U-18 Baseball World Cup: Canada eliminated from medal contention
Photo: Baseball Canada
September 6, 2019
By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
GIJANG, South Korea – Canada’s Junior National Team will not have a chance to compete for a medal at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup after falling to the United States, 10-0 in a contest that was halted after seven innings due to the mercy rule.
The loss puts Canada’s Super Round record at 0-4 with one game remaining against Chinese Taipei (3-1) on Saturday (5 a.m. E.T.).
Canada fell behind early as USA’s Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a triple to left field and scored on a sacrifice fly to centre before three more hits and three errors plated four more runs in the top of the first.
Just one of the five runs was charged to starting pitcher Justin Thorsteinson (Langley, BC) who worked four innings and fanned two while giving up three earned runs as the US built an 8-0 lead with three more runs in the fourth.
USA starting pitcher Ben Hernandez worked all seven innings to earn the shutout victory allowing five hits while striking out seven batters.
Connor O’Halloran (Mississauga, Ont.) tossed three innings of relief and allowed two runs while recording two strikeouts.