The Canadian Junior National Team jumped out early but fell 7–5 to the State College Spikes in MLB Draft League International Series action at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
Canada wasted no time getting on the board in the opening inning. Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, ON) led off with a single and a stolen base before Kadyn Armitage (Surrey, BC) and Robert Omidi (Mississauga, ON) followed with back-to-back RBI doubles that gave the Juniors an early 2–0 lead.
The Juniors added another run in the second when Rogan Rivard (Bonnyville, AB) walked, stole second and scored on Lascelles’ second hit of the game. Ramsey Chung (Mississauga, ON) later worked a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to extend Canada’s lead to 4–0.
On the mound, Joseph Pereira gave Canada a strong start, recording nine strikeouts over 4.1 innings of work.
State College battled back to tie the game in the fifth, but Canada responded in the seventh. Taye Thierman (Calgary, AB) doubled with two outs before Jalen Jacob (Maple, ON) drove him in with a single to right field, putting the Juniors back in front 5–4.
The Spikes answered again with a run in the bottom half before scoring twice in the eighth.
Canada made one final push in the ninth with a leadoff double from Maxime Blain (Repentigny, QC) and a walk from Jacob that brought the tying run to the plate, but the rally came up short.
The Juniors will look to even the series tomorrow against the State College Spikes as action continues in the MLB Draft League International Series.
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(E.Lascelles, J.Pereira, R.Omidi)
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