Aussie three-peat – Aussies rely on pinch hit three run home run by Garon Clough for ch’ship win over Japan; Canada takes bronze
Complete Recaps of 2005 ISF Junior World Championships
SUMMERSIDE – The Aussies are on top of the world of Junior Men’s Softball again. Led by a pinch hit three-run, sixth inning blast by third basemn Garon Clough, the Aussies extended their championship to three straight with a 7-2 win during the championship final at the ISF 2005 Junior Men’s World Softball Championship at Queen Elizabeth Park’s VIV Field in Summerside. The win pushed the three-time champion Aussies streak to 24-0 in the past three World Championships, starting in 1997 in St. John’s, NL and then followed in 2001 in Sydney, Australia. Australia struck first when designated hitter Shaun Mason (1-3) singled home Travis Southam (1-3, two runs scored) with his team’s second run of the game. Jon Hudson (0-2, stolen base) scored the Colts first run when he scored on a error by Japan. Japan rallied with two of their own in the fourth inning led by Masaki Sawada (1-2, run scored) who scored off a Norhiko Aoyama (1-3) single before Japan pulled a softball trick. They faked that Takuto Tsutsui (1-3) would steal and catcher Matt Torpey threw to second, only to have Sawada come home to score and tie the game up at 2-2. Then it came Clough’s turn in the sixth. With Michael Munro (1-3) on second and James Brooks (2-3, run scored) on first after they both reached on singles, Clough (1-1, run scored, thee RBI) came in for Nick Norton. Clough didn’t miss his pitch and slammed it out of the park into left center much to the delight of the close to 3000 fans in attendance. “It felt really good when I hit the ball,” Clough said following the game in recalling his reaction when he hit it. “I knew it was gone from the crack of the bat.” “It’s good to keep the tradition of winning the championship alive. It’s real sweet.”
Australia would add two more in the seventh when Adam Raptis (1-4) and Southam, who reached on an error to Japanes third baseman Tsutsui, would score off a Torpey hit that he was gunned out at third trying to stretch a double into a triple. Japan couldn’t muster much offense against starter Adam Folkard, who put in a strong outing but did seem to become human in giving up the two runs to Japan. He walked one and fanned a tournament-low eight batters. Australia head coach Lindsey Carroll, whose team has been together for the past four years, showed their chemistry in going 10-0 in the championship. “It’s very amazing to be able to go unbeaten for the third straight Softball World Series,” he said during the championship celebration. “The first year I thought was a dream; the second was unbelieveable, but to go unbeaten and win the third straight title means Australia is quickly becoming a softball nation.” Aoyama (1-3, RBI, stolen base), Tsutsui (1-3, double, run scored) and Masayuki Shimoto (1-3) led the losers. Toshyuki Sakamoto took the loss, going the full distance allowing seven runs on 10 hits, walking three ad striking out one.
Japan had to get to the championship by beating Canada in the semi final game. Japan won it 12-4 as Canada had a case of the let down’s after a huge emotional 5-4 win over New Zealand less then 24 hours earlier. Japan scored two runs in each of the second, third, fifth and sixth innings while doubling that amount in the fourth to rout the Canadians before 2800 fans. Leading Japan, who advances to the final against the undefeated Aussies with the win, Akifumi Horita (3-4, two runs scored, RBI), Masayuki Shimoto (2-2, run scored, two RBI, hit by pitch), Shinji Kawamura (2-4, run scored, double, two RBI) and short stop Shigeru Higashi (2-3, two runs scored, RBI).
For Canada, catcher Bryan Abrey of Richmond, B.C. (1-2, two runs scored, RBI, home run), Jonathan Kane of Conception Bay South, NL (1-3, home run, two RBI), Ben Tee of Napanee, Ont. (1-2, run scored, home run) and Justin Gill of Colleris, NL (1-3) led the way. Toshyuki Sakamoto earned the win going five and one third innings allowing four runs on four hits, walking one and fanning seven). Hayami Takahashi went a third of an inning in relief. Losing pitcher Tyson Barkman of Abbottsford, B.C. got lit up for four runs on six hits, and walking one in three innings work. Jordan MacDonald of Napanee, Ont. went a third of an inning giving up three runs on one hit while Kane surrendered five runs on eight hits walking three and striking out four in two and two-third innings.
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ISF 2005 JR MEN’S WORLD SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS