By Bob Elliott

It could have been a night at the ball yard say Rivergrove I or Rivergrove II.

Instead, Josh Naylor, Royce Ando, Tristan Pompey and Cooper Davis all former Mississauga North Tigers were at Nanko Chuo Stadium in Osaka, Japan at the U-18 World Cup.

All contributed as Canada beat Chinese Taipei 6-2 in the tourney opener on Friday. Next on the schedule is Korea with North Vancouver’s Will McAffer on the mound on Saturday.

Playing first base Naylor tripled, doubled, reached on an infield hit and knocked in a pair of runs.  

Second baseman Ando and left fielder Pompey each doubled, singled and scored a run, while Davis singled and scored. So, eight hits, four runs scored and three RBIs by the Tigers grads. 

Right-hander Josh Burgmann was outstanding on the mound for Canada pitching seven innings allowing one run. When third baseman Adam Hall and Naylor collided on a first-inning pop up they both called for, Hall had to leave the game.

Coach Greg Hamilton moved DH Peter Hutzal of Calgary to third and Burgmann into the DH spot. He singled in the game’s first run, 

Toronto Mets catcher Andrew Yerzy blooped a two-run single.

Mathieu Deneault-Gauthier of Candiac Que. worked the eighth and Matteo Vincelli of Burnaby B.C. a scoreless ninth.