Okotoks Dawgs Academy OF-LHP Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) pitched two innings and had a two-run double to help Team Black to a 3-3 tie with Team Red at the Canadian Futures Showcase on Wednesday night. Photo: Toronto Blue Jays Academy/Twitter

September 18, 2024

By Christian Larsen

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO - Landon Kauffman (Vancouver, B.C.) slugged a two-run double and pitched two scoreless innings for Team Black to bring the night game against Team Red to a 3-3 draw at the Canadian Futures Showcase at the Rogers Centre on Wednesday.

The University of Portland commit started the game at right field, going 1-for-3 at the plate before pitching the two final innings in relief.

“Glad I could do a good job on both sides of the ball today,” said Kauffman, who was chosen as player of the game. “I found out an hour and a half before the game that I was pitching. That was pretty exciting.”

The two-way player was not deterred on the mound, striking out the first three batters he faced in the sixth inning.

“That is pretty much the role I play every time I am out there with my academy,” he said.

It was a back-and-forth game from the beginning, with both sides trading leads.

Cameron Dubé (Cambridge, Ont.) put Team Red on the board with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, driving in Ethan Pittman (Fort McMurray, Alta.), who reached base on an infield single before advancing to scoring position on a throwing error in the same play.

William Labonté (Okotoks, Alta.) started on the mound and tossed two scoreless innings before allowing two runs on two hits in the third, giving Team Black a 2-1 lead. The Arizona State commit struck out six hitters on 54 pitches.

Team Red quickly fought back in the bottom half. Kason Siguenza (Abbotsford, B.C.) led off with an infield single and Finn Hoeschen (North Vancouver, B.C.) doubled to right, setting up an RBI ground out from Evan Dugbale (Maple Ridge, B.C.) to tie the game at two apiece.

With runners in scoring position in the fourth, Maxine Boies (Levis, Que.) drove in Team Black’s third run with an RBI ground out.

Kyu Lumsdon (Langley, B.C.) started the game for Team Black, striking out four hitters on 52 pitches. The 6-foot-3 right-hander allowed one earned run on four hits.

Jack McCauley (Alliston, Ont.) and Mark Rogers (Cambridge, Ont.) both worked in relief for Team Red, with Rogers striking out four hitters on 30 pitches. The left-hander allowed just one hit over two innings.