JNT Extended Spring: Braves edge juniors

April 16th, 2016

By Adam Morissette

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla – The Atlanta Braves prospects took advantage of a couple of errors in the top of the sixth to plate two runs and they held on to defeat the Junior National Team, 2-1 as the extended spring training camp continued today.

GAME INFORMATION
Event: Extended Spring Training
Score: Atlanta Braves 2 Canada (U18) 1
Location: ESPN Wide World of Sports – Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Canada U18 Starting Lineup:
1. Cooper Davis – CF
2. Adam Hall – DH
3. Dondrae Bremner - SS
4. Andrew Yerzy – EH
5. Clayton Keyes – LF
6. Noah Naylor - EH
7. Edouard Julien – 2B
8. Michael Stovman – 1B
9. Victor Cerny - EH
10. Luke Van Rycheghem - C
11. Steven Moretto – 3B
12. Tyler Duncan - RF

Starting Pitcher: RHP Jordan Balazovic

HOW IT HAPPENED
- An error, walk and sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third for the Braves in the top of the sixth before another error and a bunt that went for a base hit scored both runners.

- The juniors fought back with a run in the seventh as Adam Hall (London, Ont.) hit a one out single before three consecutive walks including one to Noah Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) with the bases loaded brought in a run.

JNT HIGHLIGHTS
- The juniors used four pitchers with each one turning in a quality performance. Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) started and went three scoreless innings allowing just one hit while he struck out four. William Sierra (Montréal, Que.) followed with two hitless innings on the mound that saw him walk just one batter and strikeout two. Ben Abram (Georgetown, Ont.) was on the mound when two Braves’ runs scored although both were unearned and Carter Loewen (Abbotsford, BC) followed with two scoreless innings.

- Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) clubbed a two out double in the fifth as part of a 1-for-2 day at the plate. Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.), Adam Hall, Dondrae Bremner (Toronto, Ont.) and Luke Van Rycheghem (Kent Bridge, Ont.) each had singles.

TEAM LEADERS
Hits: 1, Davis (1/4), Hall (1/3), Bremner (1/4), Yerzy (1/2), Van Rycheghem (1/3)
Runs: 1, Hall
RBI: 1, Naylor
Doubles: 1, Yerzy
Strikeouts: 4, Balazovic; 2, Sierra

UP NEXT
The juniors’ will play an inter-squad game tomorrow afternoon (3pm ET) before taking on the Braves again on Monday with the first pitch scheduled for 1pm ET.