Griffin, Perkins, Loewen impress on mound for Jrs.

LHP Jaden Griffin (Lower Sackville, NS) who went two scoreless with two strikeouts as the Canucks U18s lost 4-2 to the Atlanta Braves first and second-year pros. Photo: Alexis Brudnicki.

JNT: Braves double up on juniors

GAME INFORMATION

Event: Fall Instructional League
Score: Atlanta Braves 4 Canada (U18) 2
Location: ESPN Wide World of Sports – Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada

Canada U18 Starting Lineup:
1. Cooper Davis - CF
2. Adam Hall – DH
3. Noah Naylor – 3B
4. Isaac Deveaux – LF
5. Luke Van Rycheghem – C
6. Brad Aldred - DH
7. Michael Stovman – LF
8. Jason Willow - SS
9. Soren Graversen – DH
10. Edouard Julien – 2B

Starting Pitcher: RHP Sam Turcotte

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Things didn’t start off well for JNT starter Sam Turcotte (Toronto, Ont.) who allowed a walk and a double before a three run homer made it 3-0 for the Braves in the top of the first.
- The juniors got on the board in the sixth when Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.) grounded out to cash in a run from third after the Braves had walked the bases loaded. Adam Hall (London, Ont.) then cashed in Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) from third when he grounded out to first and Canada trailed by a run.
- In the eighth, a single and throwing error put a Braves runner on third who scored a sac-fly, making the score 4-2.

JNT HIGHLIGHTS
- After the home run in the first, Turcotte settled in and tossed two scoreless innings. He ended his outing with four strikeouts.
- The juniors received solid pitching performances from relievers Jaden Griffin (Lower Sackville, NS) who went two scoreless with two strikeouts, while Carson Perkins (Bienfait, Sask.) also held the Braves off the scoreboard through two innings of work. Carter Loewen (Abbotsford, BC) also went two innings with an unearned run coming scoring in the eighth.
- The juniors’ three hits came off the bats of Luke Van Rycheghem (Kent Bridge, Ont.), Brad Aldred (Whitby, Ont.) and Jason Willow (Victoria, BC).

TEAM LEADERS
Hits: 1, Van Rycheghem (1/3), Aldred (1/3), Willow (1/3)
Runs: 1, Julien, Yerzy
RBI: 1, Davis
Strikeouts: 4, Turcotte; 2, Griffin; 1, Loewen

UP NEXT
The juniors will be back at ESPN Wide World of Sports tomorrow (1pm ET) when they take on prospects from the Atlanta Braves organization … RHP Ben Abram (Georgetown, Ont.) is expected to start on the mound.