USA Softball Junior Men rally late, fall to Canada 9-8 at ISF World Championship

July 14, 2014

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USA Softball Junior Men rally late, fall to Canada 9-8 at ISF World Championship

WHITEHORSE, Yukon, Canada – Trailing 7-1 entering the final inning, the USA Softball Junior Men’s National Team posted seven runs in the top of the seventh to take an 8-7 lead over Canada but surrendered two runs in the bottom half of the inning to fall 9-8 at the International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Men’s World Championship on Sunday the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America/USA Softball announced today.  Zane Chason (Alma, Ga.) earned the start for Team USA but Phillip Zimmerman (New Holland, Pa.) was credited with the loss after entering in relief in the fifth inning.

 

Canada jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the first five innings before Justin Perez (North East, Pa.) did his best to jumpstart the USA offensive with a solo homerun leading off the top of the sixth inning. But the next three American batters were retired and Canada add two runs to their lead in the bottom half of the inning.

 

Down to their last at-bat to get back into the game, the USA Junior Men fought back posting seven runs on three hits and four Canadian errors to make it USA 8, Canada 7. Tyler Bouley (Champlin, Minn.) lead things off with a single and Tyler Stoffel (North Mankato, Minn.) followed it up with a double to give Team USA runners in scoring position. A Canadian error in the next at-bat scored a run making it Canada 7, USA 2.

 

Peyton Hall (Prairie du Chien, Wis.) then singled to score the second USA run of the inning. Two walks to the next two USA batters scored another run for the visiting team making it Canada 7, USA 3.

 

With one out, Tristen Sensenig (Denver, Pa.) connected for a grounder that scored two more USA runs. Two Canadian errors and a walk later, the USA Junior Men found themselves leading for the first time in the contest.

 

With the Americans leading 8-7 entering the bottom of the seventh, Canada notched the two runs they needed on four hits dashing Team USA’s hopes of a come-from-behind victory.  

 

“This was a tough one to lose,” said Head Coach Tim Lyon. “Our guys showed everyone how much heart they have by coming back to take the lead after trailing by six runs entering the final inning. Canada made the plays they needed to to win the game but I’m very proud of the way we fought until the very end.”

 

Perez led the way offensively for Team USA going 1-for-2 from the plate with two runs scored and an RBI. In the circle Zimmerman and Chason combined for five strikeouts while allowing eight earned runs.

 

USA will return to action at the ISF X Junior Men’s World Championships on Monday, July 14 when they face Mexico at 3:30 p.m. (PST). Visit www.USAsoftball.com to follow live stats, streaming and see photos from all of USA’s games at the ISF World Championship.

 

About ISF

Headquartered in Plant City, Florida (USA), the ISF is a member of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), the world governing body for the sport  which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and SportAccord (formerly the General Association of International Sports Federations). Softball (women’s fast pitch) made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. There are 127 affiliated countries in the ISF and millions of participants in the sport worldwide.

 

About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and 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 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 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 nine World Championship titles including the last seven consecutive as well as claimed six World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit http://www.usasoftball.com.  

 

 

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Steven Embree | ASA/USA Softball

Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications
2801 NE 50th | Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Work: 405-425-3422 | Cell: 405-207-1004
E-mail: sembree@softball.org | Web: www.usasoftball.com