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November2014

Canada Loses First Playoff Game to Venezuela at IX Men’s Pan American Softball Championship

November 1, 2014

Parana, ARG

Canada Loses First Playoff Game to Venezuela at IX Men’s Pan American Softball Championship

The following is a media release issued by Softball Canada.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31st, 2014
 

Canada Loses First Playoff Game to Venezuela at 
IX Men’s Pan American Softball Championship 


(Parana, Argentina) The Canadian Senior Men’s National Team lost its first playoff game at the IX Men’s Pan American Softball Championship, dropping a tight 1-0 decision to Venezuela. Sean Cleary (Harbour Main, NL) was fantastic in the pitcher’s circle again by striking out another 14 batters, but Venezuela was able to chase him from the game with a pair of singles in the top of the seventh before scoring the only run of the game on a passed ball.
 
Cleary asserted himself early with a pair of strikeouts in the top of the first inning, while Venezuela started Erick Alvarez in the pitcher’s circle. Alvarez walked leadoff batter Brandon Horn (Waterloo, ON) but struck out the next batter. The following hitter flew out to center and the outfielder was able to retire Horn at second as he was trying to tag up from first. Cleary struck out the side in the second, and Canada got a leadoff walk by Derek Mayson (North Vancouver, BC) followed by a single by Jason Hill (St. John’s, NL). However, after a strikeout for the first out, the next batter grounded into a double play to end the threat.
 
Venezuela managed a one-out single off Cleary in the top of the third, but Cleary followed with a strikeout and the runner was caught stealing to end the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Jason Sanford (Durham, NS) drew a leadoff walk and Alvarez was replaced by Erick Urbaneja, who struck out the next batter but then allowed a single to Horn to put two more runners on base. The next batter grounded into another double play to shortstop as Canada was kept off the scoreboard again.
 
Each team earned a walk in the fourth but both were left on base, and Venezuela got a leadoff single in the fifth but the runner was later caught stealing at second after a strikeout to end the inning. After Venezuela managed a walk in the top of the sixth but was unable to score, Canada had its best chance to score in the bottom half of the inning. Mathieu Roy (St. Gervais, QC) and Jeff Ellsworth (St. Lawrence, PEI) hit back-to-back singles with one out and Mayson walked to load the bases. However, Urbaneja got a big strikeout followed by a pop out behind third base as Canada left three runners on base.
 
In the seventh, Edwin Linares and Rafael Flores both singled to start the inning for Venezuela and chase Cleary from the game, as Paul Koert (Brooklin, ON) came on in relief. The runners moved up on a passed ball, and another passed ball allowed Linares to score from third as the throw from the catcher to the pitcher covering the plate went off the runner’s foot, giving Venezuela the 1-0 lead. Ramon Jones came in to close the game in the seventh for Venezuela, inducing a ground out and striking out the last two batters to end the game.
 
Box Score: Venezuela 1 vs. Canada 0
 
Cleary was the hard-luck losing pitcher for Canada, allowing one run on four hits and two walks, but struck out 14 batters in six innings pitched. Koert struck out two batters in one inning of relief. At the plate, Canada got one hit each from Horn, Roy, Ellsworth and Hill.
 
Venezuela earned a direct berth to the gold medal game with the win, while Canada will take on Argentina at 5:30pm EDT with the winning team of that game earning a spot in the championship game at 8:00pm EDT. Argentina eliminated the United States with a 3-1 win in the other playoff matchup.
 
The event website can be found at http://9panamericanosoftbol2014.com/eng/, with webstreaming available at http://9panamericanosoftbol2014.com/eng/index.php/on-line. The event can also be followed on Facebook (IX Panamericano de Softbol Masculino Conpasa Parana Argentina 2014) and Softball Argentina’s Twitter account (@SoftbolARG).

How to Follow Team Canada
Softball Canada Website: http://www.softball.ca
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SoftballCanada
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SoftballCanadaNSO

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For more information, please contact:

Gilles LeBlanc
Manager - Marketing and Communications
Softball Canada
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105
gleblanc@softball.ca
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