Cote, Goodacre spark Team Red to win, Duncan shines in loss
Langley Blaze left-hander Sean Duncan (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) fires the first pitch of the game for Team Navy in their game against Team Red at the Canadian Futures Showcase on Wednesday at Rogers Centre. Duncan threw three no-hit innings and struck out six batters, but Team Red eventually won the game 3-2. Photo: Zulfi Sheikh/Centennial College.
September 20, 2023
By Daniel Ramos
Centennial Sports Journalism
TORONTO, Ont. -- Leo Cote (Sainte-Catherine-De Hatley, Que.) smacked a two-run double in the top of the sixth inning to lead Team Red to a 3-2 victory over Team Navy, in the Canadian Futures Showcase, on Wednesday afternoon.
Cote’s double to right field scored Tristan DesRochers (Barrie, Ont.) and Dante Smith (Ajax, Ont.) for the game-winning runs.
“Hitting the ball in the moment, the feeling was amazing,” said Cote after the game. “Going around the bases, you feel good, realizing that I’m giving myself the chance to prove to my team that I can be a leader.”
Another standout showing for Team Red came from right-hander Ben Goodacre (Ancaster, Ont.). He finished with 37 pitches, five strikeouts, zero walks, and no hits in two innings pitched.
“I think my composure this game was really good,” he said. “I've been trying to work on that all year, so just really putting it together and staying calm helped me do the best I could.”
On the other side, left-handed pitcher Sean Duncan had an inspiring performance for Team Navy and won player of the game, despite the loss.
The six-foot-two hurler from Port Coquitlam, B.C. threw 44 pitches, six strikeouts, no hits, and one walk in three innings for his first start of the tournament.
“It was just about attacking the zone on the first pitch,” Duncan said. “Getting ahead in the counts, you know, you get to be more relaxed, use your other pitches and just battle a little harder.”
Also contributing for Navy in the bottom of the fourth, Quinn Carson (Oakville, Ont.) was walked by Sawyer Jansen (Wheatland County, Alta.), stole second, and then scored on a line drive single to centre field by Logan Cummins (Mississauga, Ont.).
Jordan Jacob (Aurora, Ont.) was also walked in the same inning, and then after back-to-back balks, advanced to third base, where he then stole home to give Navy a short-lived 1-0 lead.