St. Petersburg, FL-St. Petersburg Junior College made it look easy as they handed the Junior National Team a 12-0 loss in game that that the Juniors hope to put behind them, soon.
Clayton Isherwood (Van Anda, BC) was the lone bright spot on the evening as he started on the mound and worked three innings giving up only one run (unearned) on three hits, while striking out two batters.
In the top of the first, the Juniors looked as though they were going to strike early as Jacob Robson (Windsor, ON) walked, stole second and advanced to third on a ground out. Nathan DeSouza (Milton, ON) followed with a walk of his own, but both runners were left stranded.
It was the same result in the top of the second when Guillaume Gingras (Lévis, QC) and Jake Lumley (Windsor, ON) each hit singles, but were left on base after a ground out ended the inning.
Adam Anderson (Georgetown, ON) took over for Isherwood in the fourth and got into trouble right away allowing a double and walk before two consecutive errors scored both runs.
The errors were a sign of things to come as six were committed during the game.
Anderson was removed from the game in the fifth after giving up a run and Wyle Cunningham (Red Deer, AB) came in making his first appearance in a Canadian uniform.
Offensively, the Juniors were stymied by St. Petersburg pitchers who recorded twelve consecutive outs at one point before Jager Toffan (Regina, SK) singled in the sixth.
Cunningham came back out for the sixth and gave up four runs (one earned) on three hits and two errors.
St. Petersburg continued to pile on in the seventh as they touched up new pitcher Logan Seifrit (Spruce Grove, AB) for four runs including a bases loaded triple which scored all three runners.
When the dust settled after the seventh the score read 12-0 and the blow-out was on.
Brett Siddall (Windsor, ON), a regular outfielder/first baseman, took the mound in the eighth and put up a zero on the scoreboard as he walked two batters and struck out one.
Notes: The JNT will be back in action tomorrow when they take on minor leaguers from the Baltimore Orioles at 7:05pm ET at Al Lang Field…Fernando Fernandez (Montréal, QC) is expected to start and the game can be heard LIVE by clicking HERE…The Juniors are participating in the St. Petersburg International Baseball Series from March 6th-13th and the complete schedule can be found HERE…This series is an important step in the process as the Juniors prepare for the IBAF 18U World Championship August 30th-September 8th in Seoul, South Korea…For more information on Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team Program, please click HERE.
