Canada beats Nicaragua for bronze at U18 Pan Am baseball championship

CHITRE, Panama — LaRon Smith belted a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth as Canada’s junior baseball team defeated Nicaragua 5-3 to capture the bronze medal at the COPABE under-18 Pan Am Championships.

With Cleveland Indians first-round draft pick Noah (Bo) Naylor on second base, Smith drilled a breaking ball over the wall in left field for his second homer of the tournament to break a 3-3 tie.

The win matches Canada’s result from 2014, the last time they participated in the COPABE event, and earns them a spot in the 2019 WBSC U18 Baseball World Cup.

Reliever Antoine Jean tossed four and two-thirds scoreless innings to record the win, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out four batters.