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‘It stings,’ Canada bows out to New Zealand in worlds

Jul 14, 2018 | 11:41 PM

Even after Team Canada bowed out of the XII WBSC Junior Men’s Softball World Championship with a 5-2 defeat to New Zealand on a cold and windy Saturday night, the Canadian faithful gave their warmest applause. They thanked the team for their effort throughout the week and stuck around the Rotary Field to make that point known. 

The players also were sure to get some postgame hugs and words of encouragement from their families and friends to lessen the blow of defeat.

“They were all pretty happy, but it stings right now,” Canada first baseman Troy Kosmynka said. “It will get better.

“We played hard, we battled right to the end,” added Warman’s Kosmynka said. “It was a close one at the end but we couldn’t get’er done.”

New Zealand catcher Harrison Valk was a terror for the Canadians at the plate, going 3-4 with two runs scored and two RBI’s. He hit one of the biggest moonshots of the tournament in the top of the fifth inning for a solo shot to make it 5-0. He also started the scoring in the third inning with a RBI triple and later scored.

For Valk and the rest of New Zealand, they were happy to rebound after Friday’s 6-4 loss to Japan in their first playoff game. Valk was happy to leave his 1-4 at the plate with two strikeouts against Japan behind him and get back to producing.

“Just stoked to get my eye back in after last night’s terrible performance just now, just hope to keep going,” Valk said. “I didn’t know straight away [it was a home run], I looked up and it looked high, I thought it was a pop fly and it just carried.”

In the fourth inning, New Zealand scored a pair of runs on the same wild pitch. New Zealand’s Kody Clueard collided with pitcher David Watson on the first play, then Seth Gibson was able to slide underneath the tag of Canadian catcher Brendan Hagerman.

Canada head coach Jeff Ellsworth argued the call with the umpires. With a tongue-and-cheek like tone, Ellsworth declined to elaborate on the discussion, saying it would get him “in trouble.”

Isaac Lefebvre hit a two-run home run to get Canada back in the ball game in the bottom of the sixth inning, but that’s the only offence the Canucks could muster.

“The boys did get up from that home run, but in the end it wasn’t enough,” Lefebvre said, who was forced to wear bright orange shades after being 20 minutes late for a team dinner. “I think [New Zealand] did play well and we did play well too, but in the end there’s a winner and a loser.”

Although Canada would love to be playing on championship day, they had nothing bad to say about the experience or about the event itself.

“First class,” Ellsworth said. “The volunteers obviously were the main cog behind the whole thing. I don’t think there were any glitches along the way that we knew of, if there was, they kept them hidden pretty good.”

‘Straya straight to the ‘ship

Australia punched their ticket to the championship finals with a 4-2 victory over Japan. That exacted revenge for their only defeat of the tournament, when Japan beat the Aussies 3-2 in the group stages on Thursday.

Australian pitcher Shaun Lanaghan kept the Japanese bats at bay, which has been easier said than done throughout the tournament. Lanaghan went seven innings, gave up one earned run, four hits and struck out six batters.

Jeremy Waters hit a two-run home run in the top of the third inning. Blake Jackson hit a solo home run in the second as an insurance policy.

Australia will play at 3 p.m., and will take on the winner of the New Zealand-Japan game at noon. The loser of the noon match will be award the bronze medal. 

India 4 South Africa 1

Team India won the placement side of the draw by beating South Africa 4-1. India entered the week without a win in international tournament play, but picked up two wins in the group stages and went a perfect 3-0 in the placements.

India beat Guatemala 1-0 at noon to advance to the final consolation game. South Africa had a longer road, defeating Hong Kong 5-3 and Guatemala 10-2 to get to face India.

 

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW