(Parana, Argentina) The Canadian Senior Men’s National Team dropped a 5-1 decision to Argentina to earn the bronze medal at the IX Men’s Pan American Softball Championship. Team Canada took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning, but Argentina took advantage of a costly mistake and scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth and added another in the sixth on their way to victory. With the win, Argentina moved on to face Venezuela in the gold medal game.
Â
Lucas Mata started in the pitcher’s circle for Argentina and retired Canada in order in the top of the first, while Andy Skelton (Scarborough, ON) was in the circle for Canada and allowed a leadoff single and later a walk but got out of the inning with a double play on a ground ball to third base. The following inning, Derek Mayson (North Vancouver, BC) led off with a single but was retired at second on a fielder’s choice by Jason Hill (St. John’s, NL). Skelton then hit a double to the left-center field gap that was misplayed by the centerfielder, allowing Hill to score from first to open the scoring. Argentina got a one-out double by Francisco Sabate in the bottom of the frame, but Skelton struck out the next two batters to leave Sabate stranded with Canada holding a 1-0 lead.
Â
Juan Pottolicchio came on in relief of Mata in the top of the third and Mathieu Roy (St. Gervais, QC) drew a two-out walk, but a ground ball to the pitcher’s circle ended the inning, and Skelton sat down Argentina in order in the bottom of the inning. After Canada went down in order in the fourth, Argentina got a leadoff walk but Skelton retired the side on strikeouts.
Â
Pottolicchio also struck out the side in the top of the fifth before Argentina was able to get on the board. Juan Zara led off with a double, and after a strikeout, Nicolas Carril singled to third base on a play that Mayson did a great job to grab to stop it from going down the left field line. Sean Cleary (Harbour Main, NL) replaced Skelton in the pitcher’s circle, but the next batter dropped a single over shortstop to drive in the tying run. Cleary struck out the next batter for the second out, and also struck out the following hitter on a ball in the dirt that was thrown away at first by the catcher and got all the way down the corner in right field, allowing three runs to score as Argentina took a 4-1 lead.
Â
Canada went down in order in the top of the sixth, and Argentina added a run on a leadoff homerun by Mariano Montero in the bottom half of the inning. Mayson got a leadoff single in the top of the seventh but Pottolicchio struck out the next three batters to end the game.
Â
Box Score: Argentina 5 vs. Canada 1 Â
Skelton took the loss in the pitcher’s circle, allowing two runs – one earned – on four hits and two walks, and struck out nine batters in four innings. Cleary allowed three runs, one of them earned, on two hits and struck out six in two innings of relief. Mayson had two of Canada’s three hits, with the other being a double by Skelton.
Â
The loss eliminated Canada from the tournament as they earned the bronze medal, while Argentina moved on to face Venezuela in the gold medal game. As a result of the Men’s Pan American Softball Championship, the five teams who qualified for the 2015 ISF Men’s World Championship in Saskatoon, SK and the 2015 Pan American Games in Ajax, ON are: Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, the United States and Venezuela. Canada will also compete in both events as the host country.
(613) 523-3386 ext. 3105