TORONTO 2015 Softball Pan American Softball Confederation Daily Newsletter July 14, 2015
Canada still on top
Toronto, July 14, 2015. The third day of the Pan American Softball competition was played yesterday under an intense heat in the afternoon in Toronto. Venezuela, Mexico and Canada won their games against the United States, Dominican Republic and Argentina respectively, and ranked in the top three spots of the table.
Canada 9-3 Argentina Canada took a great victory last night putting the local team it in the best position to take the first place in the round robin. The world champion beat Argentina by 9-3, with a good offensive show. The Canadian team exploded in the fifth inning with six runs, to claim the victory. In the first inning both teams used the long hitting to score. Canada started the game with a single by
Mathieu Roy, before Jeff Ellsworth connect a long home run to left field. However, at the bottom of that same episode Huemul Mata discounted with a solo homer, leaving the score by the minimum difference. In the bottom of the fourth, Argentina took the lead on the scoreboard. Mata began with a single, and Bruno Motroni took advantage of an error by Dereck Mayson to get on base. Juan Zara sacrificed to advance the runers, and Manuel Godoy hit a fly ball to right field to plate the tying run. With two outs, Gustavo Godoy hit a clutch RBI single to make it 3-2 for Argentina. But Canada reacted in the fifth inning, and exploded offensively for six runs. The tying run came thanks to an RBI single by Kevin Schellenberg;
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then Mathieu Roy followed with another single, and that was all for Sebastian Gervasutti, who started the game for Argentine and was charged with the loss (4 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 K). Huemul Mata entered in relief, but he was touched heavily by Canadian bats. Brad Ezekiel advanced the runners with a fly to right, and Ellsworth was intentionally walked to load the bases. However, Stephen Mullaley drove in two runs with a single to left, while Andy Skelton came with a single to center. The string of hits continued with a 2-RBI double by Derek Mayson. That was the end of the performance for Mata, who was replaced by Juan Potolichio, who hit Brandon Horn, but retired Ryan Boland and Schellenberg to finally end the inning. The last run of the game came in the sixth inning with an RBI triple by Mullaley to bring the ninth Canadian run. The winner of the match was Sean Cleary, who pitched the entire game and allowed 5 hits and 3 runs, with 11 strikeouts, without giving free tickets. With this score, Canada remains at the top of the table with three wins in the same number of presentations, while Argentina has record of one and two.
Mexico 4-2 Dominican Republic Mexico got yesterday his second win of the tournament, beating Dominican Republic 4-2 in a tough game, where the two teams could take victory. The first half of the match was marked by the work of the two pitchers, Samuel Villalvazo by Mexico, and Yennier Volquez by Dominican Republic. Both hurlers threw brilliantly during the first four innings of the game, keeping the zero on the scoreboard. But when it seemed that the match were going to a typical pitching duel, in the fifth innings came the runs that opened the game. Marco Gonzalez opened Mexican fifth attack with a triple to center and scored shortly after thanks to an RBI double by Jorge Rios, with no outs. Gustavo Prishker struck out, and Alan Salgado died with a fly to first baseman. However, an RBI single by Ismael Peña gave his team another run. An inning later, Edgar Lopez hit a violent line to right to get arrive to second base, and scored after the single by Erick Ochoa, putting the 3-0 on the board. Meanwhile, Villalvazo was in command of the game, and the Mexican pitcher seemed to take everything under control. But in the sixth inning the Dominican team returned to the game and had an excellent chance to turn the scoreboard. Pablo Figuereo singled, and Sergio La Hoz received a base
What you need to know Standings G
W
L
RF RA
Canadá
3
3
0
22
10
Venezuela
3
2
1
8
5
Mexico
3
2
1
14
15
USA
3
1
2
13
6
Argentina
3
1
2
9
14
Dominicana
3
0
3
3
19
Yesterday’s
scores
Venezuela 3 - 1 USA WP: Ramon Jones (2-0) LP: Josh Johnson (0-1)
Mexico 4 - 2 Dominican R. WP: Samuel Villalvazo (2-0) LP: Yennier Volquez (0-2)
Canada 9 - 3 Argentina WP: Sean Cleary (2-0) LP: Sebastian Gervasutti (0-1)
Games Schedules 14.00 hs.- MEX vs VEN 16.30 hs. - USA vs ARG 19.00 hs. - DOM vs CAN
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on balls, which marked the change of the starter. Villalvazo was replaced by José Naranjo, who allowed a single by Melvin Cruz to load the bases, with no outs. Juan Nuñez took the chance, with a 2-RBI single to left field, leaving runners on second and third, and still no outs in the board. The Caribbean team loaded the bases again with a walk by Wilton Robles. However, when everything seemed to fall apart for the Mexican team with three runners on the bases, and the score 3-2, Freddy Moreta hit a comebacker to the pitcher, and Naranjo combined with his catcher Jorge Rios to start the double play. The Dominican team still had the chance to tie the game, but Cruz caught stealing at third base, after Ríos blocked a throw to the ground. This way the Dominican team let out the best chance of the game to tie the match. To make matters worse, at the top of the seventh Peña hit solo homer to left, to give Naranjo a security run, and the pitcher closed the door in the seventh, ending the game with a 4-2 victory by Mexico.
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The game winner was Villalvazo (5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K), and the losser was Volquez (7 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 8 K).
Venezuela 3-1 USA Venezuela beat the United States 3-1 in the first game of the day yesterday, getting his second win of the tournament. Great work by Ramon Jones, who pitched the complete game and came away with the win. The United States scored the first run at the bottom of the third inning, with a single by Derrick Zechman to left field, which added to an error of Yeider Chirinos in the same play, allowed Chris Miljavac score the first run of the match. But in the fourth inning Venezuela tied the ballgame with only one swing; Jorge Lima homered to left and restored the tie again. From there, both pitchers Ramon Jones and Josh Johnson hung zeroes in the fifth and sixth inning, keeping the score tied until the seventh. There Venezuela took the lead. Edwin Linares walked and Rafael Flores doubled to right field, putting runners on second and third with no outs.
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Games for today 14:00 hs. Mexico vs Venezuela Both teams enter this instance tied in the second place of the standings, so this game will be crucial to define the final positions of both countries. On the opening day of the 2012 Pan American Championships in Medellin, Mexico defeated Venezuela 3-2 in eight innings. Venezuela was ahead until the seventh, when Mexico scored two runs to even the score. And in the eighth, was the Aztec side who scored the winning run. The victory went to Eduardo Escobedo and the loss for John Garcia. Edgar Lopez homered for the Mexican team. Two years later, at the Pan Parana 2014, Venezuela was victorious by 8-2. Erick Urbaneja was the winner (4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K), while the loser was Eduardo Escobedo (5 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 3K). Luiger Pinto homered in the game.
US coach decided to intentionally walk Erick Urbaneja to load the bases, looking for a double play. However, Iran Paez hit a sacrifice fly to right, to score the go ahead run. At this moment, Gerald Muizelaar entered the game in relief, and walked Yeider Chirinos intentionally to load the bases again, but the result would not be the best, since a hit by pitch against John Zambrano allowed the third run for Venezuela. Muizelaar stroke out Rivero and Pinto struck out to end the inning, but the damage was already done. To close the seventh inning, Jones struck out all three batters he faced, ending the game. Jones was the game winner with seven innings of work, giving up 5 hits and 1 run, 1 walk and a dozen of strikeouts. The defeated was Johnson, who launched great through six innings, but received punishment in the seventh, and it would cost him the game. The right hander ended with a line of 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB and 4 K.
And in the Central American and Caribbean Games, Venezuela kept the two games, including the final of the tournament. In the round robin the Venezuela won 7-1, with a great job of Urbaneja who threw seven innings, allowing five hits, one run, three walks and seven strikeouts. These two teams played again in the final of the competition, and the South American team hung the gold medal. The result was 1-0, this time with a dominant performance by Ramon Jones, who threw seven scoreless innings with three hits, two walks and eight strikeouts. The loser was Samuel Villalvazo, who received the only run of the game in the second inning, and allowed 6 hits and 1 base on balls. The last match between the two teams was in the last World Championship in Saskatoon, just a few days ago. Venezuela won 6-1, with triumph of Urbaneja (5.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 9 K) and loss for Villalvazo (5.1 IP 10 Hm 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K). First baseman John Zambrano homered in this match.
16:30 hs. USA vs Argentina Tied for fourth in the standings with one win and two losses, this game can define the chances for both teams to qualify to the playoffs in this Pan
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American Games. These teams met in the 2013 World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand, in the playoffs, and Argentina came out with the win in five innings, by 9-2. An eight runs rally in the fourth inning gave the victory to the South American team, with the victory for Lucas Mata (5 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K). For US lost Josh Johnson, receiving a punishment of 3 hits and 5 runs in 1.1 innigs. For the South American team, Manuel Godoy homered, while Matt Palazzo did the same in the first inning for USA, with Chase Turner on board. In Parana they clashed twice. In the round robin United States won the game 1-0. Josh Johnson drove in Nate Devine in the first inning, and that was all the US staff (Gerald Muizelaar and Tony Mancha) needed to claim the win. The young Roman Godoy took the loss. However, in the playoff the Argentine team overcame USA 3-1, thanks to two-run homer by Manuel Godoy in the sixth inning when the game was tied. The winner was Lucas Mata (6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 12 K), while the defeated was Mancha (6 IP, 6 h, 3 R, 1 BB, 9 K).
19:00 hs. Republic
Canadรก
vs
Dominican
Two teams at the opposite ends of the overall standings, this game might mean for Canada to tie the top spot in the standings, and thus ensure a medal at these Games. For the Caribbean team, this is the last chance to try to qualify in the top four in the round robin. During the Pan American Championships in Medellin 2012 Dominican Republic overcame the Canadians by 9-4, with a win by Melvin Batista and the loss for Tyson Barkman. In the next Pan American Championship, in Parana, Canada was the winner by 3-0, a one-hit shootout by Sean Cleary, with no walks and 14 Ks. The defeated was Paulino Santiago in 2 innings, allowing 1 hit, 1 run, 2 walks, 1 strikeout.
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