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Canada 8-6 United States: Pegelo’s walk-off home run drives Canadian victory

Canada 8-6 United States: Pegelo’s walk-off home run drives Canadian victory
27/02/2020
Canada eluded the United States in the seventh inning with a two-run walk-off home run to win 8-6 at the U18 Men's Softball World Cup.

Jackson Pegelo’s swing to the deep right field gave a two-run walk-off home run that allowed Canada to defeat the United States 8-6 in their tight contest at the Placement Round of the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup at Colquhoun Park in Palmerston North City, New Zealand.

Pegelo finished the match with two runs while Owen Rahn fired three RBIs on top of two runs. Canadian pitchers Brody Fraser and Connor Brooks combined for eight strikeouts, pitching 3 and 2.2 innings respectively, but the winner was Reese Yantzi, in 1.1 relief innings. On the United States side, Eli Rivas hit two RBIs while Joshua Eurich pitched 3.2 innings (3 H, 3 R, 2 SO) and was charged with the loss.

The main heroes of the Canadian triumph were Yantzi from the circle as he contained the USA batters in the seventh, and Pegelo with the bat as he hit the game-clinching homer in the seventh inning.

USA’s Chase Thomson started the ball rolling in the first inning with an RBI single to the right side, plating Ponce to score the first run, then Joshua Pernetti added another run on a wild pitch to put USA on top 2-0. However, the Canadians earned the equaliser from Owen Rahn and Tyler Brandchaud.

Canada carried on their momentum to the third inning after Rahn hit a homer down to the right field, allowing Pegelo and Jack Becker to score for a 5-2 edge, but USA responded in the top of the fourth inning with clutch hitting from Parker Hopkins (triple), Klayton Kilpatrick (single) and Eli Rivas (triple), collecting four RBIs to shift the momentum back to the USA side. Canada countered with an inside the park homer to the right centre to tie the score at 6-6.

After a scoreless fifth and sixth innings, Yantzi’s entry to the field set up Canada to toughen up on their defence against USA, before Pegelo’s homer sealed the deal for the 8-6 victory.