JNT Fall Instructional League: Diodati homers in loss to Stetson
Great Lake Canadians standout Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) homered for the Junior National Team in their game against Stetson University on Sunday. The game was part of the JNT’s Fall Instructional League schedule. Photo Credit: Baseball Canada
By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
DELAND, Florida – The Junior National Team opened the annual Fall Instructional League Camp with a 20-1 loss to Stetson University at Melching Stadium on Sunday.
Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, ON) accounted for the only Junior National Team run of the ballgame with a solo home run in the eighth inning.
SCORING
-The Hatters struck for three runs in the home half of the first inning loading the bases on an error, double and walk before a free pass issued by starter Justin Thorsteinson (Langley, BC) brought in the first run of the game while a fielder’s choice and RBI ground out accounted for the other two.
-In the third, a leadoff double came around to count on a single to left field before a double brought in another run to put the Hatters up by five.
-Noah Lalonde (Toronto, Ont.) took over for Thorsteinson in the fourth and ran into trouble issuing a pair of walks and a hit batter while the Hatters used a pair of doubles to go up by nine.
-In the seventh, with the Hatters up 16-0, a grand slam off reliever Viktor Bergeron (Terrebonne, Que.) gave them a 20-run lead.
- Diodati provided the lone bright spot on offence for the Junior National Team in the eighth belting a solo home run over the fence in right field.
QUICK HITS
-Diodati’s home run was one of four Junior National Team hits on the afternoon with Dasan Brown (Oakville, Ont.), Micah McDowell (Coldbrook, N.S.) and J-C Masson (Lévis, Que.) collecting the others.
-Masson added a pair of stolen bases
UP NEXT
The Junior National Team will face a prospects squad from the Atlanta Braves’ organization on Monday at Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista (1PM ET)…LHP Keegan Pulford-Thorpe (Newmarket, ON) is expected to start on the mound.