Adam Hall and his Canadian Junior National Teammates scored seven unanswered runs to take a two-run lead into the ninth against a group of Detroit Tigers prospects only to give up the lead in the ninth and eventually settle for an 8-8 draw.
Canada’s Denzel Clarke drove in three runs with a single and double to pace the Junior National Team offence, while Clayton Keyes drove in a pair with a double and triple.
After getting out of the top of the first with an inning-ending double play, things unraveled for Junior National Team starter Conor Angel in the second as he walked four, hit two, threw a wild pitch and gave up a two-run single. When the inning ended the Tigers had a 5-0 lead.
The juniors got their first hit of the game in the third and it was Jason Willow who sent a pitch to the wall in left for a lead off double. With two out and Willow on third, Denzel Clarke lined a single over shortstop to put the junior on the board.
The Tigers added a run in the third and it came with two out after a throwing error charged to shortstop Hall on a tough play up the middle. Reliever Jaden Griffin allowed a single and walk to start the inning before getting a fly out to centre and a strikeout.
Denzel Clarke added his second and third RBI after a two-run double to left as the juniors added five runs in the sixth to pull even. Clarke would score when Cooper Davis stole second with the catcher’s throw ending up in centre. Davis later took off for third and was able to trot home when the throw rolled into left. With Noah Naylor on first base after a walk, Clayton Keyes drilled a double to the gap in left that tied the score.
The juniors took the lead in the eighth as Hall led off with a single and proceeded to steal second and third before Clayton Keyes drove him with a one out triple to the gap in left. Keyes later scored on a wild pitch and the juniors led by two.
Reliever Jake English held the Tigers off the scoreboard for two innings but ran into trouble in the ninth after a base hit and two one out walks to load the bases. The Tigers tied the score on the same play as a wild pitch scored one before Victor Cerny’s throwing error saw the tying run cross home plate.
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