FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 17, 2012

Men's National Team Opens Pan American Championship with Pair of Wins

(Medellin, Colombia) The first day of the VIII Men's Pan American Championship began with the opening ceremonies at 11:00am CDT, and Team Canada later took to the field at 2:00pm against Guatemala. Playing on a baseball diamond with some modifications to comply with softball dimensions, Team Canada won its opening game by a score of 8-6 against a gritty Guatemalan team and followed that up with a 10-1 win over Puerto Rico.

In the first game, Brady Woods (Stonewall, MB) started in the pitcher's circle for Canada and quickly retired the visiting Guatemalan team in order. Canada then opened the scoring in the bottom of the inning, as Mathieu Roy (St-Gervais, QC) reached on a two base error and quickly scored on a single up the middle by Jeff Ellsworth (St. Lawrence, PEI). After a walk by Stephen Mullaley (Freshwater, NL), Ellsworth scored on a passed ball to increase the lead to 2-0.

Canada was unable to score in the second and Guatemala got on the board in a big way, scoring four runs on a grand slam, and added another run in the fourth on a walk and two base hits to take a 5-2 lead. Canada cut into the lead in the bottom of the fourth by scoring two runs. Bryan Abrey (Richmond, BC) reached on a fielder's choice and was able to race around the bases to score on passed balls. Brennan Pokoyoway (Saskatoon, SK) then walked, advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Roy. Canada then tied the game in the fifth on a solo homerun by Mullaley.

In the top of the sixth, Guatemala regained the lead by scoring a run on two Canadian errors followed by a run-scoring single. Down a run going into the bottom of the sixth, the Canadians scored three runs to take an 8-6 lead. Abrey led off with a single and quickly stole second, but the two next batters struck out. Roy then delivered another clutch hit with an RBI single to score Abrey and tie the game. Ellsworth then connected with a run-scoring double, and then scored on a pair of passed balls.

Woods pitched two and a third innings for Canada, allowing four runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Tyson Barkman (Abbotsford, BC) came on in relief with one out in the top of the third and allowed two runs on three hits and three strikeouts as he pitched into the top of the sixth. Don Scott (Stratford, ON) earned the win, retiring the last five hitters with three strikeouts.

Roy and Ellsworth each went two-for-four for Team Canada, while Mullaley was one-for-two with a homerun.

In the second game against Puerto Rico, Canada's bats came alive in a 10-1 game that ended in five innings on the run-ahead rule. Don Scott started the game in the pitcher's circle for Canada and threw the first four innings, allowing Puerto Rico's only run on three hits and he struck out nine batters. Andy Skelton (Newmarket, ON) pitched the final inning, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

Team Canada scored one run in the second, five in the fourth and four more in the fifth. Ryan Boland (St. John's, NL) led the way at the plate, going two-for-three with a homerun and five runs batted in. Jason Hill (St. John's, NL) and Brandon Horn (Waterloo, ON) each added two hits, with Hill scoring twice. Mark Johnson (Glencoe, ON) had a hit, two walks, three runs scored and an RBI, while Blair Ezekiel (Harbour Main, NL) also had a hit and two walks with two runs scored.

Canada (2-0) will be back in action with a pair of games on Monday, as they will take on the Bahamas at 9:00am and later in the day at 7:00pm against the host country of Colombia.

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For more information, please contact:

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