AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – It was a rematch, a chance for redemption. And Argentina didn’t waste the opportunity.
Behind the three-hit pitching of right-handed Juan Potolicchio, the Argentinians defeated Canada, 2-1, to square an earlier (2-1) loss in round-robin play in Pool B.
The right-hander with a hard rise ball as his go-to pitch, tossed a gem, allowing just the one run on three hits, while striking out nine, and walking just one batter.
With the win, Argentina (2-0 playoffs, 6-2 overall) advances to take on defending 2009 ISF World Champion Australia in Saturday’s final playoff game.
Though Canada (0-2, 6-2) was eliminated, right-fielder Jeff Ellsworth was philosophical about the loss and upbeat about the future of Softball Canada:
“We weren’t able to hit and put runs on the board. We’ve got a lot of young guys and this was their first ISF. Now they’ve got a couple years to get ready (for the next ISF).â€
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KOERT STRONG IN THE CIRCLE
Canada’s left-hander Paul Koert was nearly as good as Potolicchio. Through five innings, he shutout Argentina on a four-hitter. But in the sixth, a two-out walk to Pablo Montero exited him from the game, with Sean Whitten summoned to the circle.
SACKS SOCKS GAME WINNER
The right-handed Whitten, who throws over 80 mph, faced German Sacks. Up in the zone Whitten fired a rise ball, but a little too sweet over the plate, and Sacks made him pay by launching a two-run homer deep over the leftfield fence.
With the 2-0 lead, Potolicchio closed out the seventh, but Canada made him squirm a bit. With one out, Brad Ezekiel hammered a rise ball over the left field fence to pull Canada within one.
After Canadian fans quieted down from chanting, “go Canada, go,†Potolicchio got Bryan Abrey swinging on a high outside rise ball for the second out. But still the Canadian’s refused to quit, evidenced by Ian Fehrman’s single up the middle.
That brought Ryan Wolfe to the plate as a pinch hitter. Though he carried only a .167 batting average in World Championship play, Wolfe has long been respected as a clutch hitter. But in this battle, Potolicchio won by getting a ground out to shortstop Caceres to end the game.
While the pitching was superb, both sides’ defenses displayed their skills as well.
WHAT A GLOVE
In the fifth inning, Canadian third baseman Bryan Abrey dived to his right and backhanded a vicious hopper off the bat of Sacks, then jumped to his feet, and nipped Sacks at first base with a strong throw.
Argentina had its scintillating plays too.
DEFENSIVE GEMS
In the sixth, second baseman Pablo Montero raced deep into right-centerfield and caught a Texas-Leaguer over his shoulder off the bat of Jason Hill, robbing him of a hit. Then on the very next at bat, Manuel Godoy sprinted in from his right-field position to make a shoestring catch of Brandon Horn’s sinking line drive.
Argentina hitting: Fernando Petric 1-3, Bruno Motroni 1-3, Manuel Godoy 1-3, Sacks 2-3, 2 RBI, 1 run.
Canada hitting: Ezekiel 1-3, RBI, run; Fehrman 1-3, and Ryan Boland 1-2.
In the circle for Canada, Koert pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits, with 7 strikeouts, and 3 walks. Witten went 1/3 inning, giving up 1 run, with a strikeout.
