U.S. downs JNT in first game of Friendship Series
Photo: Baseball Canada
September 3, 2021
Baseball Canada
SARASOTA, Florida – A five-run first inning was too much to overcome for the Junior National Team as Team USA took game one of the seven-game series, 14-2 at Ed Smith Stadium.
Canada starter Micah Bucknam (Abbotsford, BC) ran into control issues in the first as he walked four while a pair of two-run doubles did most of the damage.
Bucknam came back strong in the second facing the minimum three batters with one strikeout and was aided by a Cameron Gurney (Scotland, Ont.) throw down to second that went for a caught stealing.
Bucknam’s luck ran out in the third as a two-out, three-run homer off the bat of Blake Mitchell ended his outing.
Boston Warkentin (Delta, BC) tossed 3 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run and struck out six while Anson McGorman (Parksville, BC) tossed a scoreless seventh inning before allowing three earned runs in the eighth.
Offensively, Canada was led by Cameron Chee-Aloy (Toronto, Ont.) and Jacob Miller (Oshawa, Ont.) who had two hits apiece with Miller collecting an RBI double in the fourth.
Canada’s first run of the ballgame came in the second inning when Sam White (Aurora, Ont.) drilled a one-out double to centre field and later scored from third when Louka Daoust (Repentigny, Que.) grounded out.
NOTES:
Both squads will be back at it for the game of the series Saturday at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. E.T.
All seven games of the Friendship Series are being streamed live on USA Baseball’s Facebook page: facebook.com/usabaseball