Derek Mayson hit a 3-run home run to support a 2-hit, 10-strikeouts performance by ace Sean Cleary to give Canada a key victory over Australia, 4-1, and remain undefeated in Group B after three games. Svoboda Park in Prague was the stage of one of the most expected games of the group’s stage.
Folkard retired in line the first nine batters faced, but in the four-inning surrendered the first three runs of the game, that proved to be the difference in the game. Mathieu Roy and Brad Ezekiel hit back-to-back singles to open the inning, and Derek Mayson found a riser in the middle of the zone to belt a 3-run shot to center field to grab the lead. Folkard was replaced in the fifth by Andrew Kirkpatrick, allowing 3 hits, 3 runs with 6 Ks and 1 walk.
Canada added one more in the bottom of the fifth. Keis Walushka singled with one out, and then Brad Ezekiel plated him with a double to left center field.
In the top of sixth Australia put one run on the board with a no-doubter off the bat of Liam O’Leary.
Sean Cleary went the distance with 102 pitches, he allowed only 2 hits and 1 run, struck out 10 and walked 2.
Canada shares the lead in Group B with Venezuela, with a perfect record. Tomorrow the North American team play USA, in a new edition of the oldest softball classic in the world. Australia dropped to a 2-1 record and will take on Denmark.
BOXSCORE
USA KOs South Africa
United States will sleep tonight with a positive record in Group B after a solid win, 8-1, over South Africa in five innings. The North American used two big innings to put the game safely out of reach.
The only run for South Africa was a solo home run by designated player Mogau Thupudi to left field.
BOXSCORE
Japan comes from behind against Czech Republic and remains undefeted
Japan beat today host Czech Republic, 4-3, at Hippos Arena, in Havlickuv Brod, and remains the only team undefeated in Group A of the WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship. The host team took an early lead in the first inning, but Japan recovered and ended with the win.
Head coach Tomoaki Okamoto gave the ball to Hayami Takahashi to start the game, but he had a rough outing and lasted only 0.1 inning in the circle. Vaclav Svoboda connected the first pitch of the game trough the middle for a single, and then Patrik Kolkus and David Mertl drew back to back walks to load the bases. A catcher inteference produced the first run of the game, and one out later Michal Koluch singled to right center to plate two more runs.
Two way player Hikaru Matsuda entered the game in relief, and ended the inning with a grounder and a strikeout. The right hander would claim the win pitching 6.2 innings with 12 strikeouts, no hits nor walks.
Matsuda also produced the first run of the game for his team, in the bottom of the first inning, with an RBI single. Japan added one run in the second, and fourth to tie the game, and took the lead in the fifth with a single by Taiyo Kataoka to plate pinch runner Seii Kuroiwa.
BOXSCORE
