By Elisabeth Rositsan

Canadian Baseball Network

Team Orange went up against Team Red and showcased some strong skills on Friday.

Team Red dominated through the first two innings, but Team Orange wasn’t about to give up.

Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.), who had doubled, scored the first run for Team Red, when he crossed the plate on a ground ball by Williams Camacho Soto (Burnaby, BC). And Team Red’s luck didn’t stop there. Team Orange starting pitcher Jackson Fraser (Buena Vista, Sask.) threw a wild pitch and Ricardo Sanchez singled to give Team Red a 2-0 lead.

As the second inning kicked off, Team Orange got back into the game when Nicholas Thibodeau (Burlington, Ont.) scored their first run.

With Team Orange down 3-1 in the third inning, Bryce Arnold (Grimsby, Ont.) singled and then stole second base and advanced to third after Justin Carinci (Oshawa, Ont.) reached on an error. Brody Alexandre (Saskatoon, Sask.) then ripped a two-run double to tie the game. Thibodeau then followed with a double to score Alexandre to put Team Orange in the lead.

Each team would later add a run, but Team Orange would prevail 5-4.

Fraser demonstrated solid skills from the mound throughout this tournament for Team Orange. This is Fraser’s second T12 and he came into it stronger, with increased velocity after a massive growth spurt.

“It’s crazy to play at the same place as the Blue Jays play, it’s just incredible,” claimed Fraser.

Unfortunately, Fraser had some bumps in the road in his last match, allowing three runs in the first two innings.

“Definitely not my best game . . . I want to go out there and get better, have more command and be confident,” said Fraser. “The team was unbelievable. Everyone played as a team.”

Another name to remember is Alejandro Cazorla Granados. Cazorla Granados displayed consistency and skill at the plate and greatly contributed to the Team Orange win. He was focused and used the same approach throughout the game.

“I’m just going to stick with the same approach that I’ve been sticking with all year and that’s just control what I can control and everything else is up to God,” Cazorla Granados said. “You can’t try and pinpoint every single game you (just) have to control what you can control.”

Cazorla Granados was born in Venezuela and moved to Canada when he was very young. Since then he has been thankful to Canada’s baseball community for providing incredible conditions for young baseball players.

“Growing up in Venezuela you always saw the big leaguers here especially the Venezuelans going on to these big stadiums and that’s what we’ve always dreamed of,” Cazorla Granados said.

“Part of this tournament gave me the opportunity to showcase what I have and I’m nothing but grateful. The situation in Venezuela is tough and people would kill to have the opportunities I have here.”

On the white part of his hat, Cazorla Granados has written “Dr. Pedro,” in memory of his late grandfather. Some players wear their hearts on their sleeves, he wears an arm band of the Venzuelan flag.

These are only a few players who helped Team Orange to stay unbeaten throughout the tournament.