2016 Junior Men’s Softball World Championship Day 5 Game Summary

2016 Junior Men’s Softball World Championship Day 5 Game Summary
29/07/2016

Today the playoffs began. The top four teams from the two pools advanced to a double-page playoff system. The flight to a medal at this edition of the youth men’s world championship ended for two teams though. But six nations six remain alive in medal contention. In the placement round, four nations still remain in competition to determine their final standing.

Today the playoffs began. The top four teams from the two pools advanced to a double-page playoff system. The flight to a medal at this edition of the youth men’s world championship ended for two teams though.  But six nations six remain alive in medal contention.  In the placement round, four nations still remain in competition to determine their final standing.


CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND


Mexico vs. Australia
1-5
Box Score

Australia defeated Mexico to continue their quest for a gold medal. The loss caused Mexico to exit the tournament.

Josh McGovern had two triples and drove in three runs as the Junior Steelers won 5-1 in the first elimination round.

The Australians got it done with the bats and ball with some timely hitting and two pitchers who did not allow an earned run.

Australia scored first when Jett Wright led off the second inning with a triple and came home on a wild pitch.

Mexico then tied it up with an unearned run in the top of the third. Carlos Eduardo Menchaca led the inning off with a hard hit ball to left field. After advancing to scoring position from a single by Miguel Angel Reyes, Menchaca scored off a Jorge Alberto Martinez single into left.

The Junior Steelers took the lead in the bottom of the third after Nicholas Moore walked, Cleary singled and McGovern drove in two with his first triple to make the score 3-1.

From that moment they were never headed thanks to strong pitching. Starter Chris Gillies allowed three hits and an unearned run in 2.1 innings, striking out four and walking two. Shaun Lanaghan gave up just one hit while striking out eight and walking none in his 4.2 innings of relief.

Blake Jackson led off the fifth inning with a single, was sacrificed to second and stole third. As it turned out, the bunt and steal weren’t needed as Jackson scored on McGovern’s second triple of the game.

With the lead securely in place, Australia still did not let up. In the sixth inning, Adam Talarico and Blake Bell singled, with Talarico scoring on a wild pitch to give his team a 5-1 lead.

Any chance of a late Mexican comeback was erased by Lanaghan, who pitched a three-up-three-down final inning.

Win: Christopher Gillies
Loss: Miguel Angel Reyes Olivares

Next Up
Mexico has finished the world championship
Australia: Friday at 12:00pm vs. Argentina


Czech Republic vs. Canada
1-2
Box Score

Canada stayed alive in the Junior Men’s World Championship with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic. Tyler Randerson was sensational in the pitcher’s circle, allowing only one unearned runs on two hits with 16 strikeouts, while Alexandre Lemieux registered the game-winning two-run single in the bottom of the fifth.

The game was a pitcher’s duel right from the start, as Randerson and Michal Holobradek went pitch for pitch over the first few innings. Both of them retired the side in order in the first, with Randerson hitting a batter in the second but catcher Derek Hyde threw him out at second on a steal attempt to end the inning.

Canada got a one-out walk by Daniel Godbout in the bottom of the second, but the next two batters struck out.

In the third, the Czech Republic got a leadoff single but Milan Sulc was thrown out by left fielder Lemieux trying to stretch the hit into a double and Randerson followed that up by striking out the next two batters. In the bottom of the frame, Isaac Lefebvre earned a one-out walk followed by a single by Jake Wiffen on a hit-and-run that pulled the shortstop over to the bag. Wiffen stole second before Avery Arsenault dropped a great bunt for a single to load the bases with one out. However, a fielder’s choice on a chopper to third retired Lefebvre at home, and the next batter struck out as Canada came away with nothing.

The Czech Republic manufactured a run by taking advantage of some miscues to open the scoring in the top half of the fourth and lead the game at 1-0. Dominik Cech singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and to third on an error at second base before scoring on a ground ball with a tough hop at second base. Canada bounced back by striking out the next three batters that left two Czechs in scoring position.

Canada went down in order in the bottom of the fourth as did the Czech Republic in the fifth before Canada fought back. Hyde led off with a triple to right and Wiffen reached on a fielder’s choice when the third baseman tried to tag Hyde at third. Wiffen stole second before Lemieux hit a two-out, two-run single up the middle to give Canada the 2-1 lead.

Randerson struck out two and got a fly out to left in the top of the sixth, with Canada getting a leadoff single by Godbout in the bottom of the frame but could not move him any further. Randerson closed out the game by striking out the side for the third time in the game in the top of the seventh to seal the win.

Win: Tyler Randerson
Loss: Michal Holobradek

Next Up
Czech Republic has finished the world championship
Canada: Friday at 2:30pm vs. United States


New Zealand vs. Argentina
3-2
Box Score

Argentina, who went undefeated in pool play, wasn’t able to overcome the big hole they dug themselves into against New Zealand and lost 3-2. By finishing in the top two of their pools, each team stays alive and will play again tomorrow, remaining in medal contention.

New Zealand started the scoring early by sending two runs home in the first inning. Jarome McKenzie lead the inning off with a walk and was sent home by a single to center by Jacob Zurcher. Another single by Callum Bishop and a defensive error allowed Zurcher to bring the score to 2-0.

Things quieted down as next score did not come until the sixth. Harrison Valk stepped up the plate in the top of the inning to hit a solo homer to center for the 3-0 lead.

But Argentina got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Pablo Isa hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Gian Scialacomo for a 2-1 deficit for Argentina.

With their backs to the wall, Argentina could only come up with one run in the seventh. Juan Platner hit a hard ground ball to the second baseman allowing Juan Ojeda to score. But a ground out and a strike out ended the game in favor of New Zealand.

Win: Daniel Chapman
Loss: Julian Fernandez

Next Up
New Zealand: Friday at 5:00pm vs. Japan
Argentina: Friday at 12:00pm vs. Australia


United States vs. Japan
2-5
Box Score

Japan defeated USA 5-2 to continue their unbeaten streak. By finishing in the top two of their pools, each team stays alive and will play again tomorrow, remaining in medal contention.

USA’s Bryce DuCharme began the game with a leadoff walk but a double play by Japan sent both DuCharme and Derek Martin back to the USA dugout. Martin returned to the field as a courtesy runner for Peyton Hall who reached base on balls, but did not advance as a groundout by Isaac Hormann would end the inning. Starting pitcher Zane Chason issued two-straight strikeouts and Hormann caught a fly out to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.

Despite Justin Perez recording the game’s first hit on a single to center field, the U.S. would leave him stranded at third following a groundout by Brogan Potter, strikeout by Jeff Lewis, and fly out by Jonathan Broadbear.

A second-inning outburst by Japan’s offense led them to score first in the second inning and go up 5-0 early on. After a walk, a single hit, and an error made by Derek Martin, Japan’s Kazumasa Shirabe doubled to center field to tack on two runs and give Japan the lead. With runners on second and third, Chason walked the next batter, loading the bases for Japan and prompting a pitching change by the U.S. D. Martin switched from his third base position to the mound and delivered a strikeout to the next batter he faced.  With one out and the bases loaded, Japan’s Sho Ashida capitalized on the opportunity and hit a triple to left field, extending their lead to 5-0. Japan’s next batter bunted and would reach on a fielder’s choice after a play at home stopped Japan from scoring a sixth run. With two outs, D. Martin issued a strikeout to end the inning.

After DuCharme’s leadoff walk and a single by Hall in the third, the USA threatened to strike back with a few runs of their own but was kept from scoring after D. Martin was caught at second stealing. A 1-2-3 inning in the fourth saw a fly out to left field by Hormann, and back-to-back strikeouts by Perez and Potter.

Jeff Lewis would lead off the fifth with a single but both him and Steven Nessler would be left on base, keeping the score at 5-0. Two consecutive fly outs by D. Martin and Hall in addition to a groundout by Hormann would end the USA’s at-bat in the sixth inning.

The U.S. tried to battle back in the seventh but was unable to earn enough runs. Two-straight walks by Matt Martin and Lewis put the USA on base. With one out, both runners advanced to second and third on a single to left field by Broadbear. M. Martin would cross home on the play and record USA’s first run of the game. An infield fly out by Nessler marked the second out of the inning. With two outs and one baserunner, DuCharme hit an RBI single to plate Kelly Fagan-Beam. However, it was not enough as Japan recorded their last strikeout and secured their win over the U.S.

Win: Fuga Nagai
Loss: Zane Chason

Next Up
United States: Friday at 2:30pm vs. Canada
Japan: Friday at 5:00pm vs. New Zealand



PLACEMENT ROUND


Israel vs. Botswana
0-3
Box Score

Win: Samuel Kunyalala
Loss: Seth Ross

Next Up
Israel: Friday at 6:00pm vs. Denmark
Botswana: Saturday at 4:00pm vs. South Africa


Denmark vs. South Africa
0-1
Box Score

Win: Kwena Nkune
Loss: Alexander Gordy Lorentsen

Next Up
Denmark: Friday at 6:00pm vs. Israel
South Africa: Saturday at 4:00pm vs. Botswana