November 4, 2022

Baseball Canada

SAN JOSE DEL CABO, Mexico - The Junior National Team fell just short of a comeback on Friday, losing 10-9 to Puerto Rico in extra innings to drop their first game of the WBSC Americas U-18 Baseball World Cup Qualifier.

Canada scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to overcome a four-run deficit, only to Puerto Rico would regain the lead in the top of the seventh. The Juniors answered back in the bottom half, tying up the game 8-8 and forcing extra innings.

Myles Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) and Ty Doucette (Dartmouth, N.S.) gave Canada the early lead in the first with back-to-back doubles that scored the game’s first run.

Later, the Juniors’ offence would explode for five runs in the bottom of the sixth. The inning was capped off by a Tyrus Hall (Victoria, BC) two-run double down the left field line.

Ben Soke (New Maryland, N.B.), Michael Yusypchuk (Edmonton, Alta.), Matt Donnison (Niagara Falls, Ont.) and Matt Brown (Carlisle, Ont.) pitched for the Juniors, with each of them making their Junior National Team debut.

Canada will try to bounce back on Saturday when they take on Venezuela at 6 p.m. ET in their second game of the tournament.