USA Men’s National team loses two exhibition starts to Canadian National Team
July 3, 2008
Saskatoon, SK
USA Men’s National team loses two exhibition starts to Canadian National Team
MELFORT, Saskatchewan --- The USA Men's National team went on the road in Saskatchewan to take on the Canadian National team and loss two exhibition games Wednesday night. The team traveled to Melfort, SK and played in front of over 1,400 spectators on a cool night. Team Canada swept the doubleheader by scores of 5-0 and 4-1.
Game 1 – Canada 5 USA 0
In the first game, Team USA could not score against the hard throwing Grant Patterson. Shortstop Blake Miller (Kingsville, Texas) was on base three times going 2-2 and also getting on base after being hit by a pitch. Team USA's best scoring chance was in the sixth when Chad Seeman (Chenoa, Ill.) led off the inning with a single. After a Steve Pinnochio (Merced, Calif.) strikeout, Miller was hit by a pitch giving the U.S. two baserunners. Third baseman Matt Palazzo (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) then grounded into an inning ending double play. Left fielder Eddie Ketelhut (Canton, Mich.) had the lone extra base hit for the Americans, a double in the fifth inning with two outs. Ketelhut was stranded when right fielder Chase Turner (Stockton, Calif.) grounded out to first.
Team USA starting pitcher Cody Thomson (0-1) (Herriman, Utah) threw well allowing just six hits and striking out seven. The home run was key for the Canadians as they hit three solo home runs. Second baseman Jody Eildt was 2-3 with two solo home runs in the game. Canadian catcher Steve Crawford was 2-2 with three RBI on a double and solo home run.
Game 2 – Canada 4 USA 1
In the second game, Team USA managed only two hits against a pair of Canadian pitchers. The lone USA run was on a long solo home run by Seeman in the fifth inning. The only other hit was a single in the second off of Canadian starter Trevor Eithier. Eithier went five innings and was relieved by Derek Mayson who threw two scoreless innings. American pitcher Gerald Pyle (0-1) (Simi Valley, Calif.) tossed five innings giving up seven hits and walking four. He was relieved in the sixth by Sean Kelly (Homer, Mich.) who gave up just one hit.
Team USA ends their exhibition tour at 1-2 as they begin play tonight in the 3 Nations Challenge at 6:30 p.m. (MST) against Japan. The second game of the evening will feature USAagainst Canada at 8:30 p.m. (MST).
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United Statesand a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation’s largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 83 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 240,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit http://www.asasoftball.com/.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men’s, Women’s, Junior Boys’ and Junior Girls’ National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of the only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won eight World Championship titles including the last six consecutive as well as claimed two World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com/.
Julie Bartel
ASA/USA Softball
Director of Communications
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