Tokyo, Japan - Canada improved its record to 2-0 at the 2010 World University Baseball Championships in Japan with a convincing 18-0 route (game called in 5th inning) of the inexperienced team from Sri Lanka. Team Canada physically out matched the Sri Lankan team in every facet of the game.
Brandon Kaye (Langley, BC) got the start for Team Canada and worked 4 solid innings giving up only 2 base hits with 2 walks and recorded 6 strikeouts for the victory. Taylor King (Nanaimo, BC) threw a perfect 5th inning striking out the side to close the game out.
Offensively for Team Canada, the scoring started in the first inning with a 3 run outburst. Another 3 run inning in the second inning was followed up with a 12 run third inning to put Team Canada up to stay at 18-0. Contributions came from up and down the line-up on this day. 2B Chad Marshall (Paris, ON) led the way going 4 for 4 with 3 runs scored. CF Greg Wallace (Nanaimo, BC) added 3 hits including 2 triples. 3B Mark Ellis (Maple Ridge, BC), 1B Garrett Regan (Calgary, AB) and SS Carter Bell (Courtenay, BC) each had 2 hits apiece. RF Ryan Fleming (Whitby, ON), LF Nic Lendvoy (Langley, BC) and C Greg Densem (Toronto, ON) added one hit apiece, with Lendvoy and Densem's hits being triples. When the dust settled, Canada had out hit Sri Lanka 16 to 2 on the afternoon.
“We did what we needed to do,” says Head Coach Todd Plaxton (Saskatoon, SK). “It sometimes is more difficult to play in such games. I just told the guys to take care of their jobs and to focus in on good at bats. They did that and the score was indicative of that. Sri Lanka is clearly in the infancy stages of baseball and this tournament may help them get to the next level.”
NOTES: Canada has a day off on Sunday before squaring off with Team USA in a battle for first place in Group A...All 4 teams in the group qualify for the quarter-finals, however clinching first place in the group would mean Canada would face the last place team in Group B...The game was played at Utsumi Shimaoka Ball Park on the campus of Menji University...USA defeated Sri Lanka 15-0 on Friday... To follow the tournament please visit: http://www.wubc2010.jp/index.html
