May 25, 2017

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

SANTIAGO, Dominican Republic – Michael Stovman (Maple Ridge, B.C.) drove in five runs on a pair of doubles to lead the Junior National Team to a 15-2 blowout win over MLB Prospect League.

The Junior National Team’s record now sits at 3-5-1 with three games remaining on the Dominican Summer League tour.

GAME INFORMATION

Score: Canada (U-18) 15 MLB Prospect League 2
Location: Estadio Cibao – Santiago, DR
Weather: 32 degrees Celsius, Sunny

Canada 18U Starting Lineup:

1. Cooper Davis - CF
2. Adam Hall - SS
3. Edouard Julien – 2B
4. Noah Naylor – DH
5. Jason Willow – 3B  
6. Michael Stovman – EH
7. Archer Brookman - C
8. Dondrae Bremner – 1B
9. Rhys Cratty - RF
10. Lucas Parente - LF

Starting Pitcher: RHP Landon Leach

HOW IT HAPPENED

-Noah Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) walked and Jason Willow (Victoria, B.C.) reached on a throwing error to put runners on second and third before Michael Stovman (Maple Ridge, B.C.) stepped to the plate and delivered a double down the left field line that put the juniors in front, 2-0, in the second. With runners now on second and third, Rhys Cratty (Langley, B.C.) grounded out towards the right side to score Stovman, and later in the inning Archer Brookman (Montréal, Que.) was awarded home on a balk call.

-The juniors added to their lead in the third as Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ont.), Edouard Julien (Québec City, Que.) and Naylor reached to load the bases before Jason Willow came through with a sacrifice fly to left field. Later in the frame, Julien scored on a wild pitch.

-The Prospects got a run on the board in the fourth getting back-to-back hits to start the frame before a two-out error allowed a run to score.

-The juniors broke things open in a big way in the fifth with the highlight coming in the form of a Stovman bases loaded double that brought in three runs to give him five RBI on the game. He came around to score after a wild pitch and passed ball, while Brookman scored on a fielder’s choice to make the score 11-1. Before the dust settled, the juniors added two more runs to make it 13-1.

-Griffin Hassall (Newmarket, Ont.) replaced starter Landon Leach (Pickering, Ont.) in the fifth and recorded two ground outs before three singles put a run across for the prospects.

-With bases loaded in the eighth, Cratty roped a one hopper off the wall in right that scored two.

JNT HIGHLIGHTS

-Stovman’s five RBI is a game-high for the Junior National Team this week.

-Starter Landon Leach worked four innings and did not allow an earned run, while registering two strikeouts.

-Reliever Griffin Hassall was equally as effective giving up one run on four hits and one strikeout over five innings.

-Estadio Cibao in Santiago is home to the Aguilas Cibañas of the Dominican Winter League who have an alumni list that includes Miguel Tejada, Tony Pena, Jose Lima and Melky Cabrera.

TEAM LEADERS

Hits: 2, Stovman (2/3), Davis (2/4); 1, Hall (1/5), Naylor (1/5), Willow (1/5), Brookman (1/4), Cratty (1/3), Parente (1/3)
Runs: 3, Willow; 2, Naylor, Stovman, Brookman; 1, Davis, Hall, Julien, Palmegiani, Bremner, Parente
Doubles: 2, Stovman
RBIs: 5, Stovman; 3, Cratty; 1, Hall, Julien, Parente, Willow
Stolen Bases: 1, Davis, Hall, Naylor
Strikeouts: 4, Hassall; 2, Leach

UP NEXT

The juniors will travel to Guerra tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 10:30 a.m. E.T. against the DSL Rays followed by a 2:30 p.m. E.T. contest against the DSL Dodgers...LHP Jack DeCooman (North Vancouver, B.C.) is the scheduled starting pitcher against the Rays, while LHP Harley Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) goes against the Dodgers...You can get live updates by following @Team_C_Updates on Twitter.