TAICHUNG, Taiwan – With the help of a six-run inning and an outstanding performance from Brett Gray (Petrolia, ON), Canada takes out South Africa in seven innings by a score of 10-0 at the Final Olympic Qualifier. Gray, who is pitching with an injured shoulder, put together a terrific performance with a four inning outing, allowing only three hits and a walk with three strikeouts and in the process, helped save some arms with his feat. “To go out there and throw four (innings) meant the world to me,” says Gray. “I’m a little banged up with my arm so my (pitches) weren’t all that good, but the defence played awesome and it just felt good to get out there and get another win.” “I can’t say enough about Brett Gray,” says Manager Terry Puhl. “He gave a really gutsy effort.” The Canadians opened the scoring in the third inning with a sacrifice fly from Mike Saunders (Victoria, BC) to score Emmanuel Garcia (Montreal, QC) and finished off the game with a walk off home run from Chris Robinson (Dorchester, ON). It’s been a while since I’ve done that,” says Robinson with a laugh of his 4-for-4 performance with a double, the homer and two RBI. “We came into this game with a must win attitude. We handled ourselves well against a scrappy team and we knew that coming in and we were ready for them and we really battled.” “I’ve been working really hard with (hitting coach Rob Ducey) and it felt pretty good,” adds Robinson of his home run. Matt Rogelstad (New Westminster, BC) and Nick Weglarz (Stevensville, ON) scored in the fourth inning to put Canada ahead 3-0. The fifth inning saw the Canadians explode for six runs and put the dagger in the heart of the South-Africans. Saunders and Ryan Radmanovich (Calgary, AB) got things going by each drawing a walk against Shadley Sasman. After a wild pitch from new pitcher Gavin Jeffries advanced the runners, Rogelstad hit a sacrifice fly to score Saunders. After a single from Emerson Frostad (Calgary, AB) and a walk to Weglarz, Robinson drove in one of his two runs with an RBI single to score Radmanovich and put Canada ahead 5-0. The lead would go to 7-0 on Garcia’s RBI single which scored Frostad and Weglarz. Robinson then came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Adam Stern (London, ON) and Garcia scored on a RBI single from Stubby Clapp (Windsor, ON) to complete the inning’s scoring. From there, Alexandre Periard (St. Eustache, QC) and Aaron Wideman (Mississauga, ON) took care of business in relief of Gray. Periard threw two scoreless innings, allowing only two hits with two strikeouts and Wideman threw a perfect inning, striking out a pair. “Periard and Wideman did a nice job, which is what we needed,” says Puhl. Then Robinson closed out the game with his leadoff walk off homer. Robinson had as good a game as you can ask for,” says Puhl. When you get that kind of offence from both Chris and David (Corrente), it makes managing alot easier.” Now, Canada’s attention turns to Australia who they are very familiar with. “We got to come out and set ourselves up going into the off day to be in good position,” says Robinson, “but it’s one game at a time and hopefully we’ll put ourselves in a spot tomorrow to come out with the win.” Canada’s matchup with Australia goes Sunday, March 9th at 12:30 pm.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan – It was a slugfest between these two teams as they would combine for 25 runs and 36 hits with Canada coming out on top in their opener of the Final Olympic Qualifying Tournament with a 15-10 win. When it was all said and done in this one, Canada would scatter 18 hits with every hitter in the lineup getting at least one hit. “That’s a big win for us right off the bat,” says Stubby Clapp (Windsor, ON) who was 1-for-4 with a double, RBI and a run scored. “It wasn’t pretty, but we hung in there and kept swinging the bats and our pitchers kept going out there, attacking the strike zone and they did a great job.” The offence got started early and would not stop the entire game. Canada got on the board first in the first inning when Mike Saunders (Victoria, BC) hit a RBI triple to score Stubby Clapp (Windsor, ON) for the first run of the game. Saunders would later score on a RBI single from Matt Rogelstad to put the Canadians ahead 2-0. Canada would add one run in the second inning and three in the third to take a 6-0 lead, but they would quickly see it evaporate. Mexico would respond with an eight run bottom of the third, including a two-run homer from Carlos Valencia to pull ahead 8-6. “That’s international baseball because you just never know,” says Manager Terry Puhl. “Mexico has a lot of experienced hitters and they got back into the game. They just kept coming at us every inning and that’s a trademark of this ball club.” But the Canadians would come up with a rebuttal of their own in the fourth inning, putting up three runs to take a 9-8 lead. Ryan Radmanovich (Calgary, AB) would get things started with a two out single and move to second on a Rogelstad walk. Jimmy VanOstrand (Richmond, BC) would bring around Radmanovich on a RBI single and both he and Rogelstad would come in to score on the triple from Nick Weglarz (Stevensville, ON), who was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored. With Canada ahead 10-8 in the seventh inning, they would put up another five runs to cement their lead. Adam Stern (London, ON) would double in David Corrente (Chatham, ON) and Emmanuel Garcia (Montreal, QC), who had both reached base to start the inning, then VanOstrand, who was 3-for-5 with four RBI in the game, would drive in Radmanovich and Rogelstad with a triple to complete the Canadian scoring. “It’s a good start for us to beat a tough team like Mexico,” says Rogelstad, who was 3-for-4 with three runs and drove in the winning run. “We came out the gates ready to play. We got some runs early in the game and we were able to keep that going.” Canada would shut down the Mexican offence the rest of the game as Steve Green (Greenfield Park, QC) and T.J. Burton (Ottawa, ON) would combine to blank Mexico for two and 2/3 innings to solidify the win. Canada’s next game at the Final Olympic Qualifier comes on Saturday, March 8th at 12:30 pm against South Africa.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan – Qualifying for the Olympic Games is always the ultimate goal for any national sports federation. Baseball Canada is no exception and the ultimate goal could be achieved very soon at the Final Olympic Qualifier. Canada will be competing to qualify for their third Olympics, second since becoming an official Olympic sport and second in a row here in Taiwan from March 7-15. The 2008 team attempting to qualify is quite different from the one that competed in the 2004 Olympics with only five players on the current roster returning for Canada in this qualifier. But the experience of players like Stubby Clapp (Windsor, ON) and Adam Stern (London, ON) goes a long way with a young team. “You just have to remind them that it’s still baseball,” says Clapp. “There is obviously alot a stake, but if they can learn to relax and just do what they can do and not do anything extra. Everybody has a role on the team, everyone will fill in and the job will get done.” “They all understand what needs to be done,” says Stern. “Those guys are coming in with a lot of intensity and it shouldn’t be a problem getting anybody up for these games and they all know what’s on the line.” To help motivate the team and perhaps visualize the objective, the team held a meeting while in Australia and showed a montage of Olympic footage from 2004 where Canada finished fourth. Mike Saunders (Victoria, BC) was moved by the video. “I got chills,” explains Saunders. “The hairs were standing on my arms and I got goosebumps. It’s something I’ve been wanting this since (the qualifier in) Cuba and it’s now or never.” Even those who lived it were moved by the video. “It brings back alot of memories and you relive alot of emotions,” remembers Stern. Now, it is up to this team to accomplish what the 2004 team did and they know what lies in the road ahead. All players are eager for a chance to play in the Olympics. “This might be the most excited I’ve been for baseball for a long time,” says Saunders. “Going to spring training, getting ready to start the season is pretty exciting but it’s nothing like this.” “When we were in Australia, everybody was excited to be back together again and playing. Now it’s game time and that is different electricity and a different type of intensity,” says Clapp. For the dream to come true, Manager Terry Puhl says that the pitchers must lead the way. “We’re going to need continued good pitching,” says Puhl. “If the pitching holds up, the offence is good enough to score runs, but pitching is the key.” This experience is also new to Puhl, who has been the Senior National Team Manager since 2006. Ernie Whitt managed the 2004 team that went to the Olympics and the former Major League outfielder hopes to duplicate that feat and says it would be a career highlight. “To be a part of something like this is why I’m here. This is a great bunch of guys. I never had that opportunity as a player to represent Canada and it’s exciting for me, but it’s about the players and the team is always first. But for what I hear, the Olympic experience is one of a kind.” For Stern and Clapp, they witnessed an event that few athletes have experienced. They hope to relive that experience. “It was probably one of the greatest memories as far as baseball goes,” says Stern. “No matter what happens in your life or career I think that will be one of the highlights and whatever you can do to be there is what you want to do.” “I can’t even begin to describe the feelings I had from being at the Olympic ceremonies to playing in the games and playing against the best athletes in the world. It’s awesome,” says Clapp. For younger players like Saunders, a spot at the Beijing Games would be a dream come true. “The Olympics would be the number one highlight of my career right now. It would be number one for a long time, if not always.” The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will be the last for baseball until the International Olympic Committee reinstates baseball as an Olympic sport and the earliest that can happen is for the 2016 Olympics. For that, there is an extra sense of urgency to qualify for the Games. “It’s going to be special because it could be the last Olympics, but it’s also a big part of our program,” says Clapp. “If we’re not able to participate, our program could take a big hit.” And for those who were there in 2004, qualifying for the 2008 Games would a second kick at the can to get a medal. “Going from a good position, then losing a heartbreaker to Cuba those things stick with you,” says Stern. “Even four years later those things are fresh in your memory. People need to understand what went on there and try to avoid that this time around.”
GOLD COAST, Australia – Canada’s offence got the job done and the pitching was stellar as they would take the final exhibition game of this series by a score of 4-1 over Australia. The pitchers were solid in shutting down the Aussie offence in this eight inning contest, starting with the starter Jonathan Lockwood (Toronto, ON). Lockwood only allowed one hit and two walks with a pair of strikeouts in three inning of work. “You have to approach this time to work on things you need to work on and treat it as a learning experience going into the tournament so you can be at your best,” says Lockwood. “Every game is going to be a combination of guys. It’s good that everybody finished well and did what they had to do and that looks good come tournament time because guys are going to go in there and get it done.” Jamie Richmond (Mississauga, ON) and Alexandre Periard (St. Eustache, QC) were in good form in relief. Richmond, in three innings pitched, allowed two hits with two strikeouts and Periard gave up a run on three hits and a walk with one punch out in two innings in relief. “It was a good outing for everybody today,” says Manager Terry Puhl. “Lockwood was outstanding, and he’s going to be a workhorse for us going forward. Richmond did what he always does and Periard was solid as well.” Offensively, the star in this game was Jimmy VanOstrand (Richmond, BC) who doubled, homered and scored twice. He hit the double in the second inning and would come in to score the game’s first run on a single from Nick Weglarz (Stevensville, ON). VanOstrand would homer in the fourth inning off of Adam Blackley with Matt Rogelstad (New Westminster, BC) on base to increase the Canadian lead. “It was good to have a game like that to finish off the exhibition series,” says VanOstrand who was 2-for-2 with two RBI. “I’m looking forward to going to Taiwan and hopefully keep it going.” David Corrente (Chatham, ON) would also add to the offence with a solo-home run to lead off the fifth inning off of Gavin Dlouhy. Corrente would hit the second pitch of the inning over the left field fence to put Canada ahead 4-0. The Aussies would break the shutout bid in the seventh inning when Andrew Utting would single off of Periard to drive in Ben Risinger and put the Australians on the board. The Canadians finished the exhibition series with a 3-1-1 record, which could be a good sign going into the Final Olympic Qualifier. “It looks good for us,” says VanOstrand about his hopes for the qualifier. “It’s a tough tournament and there is going to be a lot of tough competition there but we definitely have a good team to give ourselves a chance. It’s going to be lots of fun.” “We have all the tools here to get it done. We just need to stick to our game and we’ll get the results that we want,” says Puhl. Canada will make its way over to Taiwan on Tuesday, March 4th to begin its road to Beijing at the Final Olympic Qualifier which is scheduled to begin on March 7th to the 15th. Canada will play for three open spots against Australia, Germany, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Taiwan.
GOLD COAST, Australia – Canada’s offence once again came up big as they would break a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning to beat Australia in the fourth exhibition game of the series by a score of 9-5. The Canadians would score four runs on five straight hits in the eighth inning before the Aussies could register an out. Emmanuel Garcia (Montreal, QC) started things off with a leadoff double and would score on Mike Saunders’ (Victoria, BC) RBI triple. Ryan Radmanovich (Calgary, AB) would then drive in his second run of the game with a single to score Saunders. Matt Rogelstad (New Westminster, BC) would move Radmanovich up to third base with a double and Emerson Frostad (Calgary, AB) would cash in Radmanovich with a single. David Corrente (Chatham, ON) would drive in Rogelstad to complete the scoring. “Manny Garcia had a wonderful night, Saunders was fabulous and Radmanovich had some big RBIs. It’s coming together for us,” says Manager Terry Puhl. It was a good start to the ballgame for Canada as they would open the scoring in the first inning when Radmanovich would drive in Stubby Clapp (Windsor, ON) for the first run of the game. “I’m feeling good about my swing right now. It was nice to get a couple big hits in key situations which is the things we’re going to have to do in (the qualifier) to win,” says Radmanovich, who was 2-for-3 with the two RBI. From there, James Avery (Moose Jaw, SK) shut things down, allowing only two walks with three strikeouts in three innings of work to start the game. “I’m feeling pretty good. I’m building up every time we go. I threw pretty well tonight, a couple of walks were disappointing, but other than that I thought I threw pretty well,” says Avery. But the Aussies would comeback and score four runs in the fourth inning off Brooks McNiven (Vancouver, BC) to take a 4-1 lead. Two doubles, two singles and an error was the cause for the Australian runs in the inning. The Canadians would tie thing up however in their half of the fourth inning on two sacrifice flies from Rogelstad and Nick Weglarz (Stevensville, ON) and a wild pitch that would score Saunders who reached on a single. Canada would then take the lead in the sixth inning when Garcia, who tripled to lead off the inning, would score on a ground out by Rogelstad. Once again though, Australia would comeback to tie the ballgame when Daniel Berg hit an RBI single to score Mitch Dening to tie things up at 5-5. But the Canadians would score four in the eighth and T.J. Burton (Ottawa, ON) would pitch a one, two, three ninth inning to preserve the win for Canada. The Canadians will play their final exhibition game against Australia on Monday, March 3rd at 2 pm.
GOLD COAST, Australia – The Canadians erased a six run deficit in the ninth inning and Steve Green (Greenfield Park, QC) struck out five of the six batters he faced to preserve an 8-8 tie in the third exhibition game against Australia. Canada was behind by a score of 8-2 going into the top of the ninth inning. Emmanuel Garcia (Montreal, QC) got things started with a single followed by a two-run home run by Emerson Frostad (Calgary, AB) to cut the margin in half. After Adam Stern (London, ON) drew a walk and a double from Stubby Clapp (Windsor, ON), Mike Saunders (Victoria, BC) hit a three-run bomb to right field to bring the Canadians within one with nobody out. With now two out and Taylor Green (Courtenay, BC) on third, Nick Weglarz (Stevensville, ON) drove in the tying run with a single off Aussie Brendan Wise. “I mark (this game) down as a win,” says Manager Terry Puhl. “When you come back and hit the ball as hard as we did and score runs... a team that never has any quit in it is a team that is going to qualify (for the Olympics).” “It was a great comeback,” says Frostad, who got the comeback started and was 2-for-4 with three RBI. “We were slow the first couple of innings and it took a little while to get going, but that’s the type of team we are. We’re very explosive and we can put up those big innings.” The Aussies started the game with a bang as they would put across four runs in the first inning off Canadian starter Brett Gray (Petrolia, ON). Gray would allow another run in the second inning to put the Aussies ahead 5-0. Canada would cut the gap in the fifth inning on an RBI single from Frostad, who would later score on a bases loaded walk to bring the score to 5-2. “I’m starting to get the flow again. It’s mostly timing. We’ve all been hitting in the cages and working out. It’s just getting that (in game) timing down and it’s going to take a couple games, but a lot of the guys are starting to get going and hopefully we can keep that going,” says Frostad. But the Australians would add to the lead in the sixth when Ben Risinger, Glenn Williams and Mat Kent all came in to score off Scott Richmond (Langley, BC), who allowed one run on two hits, and Mike Kusiewicz (Ottawa, ON), who allowed two runs, one earned, on one hit, to make it 8-2 for Australia. Steve Green came into the game in the eighth inning with Canada trailing by six and silenced the Aussie offence when he struck out two of the three batters he faced in the inning to allow his teammates to generate the impressive comeback the following inning. Green would then shut down the Australian attack by striking out the side in the ninth inning to finish the game. “This game gave me a great boost of confidence,” says Green. “It was an unbelievable game. The thing about Team Canada is that we never give up and that’s key. We showed it with six runs in the ninth and we got the job done.” Canada and Australia will play game four of this exhibition series on Sunday, March 2nd at 5:30 pm.
