FREDERICK, Maryland — The Canadian Junior National Team battled back from a mid-game deficit to earn a 7–7 tie against the Frederick Keys, powered by timely hits from Justin Rompré (Sainte-Anne-De-La-Perade, QC) and Philip Cheong (Richmond Hill, ON).
Rompré opened the scoring for Canada in the fourth inning with a towering solo home run to left field—his first of the tour—sparking a four-run frame that included doubles from Easton Kitura (Spruce Grove, AB) and Félix Gosselin (Drummondville, QC), and an RBI single by Taye Thierman (Calgary, AB).The inning flipped a 1–0 deficit into a 4–1 lead for the JNT.
Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, BC) started the game on the mound for the Canadians, providing them with three and two third innings of no earned runs and four strikeouts before handing things over to the bullpen.
The Keys responded with five runs in the bottom half, capitalizing on two errors to surge ahead 6–4. But Canada kept pressing. Elliot Lascelles (Toronto, ON) ignited a seventh inning push with a single, two stolen bases, and a run scored on a wild pitch. Robert Omidi (Mississauga, ON) added a sacrifice fly to bring the Juniors within one late in the game.
In the ninth, with Canada trailing 7–6, Cheong delivered the clutch moment—a solo home run to right field that evened the game. The centre fielder also stood out defensively, recording multiple outs to help steady the team late.
On the mound, Nick Halcovitch (Waterdown, ON) punched out three after taking over in the sixth and cruising through the Keys’ lineup, securing the tie with a perfect bottom half of the ninth after the big blow earlier in the inning.
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(Justin Rompré, Nick Halcovitch, Philip Cheong)
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