june2008

Canada remains undefeated with athrilling 3-1 win over New Zealand

June 23, 2008

White Horse, YK


June 22, 2008

Canada remains undefeated with athrilling 3-1 win over New Zealand
(Whitehorse, Yukon) – Even a frigid combination ofcold weather and rain did not drive many fans out of the ballpark on thisnight, as the Yukon faithful were treated to a thrilling game between Canadaand New Zealand at the ISF Junior Men’s World Championships. The many fans whobraved the weather witnessed a masterful performance by Canadian pitcher DevonMcCullough (Saskatoon, SK), who held New Zealand’s bats in check all night longand made the big pitches when he needed them the most. Terrell Walker(Balcarres, SK) had the key hit to propel Canada to a 3-1 win at the PepsiSoftball Center.
All three of Canada’s runs came in the top of thesecond inning, as McCullough, Dylan Cunningham (Belwood, ON) and Shane Boland(Goulds, NL) all drew walks, loading the bases with two outs. Walker then cameup with a clutch two-run single to right center field, which happened to be thehardest hit of the night. Walker then attempted a double steal with a runner onthird and the kiwi catcher sailed the ball to centerfield, allowing Boland toscore from third while Walker was thrown out at home trying to score as well.
New Zealand’s only run came in the bottom of thefifth inning, despite constant threats with runners on the bases. McCulloughwas able to pull through each time, mixing his pitches and hitting his spotsall night long. He struck out 11 batters, scattering five hits and three walksin seven innings of play for the complete game gem.
Despite only collecting four hits on the night, theCanadian batters were very patient at the plate and Walker’s timely hit provedto be the difference. Canada’s offence forced seven walks, while the four hitscame off the bats of Walker, Boland, Cunningham and Dan Mitchell (Paris, ON).
The win improves Canada’s record to 4-0, and theyare schedule to play Botswana (0-4) at 11:00a.m. PDT and Venezuela (4-1) at7:30p.m. PDT tomorrow.   
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 Formore information, please contact:
 
GillesLeBlanc
Manager:Marketing and Communications Services
SoftballCanada
(613)523-3386 ext 3105



June 22, 2008

Team Canada beats South Africa 12-5 toremain undefeated
(Whitehorse, Yukon) – Despite a last inning rally bythe South Africans, Team Canada prevailed once again at the ISF Junior Men’sWorld Championships this morning with a 12-5 win in five innings. Canada jumpedout to a 12-1 lead after four, but South Africa battled back by scoring fourruns in the fifth inning.
Canada opened the scoring in the top of the secondinning following a string of errors by South Africa. The red and white quicklyloaded the bases with no outs, and the first run of the game scored on a passedball. Shane Boland (Goulds, NL) then stepped up and grounded a ball to thethird baseman, but his throw was off target to allow Joran Graham (Micksburg,ON) to score from third. Darcy Walushka (Victoria, BC) followed with a grounderto third base as well, and was met at first base with a throw into his basepath, colliding with the first baseman who dropped the ball. Fortunately, bothplayers were alright, but two more Canadians came in to score on the play.
After South Africa was able to manufacture a run inthe bottom of the third, Canada’s bats woke up in the fourth. Mike Noftall (St.John’s, NL) and Travis Dauvin (Saskatoon, SK) connected with back-to-back RBIsingles, followed by another single by Jessin Potskin (Prince George, BC).Graham then stepped up and blasted a three-run homerun to deep left centerfield, pushing the lead to 10-1.
Canada added two more runs in the fifth afterloading the bases once again before Potskin smashed a single next to theshortstop to bring two runners in to score.
In addition to his homerun, Graham also pitched allfive innings for Canada, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and one walkto go along with six strikeouts. At the plate, Potskin went three-for-three forCanada with a double and two singles while Dauvin had two singles afterreplacing Cory Jones (Leduc, AB) in the first inning. Noftall, Terrell Walker(Balcarres, SK) and Adam Day (Enfield, NS) each chipped in with asingle.  
Canada (3-0) will now face its toughest opponent sofar later tonight as they will play New Zealand (2-0) at 7:30p.m. PDT at thePepsi Softball Center in Whitehorse, Yukon.
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 Formore information, please contact:
 
GillesLeBlanc
Manager:Marketing and Communications Services
SoftballCanada
(613)523-3386 ext 3105

June 22, 2008

Team Canada uses the long ball again in10-0 win over Argentina
(Whitehorse, Yukon) – Team Canada has quicklyestablished itself as a top contender at the ISF Junior Men’s WorldChampionships following a convincing 10-0 run-ahead rule win in five inningsover Argentina at the Pepsi Softball Center last night. The Canadian hittersgave the fans what they wanted to see when they blasted four homeruns, whilestarting pitcher Dustin Keshane (Norquay, SK) won over the local fans with hishard-throwing abilities.
Cory Jones (Leduc, AB) led off the second inningwith a solo shot that just cleared the right field fence to open the scoring.After Devon McCullough (Saskatoon, SK) followed up with a single up the middle,Jessin Potskin (Prince George, AB) hit a towering blast to straight-awaycenterfield that cleared the fence and hit the scoreboard, giving Canada a 3-0lead.
The following inning, Cory Jones was at it again ashe came up and delivered a solid two-run homerun with two outs, pushing MikeNoftall (St. John’s, NL) in to score as well. Not to be outdone, Jessin Potskinstepped up to the plate to lead off the fourth inning and hit a frozen ropepast a diving right fielder, racing around the bases the score on aninside-the-park homerun. Later in the inning, pinch-hitter Adam Day (Enfield,NS) drove in another run on a single through the left side to increase the leadto 7-0.
In the fifth, McCullough and Potskin connected withback-to-back two out singles, setting the stage for an RBI single by DennisIron (Canoe Narrows, SK) that eluded the left fielder and rolled all the way tothe fence, allowing all three players to score. 
Keshane went the distance for Canada, scatteringthree hits and one walk over five innings. He struck out five batters on hisway to the win. Potskin led the offence for Canada with three hits (twohomeruns) and three runs batted in, while Jones had two homeruns and also drovein three. McCullough and Iron chipped in with a pair of singles, while Noftall,Day, and Terrell Walker (Balcarres, SK) each added a single. Jones and Potskinnow each have three homeruns in two games for Canada.
Canada (2-0) will be in action twice tomorrow asthey take on South Africa (0-3) at 11:00a.m. PDT and New Zealand (2-0) at7:30p.m. PDT.
In other games on Day 2, New Zealand beat Venezuela7-4, Japan was victorious over South Africa 13-1, Argentina shut out the CzechRepublic 14-0, the United States blanked Denmark 7-0, and Venezuela edgedBotswana 5-2.
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 Formore information, please contact:
 
GillesLeBlanc
Manager:Marketing and Communications Services
SoftballCanada
(613)523-3386 ext 3105
 

 

June 21, 2008

Canada powers past Czech Republic inJunior Worlds Opener
(Whitehorse, Yukon) – Canada’s Junior Men’s NationalTeam showed a few nerves in the first inning, but settled down and put up bignumbers in a 13-1 win in five innings over the Czech Republic to open the ISFJunior Men’s World Championship here last night. Devon McCullough (Saskatoon,SK) not only earned the complete game win in the pitchers circle for Canada,but also sparked the Canadian bats with a two-run triple that zipped just outof the center fielders reach.
After allowing a run and escaping a bases loaded jamin the top of the first inning, Canada went to work on offence in the bottomhalf of the inning. Terrell Walker (Balcarres, SK) walked and was sacrificed tosecond by Dan Mitchell (Paris, ON) before Mike Noftall (St. John’s NL) alsodrew a walk. With two runners on base and two outs, McCullough delivered hisbig hit, which was immediately followed by a thunderous homerun by JessinPotskin (Prince George, BC) that cleared wall in left-center field by over 50feet.
Canada added another run in the second inning on anerror, giving them a 5-1 lead. Cory Jones (Leduc, AB) then led off the bottomof the third with a homerun of his own, and Dylan Cunningham (Belwood, ON)later dropped a run-scoring single into shallow center field.
If the game wasn’t already out of reach, Canada putany doubts to rest in the fourth inning. The red and white loaded the baseswith one out before Potskin hit a hard ground ball just out of the reach of thesecond baseman to push two runs in to score. A few batters later, Shane Boland(Goulds, NL) capped off the offence with a towering shot to left field, athree-run homerun.
Cunningham pitched all five innings for Canada,settling down after a shaky first inning to cruise to the victory.
Canada (1-0) will now take on Argentina (0-1)tonight at 7:30p.m. PDT at the Pepsi Softball Center located in WhitehorseYukon.
In other action on Day 1: defending championsAustralia defeated Botswana 15-0; New Zealand beat Denmark 20-2; Venezuela gotpassed South Africa 11-1; Mexico shaded Argentina 9-7; and Japan edged theUnited States 4-2. Each team will play 11 round robin games over the next week,and the top four teams will advance to the page playoff round.
For more information, please contact:
 
GillesLeBlanc
Manager:Marketing and Communications Services
SoftballCanada
(613)523-3386 ext 3105
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