July2015

Canadian Men’s Softball Team Will Play for Gold at Pan American Games!

July 18, 2015

Toronto, ON

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18th, 2015
 

Canadian Men’s Softball Team Will Play
for Gold at Pan American Games!


(Ajax, ON) The Canadian Men’s Softball Team took one step closer to earning double gold this summer by defeating Argentina 2-0 in their first playoff game at the Pan American Games on Friday night. Sean Cleary (Harbour Main, NL) fired a one-hitter and faced the minimum of 21 batters in the complete game shutout win, while Canada got key hits by Brandon Horn (Waterloo, ON) and Derek Mayson (North Vancouver, BC) to provide all the offence they needed. Team Canada won Gold at the WBSC Men’s World Softball Championship less than two weeks ago, and has now earned a spot in Saturday’s Pan American Games Gold medal game at 3:00pm EDT.
 
Cleary went right to work in the top of the first by getting a ground out and striking out the next two batters. In the bottom of the frame, Jeff Ellsworth (St. Lawrence, PEI) drew a two-out walk followed by a single by Steve Mullaley (Freshwater, NL) but the next batter struck out. The following inning, Canada opened the scoring as Mayson singled through the right side of the infield and advanced to third on a single to center by Ryan Boland (Goulds, NL) before scoring when Horn hit a ball up the middle to give Canada a 1-0 lead.
 
In the top of the third, Cleary sat Argentina down in order again on a groundout and two strikeouts, and Canada was able to add an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. Ellsworth was walked again, advanced to second on a passed ball and to third on a single by Jason Hill (St. John’s, NL) before scoring on a single by Mayson to right.
 
Argentina started the top of the fourth with a single over third base, but the batter was thrown out at second by left fielder Mathieu Roy (St-Gervais, QC) when he tried to stretch the hit into a double. Team Canada put two more runners on base in the bottom of the inning on a single by Horn and a walk by Roy with one out, but the next batter hit into a fielder’s choice with the throw over to first hitting the first baseman’s foot. Horn attempted to score on the play but the first baseman picked up the ball and rushed a throw to home to cut Horn down at the plate and end the inning.
 
Cleary sat Argentine down in order again in the fifth and Mullaley lined a one-out double to the right-center field gap. After Mullaley advanced to third on a fly out to right, Mayson was hit by a pitch two put two runners on base but the next batter struck out. Argentina got a one-out walk in the top of the seventh but that runner was thrown out at second when he tried to advance on a ball in the dirt. Cleary struck out the next batter to end the game.
 
Box Score: Canada 2 vs. Argentina 0
 
Cleary allowed only one hit and one walk with both those runners retired on the base paths and struck out seven. Horn, Mayson and Mullaley all had two hits for Canada, with Boland and Hill also each getting a hit for a total of eight hits. Canada also left nine runners on base.
 
In the other semi-final earlier in the evening, Venezuela scored a run in the bottom of the second and that stood as the winning run as Ramon Jones shut out the United States by allowing three hits while striking out seven batters. Tony Mancha was also very sharp, allowing only one run on five hits and also struck out seven.
Canada advances directly to the Gold medal game at 3:00pm EDT, and will face the winner of the Bronze medal game at 12:00pm EDT between Argentina and Venezuela.


-SC-

For more information, please contact:

Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
Cell: (613) 797-7171
gleblanc@softball.ca

OUR SPONSORS

TRENDING NOW
@alsfastball
FRIENDS OF AL'S FASTBALL
AU Sable AFP Fastpitch Fastpitch West International Softball Congress Men’s Fastpitch SA North American Fastpitch Association Ontario Amateur Softball Association

Ontario Masters Fastball sports betting site betway Shooters Fastpitch League Softball Canada Softball New Zealand WBSC