Davis, Keyes, Yerzy go deep, Balazovic, Abram impress on mound

OF Clayton Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) hit a three-run homer over the batter's eye in centre field at the Bobby Mattick training center in Dunedin as the Canadian Junior National Team beat the Toronto Blue Jays extended spring team 9-4. Photos: Eddie Michels.

JNT Extended Spring: Power surge leads juniors over Jays

April 20th, 2016
By Adam Morissette
DUNEDIN, Fla. – Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.), Clayton Keyes (Calgary, Alta.) and Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) each homered while Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) and Ben Abram (Georgetown, Ont.) combined for seven scoreless innings on the mound as the Junior National Team won their first game of extended spring training by a score of 9-4 over the Toronto Blue Jays extended spring roster.

GAME INFORMATION
Event: Extended Spring Training
Score: Canada (U18) 9 Toronto Blue Jays 4
Location: Bobby Mattick Complex – Dunedin, Fla.

Canada U18 Starting Lineup:
1. Cooper Davis – CF
2. Adam Hall - SS
3. Noah Naylor – 3B
4. Andrew Yerzy – EH
5. Luke Van Rycheghem - DH
6. Clayton Keyes - EH
7. Dondrae Bremner - EH
8. Jason Willow – 2B
9. Michael Stovman – 1B
10. Isaac Deveaux – LF
11. Tyler Duncan - RF

Starting Pitcher: RHP Jordan Balazovic

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The juniors jumped out in front scoring three runs in the top of the second that saw Andrew Yerzy lead off the frame with a solo homer before Keyes and Dondrae Bremner (Toronto, Ont.) walked and singled, respectively and came around to score on a Jason Willow (Victoria, BC) sacrifice fly and a Michael Stovman (Maple Ridge, BC) RBI single.

- It was Luke Van Rycheghem (Kent Bridge, Ont.) who came up clutch in the fourth as his two out, two run single put the juniors up by five. Adam Hall (London, Ont.) and Noah Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) had both hit one out back-to-back singles.

Davis goes deep ...

- In the sixth, Davis joined the home run parade as he belted a solo shot with one out in the inning and Keyes came up with a three run blast in the seventh to put the juniors in front, 9-0.

- The Jays made three interesting in the ninth as they used three consecutive singles off reliever William Sierra (Montréal, Que.) to plate their first run of the game before a three run homer by former Ontario Terriers INF Mattingly Romanin (Burlington, Ont.) brought them to within five of the lead.

JNT HIGHLIGHTS
- JNT starter Balazovic was tremendous over four innings of work, as he did not allow a run or a hit and struck out six batters.

- Reliever Abram picked up right where Balazovic left off as he spun three scoreless frames, scattering three hits, while fanning one batter.

- The three home runs highlighted the juniors’ 14-hit attack that saw five different batters record multi-hit games including Davis, Naylor, Yerzy, Bremner and Stovman.

TEAM LEADERS
Hits: 2, Davis (2/4), Naylor (2/3), Yerzy (2/3), Bremner (2/4), Stovman (2/3); 1, Hall (1/4), Van Rycheghem (1/3), Keyes (1/2), Julien (1/3)
Runs: 2, Naylor, Yerzy, Keyes; 1, Davis, Hall, Bremner
Doubles: 1, Naylor, Stovman
Home Runs: 1, Davis, Keyes, Yerzy
RBI: 3, Keyes; 2, Van Rycheghem; 1, Davis, Yerzy, Willow, Stovman
Stolen Bases: 1, Keyes
Strikeouts: 6, Balazovic; 2, Sierra; 1, Abram

UP NEXT
The extended spring training camp returns to ESPN Wide World of Sports Thursday when the juniors take on a prospects squad from the Houston Astros organization at 1pm ET … LHP Jack DeCooman (North Vancouver, BC) is scheduled to start on the mound.

Yerzy gets congratulations as he returns to the dugout after his homer.

Score By Innings    123 456 789
Canada Disney Spring 16 030 201 300
Blue Jays               000 000 004
Canada Junior National Team 16 9, Blue Jays Extended Spring 4                                    
Junior National Team
                                      AB   R   H   RBI
Cooper Davis cf                   4    1    2    1
Adam Hall ss                      4    1    1    0
Noah Naylor 3b-xh1                3    2    2    0
Andrew Yerzy c                    3    2    2    1    
Luke Van Rycheghem dh             3    0    1    2
Clayton Keyes xh2                 2    2    1    3    
Dondrae Bremner xh1-3b            4    1    2    0
Jason Willow 2b                   3    0    0    1    
Michael Stovman 1b                3    0    2    1
Isaac Deveaux lf                  3    0    0    0
Tyler Duncan rf                   3    0    0    0                                                       
(t3) Edouard Julien ph            3    0    1    0                                                       
Jordan Balazovic p                0    0    0    0                                                       
Ben Abram p                       0    0    0    0                                                       
William Sierra p                  0    0    0    0                                                       
TEAM TOTALS                       38    9    14    9

E: Noah Naylor(2), Michael Stovman(2), Cooper Davis, Jason Willow, Second, Short. DP: Canada Disney Spring 16 1, Blue Jays  1. LOB: Blue Jays  9, Canada Disney Spring 16. 9. 2B: Noah Naylor, Michael Stovman. HR: Cooper Davis, Andrew Yerzy, Clayton Keyes. SB: Clayton Keyes. CS: Dondrae Bremner, Short, First. SF: Jason Willow.       

                             
Canada Disney Spring 16 IP      H     R    ER    BB    SO        
Jordan Balazovic         4    0    0    0    3    6        
Ben Abram               3    3    0    0    0    1        
William Sierra           2    5    4    3    0    2        
Pitcher                               8.67    14    9    9    4    8        
HBP: Andrew Yerzy,.                                    
T: 3:00.