be selected to represent Canada on the international stage as the team will make their way to Panama City where fourteen nations will compete for one of three spots in the 2025 WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup.
The Junior National Team lost a hard-fought 4-3 ballgame against Team USA in the final tune-up game of the Pan-Am Qualifier Selection Camp.
Despite outhitting Team USA 8-5, the Canadians only managed to score three runs in the loss.
The Canadian offense was hot out of the gates, taking an early 1-0 lead after Anthony Clavet (Québec, QC) drove in Eric Hartman (St. Albert, AB) with a double in the top of the first inning.
Keegan Russell (Whitby, ON) started the game on the mound for Canada, striking out two batters as he cruised through two innings of no-hit ball to start off the game.
The Juniors added a run in the top of the fourth with a Tim Piasentin (Coquitlam, BC) RBI single that scored Ryan Stalony (Mississauga, ON), who had just tripled in the previous at-bat.
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Team USA responded with a two-run home run in the bottom half to tie the ballgame at two runs apiece.
Aiden Taggart (Grimsby, ON) and Sheamus Ryan (Calgary, AB) each provided an inning of no-hit ball out of the Canadian bullpen.
Canada regained their lead after a Hartman RBI single brought home Mason Ault (Hamilton, ON) in the top of the eighth inning.
USA responded with a solo home run in the bottom half to re-tie the ballgame, and eventually walked off the Canadians after a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch brought home the winning run.
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The Junior National Team fell to Team USA 5-1 in the first of two tune-up games that will close out the Pan-Am Qualifier Selection Camp.
The game was called after the fifth inning due to inclement weather. The Canadians scored one run on five hits and committed one error in the shortened game.
A bases-loaded walk to Brayden Ricketts (Brampton, ON) gave the Canadians an early lead in the top of the first inning, after a walk and a pair of singles by Ryan Stalony (Mississauga, ON) and Anthony Clavet (Québec, QC).
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Tate Carey (Windsor, ON) started on the mound for the Junior National Team, pitching two and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out four. Ryan Press (Toronto, ON) held Team USA in check over one and one-third innings in a short relief appearance.
Tommy Hanger (Toronto, ON) and Mason Ault (Hamilton, ON) both picked up doubles in the ballgame and finished their day 1-for-2 at the plate.
Logan Forgie (Ottawa, ON) made a brief scoreless appearance out of the bullpen, permitting only one hit and striking out one before rain halted play at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
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Junior National Team 2-4 USA NTD Navy
The Junior National Team fell short with a 4-2 loss against Team Navy in the final exhibition game of the USA Baseball National Team Development Program mini-series.
The Canadians scored two runs on six hits and committed no errors in the ballgame.
Michael Yusypchuk (Edmonton, AB) started for the Juniors, delivering three quality innings, allowing one run on three hits while striking out four. Jacob Wallace (Pincourt, QC) was the first out of the bullpen, working two innings, collecting a pair of strikeouts, and permitting one run on two hits and a walk.
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The Juniors were hitless until Brayden Ricketts (Brampton, ON) smashed a double in the top of the sixth, breaking Team Navy's no-hit bid. The bats came alive during the frame, capped by a Mason Ault (Hamilton, ON) 2-RBI single that scored Canada's only two runs.
Adyn Schell (Toronto, ON) finished off the ballgame, picking up two strikeouts over his two innings, allowing no runs, no hits, and no walks.
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Junior National Team 1-3 USA NTD Red
The Junior National Team fell short again in a 3-1 defeat against the USA Baseball National Development Program (Red) team.
The Canadians managed to score only one run on seven hits, struggling to find the clutch hit despite numerous opportunities throughout the game.
Anthony Clavet (Québec, QC) continues to lead the charge offensively in the camp for the Juniors, finishing his day with a 2-for-4 performance in the middle of the order. Tim Piasentin (Coquitlam, BC) had a perfect day at the plate, walking twice and smashing a pair of singles over his four plate appearances.
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The only run for the Canadians came via a Dante Smith (Ajax, ON) RBI fielder’s choice that scored Ryan Stalony (Mississauga, ON) in the top of the sixth inning.
Sean Duncan toed the mound for the Junior National Team, working two and two-third innings. The lefty allows three hits and two walks while striking out three. Duncan exited the game with the bases loaded in the third inning and would ultimately get charged with three earned runs.
Aiden Taggart (Grimsby, ON) provided two perfect innings in relief, permitting no runs, no hits, and no walks while striking out four late in the game. Max Poirier (Nanaimo, BC) was the last arm to come out of the Canadian bullpen, tossing two scoreless innings and recording four strikeouts to close out the game in his Junior National Team debut.
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Junior National Team 4-6 USA NTD White
The Junior National Team fell short in a 6-4 loss to the USA Baseball National Team Development Program (White) squad in the first exhibition game of the Pan-Am Qualifier Selection Camp.
The Canadians recorded four runs on seven hits and seven walks, narrowly missing a comeback.
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The team benefited from a 3-RBI, 1-for-3 performance at the plate by Anthony Clavet (Québec, QC) in the middle of the order. First baseman Leo Cote (Ayer’s Cliff, QC) went 1-for-4, and picked up the only other RBI for the Canadians in the game. Dante Smith (Ajax, ON) also had a notable offensive showing, scoring two runs over his 1-for-2 performance at the top of the lineup.
The ballgame saw two pitchers excel in their Junior National Team debuts. Right-hander Keegan Russell (Whitby, ON) and left-hander Logan Forgie (Ottawa, ON) combined for five strikeouts—three and two, respectively—allowing two hits each without conceding any earned runs over the last four innings of the game.
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