ORLANDO – It was a tightly contested matchup between the Junior National Team and the Washington Nationals at the Fall Instructional League camp as it took a late rally in the ninth inning for the Nationals to top the Canadians by a score of 3-2. It was a pitcher’s duel throughout as after three innings, the game would remain tied at 1-1 until the top of the ninth when Washington scored a pair of runs on a double and two singles to take a 3-1 lead. The Canadians would reply in the bottom of the ninth when Keaton Briscoe (North Vancouver, BC) came in to score on an error to make it 3-2, but that was as close as they would get. The Nationals opened the scoring in the top of the third inning when a leadoff single, an error allowing the runner to advance to third and a steal of home plate gave Washington the 1-0 lead. That would be the only blemish on Evan Grills (Whitby, ON) line. In three innings pitched, Grills allowed an unearned run along with one hit while striking out two. Johnathan Solazzo (Mississauga, ON) kick started the Canadian offence in the bottom half of the third, leading off with a single. After Andrew Ruck (Whitby, ON) was hit by a pitch and both runners advanced on an error, Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, ON) hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Solazzo and tie the game at one. Wes Darvill (Langley, BC) added a pair of hits in this game. He went 2-for-3. Paul Barton (Qualicum Beach, BC) and Jeff Gibbs (Toronto, ON) were outstanding on the mound for the Canadians. Barton allowed three hits and one walk with two strikeouts in two innings of work, while Gibbs threw two shutout innings as well, allowing only one hit in his outing. Jonathan Paquet (Ancienne Lorette, QC) closed things out on the mound for the Juniors. He gave up a pair of runs on four hits and a walk in two innings pitched. Next up for the Junior National Team at the Fall Instructional League camp is a matchup with the Houston Astros on Tuesday, October 7 at 1 pm. Bob Elliott article
ORLANDO – The Junior National Team could not stop the bleeding as Seminole Community College took advantage of every chance they had to come up with a 10-3 win over the Juniors at the Fall Instructional League Camp. The Canadians were on Seminole’s heels until the fourth inning when the Raiders gradually put this game out of reach. With one out and a runner on first in the first inning for Seminole, they would load the bases on an error and a hit batsman. After getting the second out of the inning, Anthony Boix doubled against Paul Schaak (Winkler, MB) to clear the bases and give Seminole an early 3-0 lead. Canada would respond in the second inning when a single would drive in Justin Atkinson (Surrey, BC) and Donovan Latour (Barrie, ON) to cut the lead to one. But Seminole would regain their three-run lead in the third inning when they scored two runs on three hits against Mike Ellis (Surrey, BC) and make it 5-2. The Canadians again cut into the lead in the bottom half of the third when Larry Balkwill (Chatham, ON) hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, ON) as Canada now trailed 5-3. That would be as close as they would get as Seminole went on to score one run in each of the next five innings to solidify the win. Paul Schaak, who started on the mound for the Canadians, gave up the first three runs of the game, however only one was earned as he would throw two innings, allowing two hits and two walks with one strikeout. Steve McKinnon (Duncan, BC) had a strong outing, allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits, while striking out two in two innings of work. Evan Zerff (Regina, SK) threw his second shutout inning in as many days, pitching the ninth inning and retiring the side in order. On offence, Alexandre Béland (Trois-Rivières, QC) led the way, stroking two of Canada's four hits in the game, going 2-for-3. Larry Balkwill went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Wes Darvill (Langley, BC) went 1-for-4 to round out the Canadian offence. Next up for the Junior National Team at the Fall Instructional League camp is a matchup with the Washington Nationals on Monday, October 6 at 1 pm. Bob Elliott article
ORLANDO – The Junior National Team started off their Fall Instructional League schedule with a solid effort against the Atlanta Braves, however they couldn’t muster enough offence and the Juniors fell to the Braves by a score of 3-0. Jake Eliopoulos (Newmarket, ON) got the start on the mound for the Canadians and got things started on the right foot for his team as he would pitch three shutout innings, allowing only two hits and a walk while striking out a pair. The score would remain tied at zeros until the fifth inning when a pair of walks and a two-out double against Jerome Werniuk (Toronto, ON) allowed the first two runs of the game to score and gave Atlanta a 2-0 lead. Werniuk went two innings, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks with one strikeout. The Braves would add to their lead in the seventh inning on back-to-back doubles against Ethan Stewart (Campbell River, BC) to take a 3-0 lead. Stewart gave up one run on three hits and a walk with one strikeout in two innings of work. Evan Zerff (Regina, SK) went to the hill in the ninth inning for the Canadians and was almost perfect, allowing only one walk with no hits in his inning on the mound. Offensively, Canada banged out four hits in the game led by Darren Kolk (Mill Bay, BC) who was 2-for-4. Mike Washburn (Fredericton, NB) and Keaton Briscoe (North Vancouver, BC) collected the other two hits for the Juniors. Next up for the Junior National Team at the Fall Instructional League Camp is a matchup with Seminole Community College on Sunday, October 5 at 1 pm. Bob Elliott article
