Somaia, a Tiger, Tiger burning bright at WBSC qualifier in Slovakia

Raj Somaia (Mississauga, Ont.) had a pair of hits, knocked in a run and pitched three innings without allowing an earned run as Great Britain edged Poland 3-1 at the WBSC

July 3, 2024

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

No wonder Raj Somaia has the nickname Rajah.

He hits line drives like Hall of Famer Rogers (Rajah) Hornsby who played 23 years for the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cubs, New York Giants and Boston Braves.

Somaia, one of two Ontario players with Great Britain at the 12U World Baseball Softball Confederation qualifier, played a large role in Great Britain’s 3-1 win over Poland at Trnava in Slovakia.

Torin Kingsmill Norton (Burlington, Ont.) and Raj Somaia (Mississauga, Ont.)

Torin Kingsmill Norton (Burlington, Ont.) who plays for 11U single-A and Somaia who plays coach Adam Johnston’s triple-A 12U Mississauga North Tigers are both COBA products.

Batting third for GB, SS Somaia (Mississauga, Ont.) had two singles and drove in the third run as 18th ranked GB beat 72nd ranked Poland 3-1 thanks to a pair of runs in the final inning at STU Angels Field.

Six teams are competing in the WBSC B-Pool hoping to earn a spot in next year’s A-Pool, currently underway in Paderborn, Germany.

As well, Somaia also pitched three innings, allowing one unearned run as he permitted one hit and two walks, while striking out eight, thanks to his superb breaking ball to pick up the victory.

Somaia took over in the fourth and struck out CF Kacper Banasiak and 3B Marcin Białka. After RF Jan Nieśmiałek singled, advanced to third on two wild pitches and scored when SS Oskar Gryglak reached on an infield error, Somaia escaped trouble by fanning Szymon Jóźwiak

With the score now 1-1 in the fourth, Somaia struck out C Ignacy Jakubowski and LF Damian Plis before finishing his 1-2-3 inning by getting 1B Teodor Laczny-Thomas on a ground ball.

Somaia singled leading off the scoreless fifth and in the bottom half whiffed 2B Witkor Tur, CF Tymoteusz Dzikołowski and RHP Franciszek Junko.

GB scored twice in the sixth when Wyatt Musil and James Theodorakis reached on errors, producing one run, Somaia collected his second hit of the game — a single to right for a 3-1 lead. He struck out Nieśmiałek for the first out of the sixth and final inning.

Musil took over and kept Poland scoreless -- after a pair of two-out walks -- he fanned the final hitter. As former Montreal Expos broadcaster Dave Van Horne would have described it: “Never in doubt.”

Also, in the tournament are 25th-ranked Belgium, a 10-2 winner over 40th ranked Hungary and 43rd ranked Slovakia and a 17-0 winner over 73rd ranked Romania.

Next up for Great Britain is a game with Slovakia.

Competing internationally is nothing new to the Somaia family. Raj’s older sister, Ria Somaia, was part of the silver medal at last year’s junior Pan Am Games artistic swimming championships at the youth team trial in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. finishing behind Mexico. Ria heads to Peru for the worlds in August.