CHATHAM, MA- The Junior National Team had a chance to put an exclamation point on their tour through New England with a victory in the tour finale, but, instead, came up with a flat performance in a 5-4 loss to the Chatham Selects.
The loss leaves the juniors with a record of four wins and three losses to wrap-up the tour that saw them play seven games in eight days.
With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the eighth, a fly-ball to right field was misplayed with two out and a runner second that allowed the eventual game winning run to score.
Daniel Marquez (Cambridge, ON) had allowed a lead-off single and a wild-pitch, but came back with a strikeout before giving way to reliever Daniel Procopio (Toronto, ON).
Procopio made quick work of the first batter he faced and after the go ahead run scored, he managed to get a ground out to end the inning with a runner on third.
Jake Lumley (Windsor, ON) and Gareth Morgan (Toronto, ON) both walked with two out in the ninth, but Josh Naylor (Mississauga, ON) struck out to end the game and send the local fans home happy.
The juniors had built a 2-0 lead in the top of the third when Jordan Schulz (Strasbourg, SK) scored easily on a triple to centre off the bat of Matt Lloyd (Okotoks, AB).
Chris Thibideau (Dartmouth, NS) followed with an infield single and the juniors were out in front by two.
Starter Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, ON) allowed a single in each of his first two innings and managed to get out of it, but in the third an unearned run scored after a hit batter, fielder’s choice and two consecutive infield errors.
Quantrill threw three innings walking one with one strike out.
The Selects returned the favour in the fourth as Toby Handley (Whitby, ON) advanced to second after an errant pick-off throw and reached third when Josh Naylor singled.
With runners on the corners, Mitch Bigras (Sarnia, ON) hit into a fielder’s choice and Handley scored from third to regain the two-run lead.
Nathan Borges (Brooklin, ON) took over for Quantrill in the fourth a got out of a bases loaded, one-out jam by getting an infield-fly and strikeout to end the inning.
He got into trouble again in the fifth, but this time wasn’t so fortunate as a two-out, bases loaded double scored two, and an RBI single followed giving the Selects their first lead of the game.
The juniors fought back in the top of the sixth when Chris Thibideau picked up his second hit and collected his second RBI of the game when his double scored Toby Handley from second base.
Handley had singled to centre with one out and advanced to second base on a wild-pitch.
Marquez took over for Borges to start the seventh and worked perfect frame getting a ground-out, pop-out and strike out before being removed in favour of Procopio with one-out and one on in the eighth.
In addition to Thibideau, Josh Naylor also had a two-hit day at the plate as part of his team’s six hits on the day.
Notes: Players, coaches and staff will return home tomorrow…The Junior National Team will travel to Australia’s Gold Coast August 13th where they will hold their Final Selection Camp August 14th -27th …At the conclusion of camp, 20 players will be selected to represent Canada at the IBAF 18U World Cup in Taichung, Taiwan August 30th-Septmeber 8th…At the 2012 IBAF 18U World Cup in Seoul, Korea - Canada finished with a silver medal after dropping a 6-2 decision to the United States in the gold medal game…A member of the 2012 team, Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, ON), paid visit to the Junior National Team prior to today’s game…Ryan is currently pitching for the Bourne Braves in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League after an outstanding freshman season at Arizona State University where he went 11-1 on the mound including a no-hitter on March 23rd against top-ten ranked Oregon State University.
