TORONTO 2015

Newsletter diario de la Confederación Panamericana de Softbol13 de julio de 2015

Softbol

Toronto, 13 de julio de 2015. Toronto lived yesterday the first day of the Softball competition at the 2015 Pan American Games. The host country won 10-5 against Mexico, Argentina beat Venezuela 3-0, and USA won its game 10-0 against the Dominican Republic.

Canada Mexico 10-5

The home team turned crazy the fans in the ballpark, with a good offensive demonstration against a Mexican team that dangerous with the bats, but could not contain the Canadian lineup.

The world champion scored first, with the first home run of these Pan American Games. Andy Skelton crushed the ball to the right field with a two-run homer, putting the home team ahead in the scoreboard.

Mexico scored one back on the top of the third inning, on a sacrifice fly by Edgar Lopez. The Aztec team filled the bases with one out, thanks to a defensive error and two consecutive singles by Ruben Delgadillo and Gustavo Prishker. The fly was close to get out of the field, but the ball was caught in the security zone, so the Mexican first baseman just got the sacrifice in that play.

Canada scored again in the bottom of the third. Jeff Ellsworth walked, and moved to third on a single by Steven Mullaley, before taking advantage of a pass ball to put the 3-1 on the board. Soon after, with runners on second and third, Brandon Horn hit hard to the right field, producing two more runs for Canada.

The Mexican offense charged again, with one more run in the top of the fourth. Marco Gonzalez

The party began

singled with no outs, and two batters later scored on an error by Horn, putting the game 5-2.

Canada’s response was immediate, scoring two runs in the bottom of the fourth, with the heart of their lineup. With two outs on the board, Brad Ezekiel singled, Ellsworth hit a double, and both scored on the single by Mullaley, who crossed the plate with an RBI single by shortstop Ian Fehrman.

In the sixth Mexico scored three runs, making it more interesting, but Canada closed the door with two runs to definitively open the gap in the score.

The starter for Canada was lefty Paul Koert (3.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 3 K), but Andy Skelton won the

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What you need to know

StandingS

YeStrerdaY’S ScoreS

USA 10 - 0 DominicanaWP: Tony Mancha (1-0)LP: Yennier Volquez (0-1)

Venezuela 0 - 3 ArgentinaWP: Roman Godoy (1-0)LP: Erick Urbaneja (0-1)

México 5 - 10 CanadáWP: Andy Skelton (1-0)

LP: Eduardo Escobedo (0-1)

Schedule

14.00 hs.- ARG vs MEX

16.30 hs. - DOM vs VEN

19.00 hs. - CAN vs USA

G W L RF RAUSA 1 1 0 10 0

Argentina 1 1 0 3 0Canadá 1 1 0 10 5Venezuela 1 0 1 0 3México 1 0 1 5 10

Dominicana 1 0 1 0 10

game with 2.2 innings, 2 hits, 3 runs and 3 strikeouts. Derek Mayson closed the game with two strikeouts and two hits in the seventh inning.

For Mexico, the loser was Eduardo Escobedo (3.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 BB, 2 K), while Samuel Villalvazo pitched 2.1 innings, with 4 hits, 3 runs and 1 strikeout.

Argentina 3-0 Venezuela

Argentina beat Venezuela on his debut in the Softball competition at the Toronto 2015Pan American Games. The Argentine team beat Venezuela 3-0, with great performances by Bruno Motroni and Roman Godoy.

The Argentine team beat the “Vinotinto” by 3-0 with a lethal pitching combination of Roman Godoy and Juan Potolicchio, who combined to shootout the rivals. Godoy used an excellent selection of pitches, with changes of speed and very good locations, painting the corners of the plate to tie the hands of the Venezuelan offense.

Godoy, pitched five scoreless innings to win the game, allowing just one hit and striking out seven opponents. However, in the sixth, Tulio Linares and Iran Paez hit consecutive singles with no outs, so Potolicchio replace the starter in the circle. And the veteran right-hander was amazing, escaping the jam in the sixth, and closing the door in the seventh, with six consecutive strikeouts.

Argentina’s runs came in the first and in the third inning. In the first Argentine attack, Huemul Mata singled and advanced to second on a pass ball, setting the table for Motroni who opened the score with an RBI single to center.

The last two runs of the game come in the third inning. This time Motroni met Teo Migliavacca and Mata on the basepaths, and brought them home with a powerful line shot to center, giving the blue team two more runs. Motroni finished the game with two hits in three at bats, driving in the three runs of his team.

For Venezuela, the starting pitcher Erick Urbaneja took the loss. The left-hander worked for 3 innings, receiving 5 hits and 3 runs with a strikeout. Joan Colombo pitched 3 innings in relief, with one strikeout.

United States Dominican Republic 10-0

United States beat Dominican Republic in the first game of these Pan American Games, with a 10-0 score in six innings. A stellar performance by righthander Tony Mancha, who threw a no-hitter. The US offensive exploded in the sixth with six runs.

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United States scored the first run of the tournament in their first attack, Chris Miljavac walked and Derrick Zechman singled with no outs. Both runners advanced with a long fly ball of Matt Palazzo, and Miljavac crossed the plate with a sacrifice fly by Josh Johnson.

In the fourth inning Tony Mancha contributed to their own cause. He opened the American attack with a triple to center field, and scored one batter later, with a long sacrifice fly by Kris Bogach.

In the fifth United States doubled its difference in the board, scoring two runs with a single by Chase Turner and an error by Engel Santana in the same play, allowing Palazzo and Johnson step on the home plate.

But it was in the sixth inning when the United States offensive exploded scoring six runs, including four consecutive singles and a three-run triple by pinch-hitter Marcus Tan, to define the game.

On the defensive side Mancha threw the first no-hitter of the tournament, retiring the first nine batters faced in line, and allowing just one runner

in the match: a walk to Jose Bueno in the fourth inning. The pitcher also did a good job in offense with two hits in three at bats, including a triple.

Argentina vs Mexico - 14:05 ET

Argentina and Mexico will meet today at 14.05 ET on the first game of the second day of action.

The last game between these two teams was in the 2014 Pan American Championship in Parana, where the host team prevailed by 8-2. Juan Potolicchio won the game (5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K), while Sergio Almeida lost (6.1, 6 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 4 K). For Mexico Erick Ochoa homered in the second inning.

In the 2013 World Championship, Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 in Auckland. Gustavo Guerrinieri and Nicolas Bittor drove in the trwo runs. The winner was Maximiliano Montero who threw 17 strikeouts in the game (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB), while the loser was Sergio Almeida (5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K).

In the Medellín 2012 Pan American Championships Mexican and Argentine handed a victory apiece,

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although the South Americans took the best part because they won the playoff game.

In the round robin, Mexico took the victory 5-4. The Aztecs scored two runs in the seventh to get the win. Eduardo Escobedo won by Mexico, while the lost was charged to Lucas Mata.

But in the playoff it Argentina took the victory 8-0 in five innings, climbing to the podium with this game. Argentina scored eight runs in the first two innings, to define the match. The winning pitcher was Juan Potolicchio by Argentina, who threw five scoreless innings, striking out 10 Mexican batters. Escobedo supported the loss.

Venezuela vs Dominican Republic - 16:35 ET

Both teams lost yesterday on the first day of the Games, so will be crucial for this teams to bounce back quickly and get the first win.

Both teams met twice in the World Championships in Saskatoon, played just days ago. During the round robin, Dominican team won 4-0, securing the first place in Group B. Sergio La Hoz and Engel Santana homered, giving the security runs to Yennier Volquez, who won the game allowing

3 hits and 6 strikeouts. The defeated was Ramon Jones, who gave up 10 hits and 4 runs in six periods, with 8 strikeouts.

Finally, the teams met again in the playoffs, and there the victory was for Venezuela by 3-0. Ramon Jones pitched a one-hit game with 9 strikeouts to lead his team to the victory, while the loser was Yennier Volquez (3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K). The key play of the game was the two-run homer by Jorge Lima in the fourth inning.

Last year, both teams clashed in Parana, with a tight victory for Venezuela by 1-0. Ramon Jones took the shutout victory with 3 hits and 11 strikeouts. Melvin Batista lost, allowing the only run of the game in the second inning, walking Iran Páez with the bases loaded.

In the Veracruz 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic played in the round robin, with a 2-0 victory for Venezuela. Ramon Jones threw a no-hitter game for the South Americans with 10 strikeouts, while the defeated was Santiago Diaz.

In the Pan American Championships in Medellin Venezuela beat Dominican Republic 8-0 in five innings. Jean Melendez and John Zambrano homered, supporting the work of Erick Urbanski, who won the game in 2.2 innings, with two hits and two strikeouts.

Canada vs United States - 19:05 ETIn the only clash between unbeaten teams, the two Anglophone countries come to this game with a win under his belt.

Two old rivals and historical powers of Softball world, Canada and the United States have met just once officially in recent years. It was at the 2014 Pan American Championship in Parana, with Canada winning it by 4-3. With the score 3-1 in favor of the US team, Joel Langford hit a three-run shot to give the victory to the red and white team. The winner of the game was Andy Skelton, in relief of 0.2 innings while Tony Mancha lost (7 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 6 K).

These two teams have played the seven finals in the Pan American Games history, always with Canadian victory.