Canada 6-1 Mexico: McKay’s home run, four RBIs seals seventh spot for Canada

A Mason McKay homer in the top of the third led Canada to victory against Mexico 6-1 on Friday and confirmed a seventh place finish at the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup in Colquhoun Park in Palmerston North in New Zealand.

The game was scoreless until McKay hit deep over right centre field to score Ryan Bicknell and himself before McKay sealed the deal in the seventh inning. With the score 2-1, McKay, who turns 18 on Monday, batted in Jack Becker and Andrew Van Boekel before Ryan Bicknell also hit two RBIs to confirm the 6-1 win.

Having finished outside of the top four only once in all previous editions, the nine-time medallists' seventh place equals their worst finish in this age group (in 2014).

Canadian pitcher Reese Yantzi, who threw the whole game, edged Mexican counterpart Humberto Valdez (9 SO) with 10 strikeouts.

After two scoreless innings, the action definitely started when Bicknell reached on a walk in the top of the third, before next batter McKay sent the ball to deep right centre field for a home run, giving Canada a two-run lead.

Mexico scored its first run in the bottom of the sixth inning, on an RBI single by Jesus Rivera to plate Khristian Ramirez, to cut the lead of Canada to 2-1. With two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Mexico’s fate to snatch the lead from Canada depended on Joel Castro’s hands, but he hit a fly ball to center field to end the inning.

Canada had four runs in the seventh inning as Becker and pinch hitter Van Boekel scored on McKay's single up the middle. The good run continued with Bicknell and McKay scoring the last two runs off Joey Rousseau’s triple to deep right centre to secure the 6-1 win.

With Mexico now second in the group with a 3:1 loss record, Canada (4:0) can't be overtaken at the top of the Placement Round with one game remaining on Saturday against Denmark (0:4), hence confirming the seventh place finish.