Nicholson, DeCooman, Smith fan 14 Phillies in loss

Garrett Nicholson (Sydney Mines, NS) struck out seven in three innings. 

March 29th, 2017

JNT Spring Training: Pitchers strikeout 14 in loss to Phillies

By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A five run first inning was too much for the Junior National Team to overcome as a group of prospects from the Philadelphia Phillies organization scored a 13-4 win at the Walter Fuller Complex.

Pitchers Jack DeCooman (North Vancouver, BC), Garrett Nicholson (Sydney Mines, NS) and Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) combined to strikeout 14 Phillies batters.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Philadelphia Phillies 13 Canada (U-18) 4
Location: Walter Fuller Complex – St. Petersburg, Fla
Weather: 27 degrees Celsius, Sunny

Canada 18U Starting Lineup:
1. Cooper Davis - CF
2. Adam Hall – SS
3. Noah Naylor - DH
4. Clayton Keyes - RF
5. Edouard Julien – 2B
6. Jason Willow – 3B
7. Dondrae Bremner – DH
8. Archer Brookman – EH
9. Damiano Palmegiani – 1B
10. Victor Cerny - C
11. Rhys Cratty - LF

Starting Pitcher: LHP Jack DeCooman

HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Phillies jumped on starter Jack DeCooman (North Vancouver, BC) in the top of the first as the first five hitters recorded hits including a three-run homer to left off the bat of cleanup hitter, Brett Pickett.

- A walk and base hit with one out in the top of the fourth came around to score after a pair of Junior National Team outfielders with reliever Garrett Nicholson (Sydney Mines, NS) on the mound. A fly ball to right brought in the third Phillies run of the frame and they increased their lead to 8-0.

- The juniors got on the scoreboard with three runs in the bottom of the fifth starting when Rhys Cratty (Langley, BC) doubled to the gap in left to score Archer Brookman (Montréal, QC). Cooper Davis (Mississauga, Ontt.) reached on a fielder’s choice that brought in Victor Cerny (Winnipeg, MB) before Adam Hall (London, Ont.) lifted a sac-fly to left to score Cratty.

- Walks to two of the first three batters faced by Nicholson put runners on first and second in the sixth before a two out RBI single to right to put the Phillies in front by six.

- The Phillies added four runs in the eighth on five hits and walk to go up 13-3. A lead off triple that got over Davis’ head in centre scored immediately after a base-hit with a drawn in infield. Three singles and walk ensued leading to the other three runs scoring.

- Edouard Julien (Québec, Que.) led off the bottom of the ninth with a double and scored from third on Brookman’s two-out double down the left field line.

JNT HIGHLIGHTS
- After a rough first inning that saw the Phillies score five runs, starter DeCooman settled in for the second and third frames facing the minimum six batters that included three of his five strikeouts on the afternoon.

- Reliever Nicholson faced a similar fate to DeCooman as he was on the mound for three runs in the fourth before settling in for a scoreless fifth. He ended his three-inning outing with seven strikeouts.

- Davis reached in all four of his plate appearances as part of a 2-for-3 day at the plate.

- Longtime National Team Manager Ernie Whitt and former Olympian Rob Ducey (Cambridge, Ont.), both members of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, made the trip over from the Phillies spring training complex in Clearwater. Whitt is the Phillies’ roving catching instructor, while Ducey is the hitting coach for the Clearwater Threshers of the Florida State League.

- Also part of the Phillies’ travelling party was Ben Pelletier (Varennes, Qué.) Pelletier signed with the Phils after Canadian scout Alex Agostino (Montréal, Que.) selected him in the 34th round of the 2015 MLB Draft.

TEAM LEADERS
Hits: 2, Cratty, Davis; 1, Naylor, Willow, Palmegiani, Julien, Brookman
Runs: 1, Brookman, Cerny, Cratty, Julien
Doubles: 1, Willow, Cratty, Julien, Brookman
RBI: 1, Cratty, Hall, Brookman
Stolen Bases: 2, Davis
Strikeouts: 7, Nicholson; 5, DeCooman; 2, Smith

UP NEXT
The Junior National Team will return to the Walter Fuller Complex in St. Petersburg tomorrow to take on a visiting prospects squad from the Toronto Blue Jays organization with the first pitch set for 1pm ET … LHP Harley Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) will start on the mound for Canada … Listen live to all of the action on radiostpete.com!