Canada crushes Italy in world junior baseball
Last Updated: Friday, July 30, 2010 | 10:25 PM ET
The Canadian Press
Canada scored five times in the first inning Friday in cruising to an 11-1 win over Italy in quarter-final play at the IBAF World Junior Baseball Championship in Thunder Bay, Ont.
Philip Diedrick hit a three-run double and Rowan Wick had a two-run homer as the Canadians advanced to the semifinals where they will face Taiwan on Saturday.
Wick also had a two-run shot in the fifth inning.
"[Wick] was struggling a little bit but he's really starting to dial it in and he's swinging the bat really well," said Canada manager Greg Hamilton. "He's a guy that can turn it around with one swing."
Italy took the lead in the first when Mirco Caradonna scored on a Matteo Galli single to centre.
Canada came right back in the bottom of the frame thanks to Diedrick's double with the bases loaded that scored Alex Calbick, Dalton Pompey and Kellin Deglan.
Wick followed that up with a drive over the fence in right to make it 5-1.
Canada picked up runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings before Brandon Dailey homered in the seventh for the 11-1 mercy rule win.
Jonathan Paquet picked up the win, allowing a run on four hits while striking out nine over six innings.
Paquet said that he felt confident on the mound right from the beginning.
"We had to win this one even if it's not against U.S.A or a team like that," Paquet said. "I knew what I had to do and went straight for them."
Looking to the semifinal, Hamilton said his team will have to be ready against Taiwan.
"They don't necessarily fit the North American view of physicality, but they can play the game," Hamilton said. "They do the little things right on the field, and they'll pick you apart offensively."
In other quarter-final games Friday, Cuba edged the U.S. 3-2, Australia upset South Korea 5-4 and Taiwan doubled up the Netherlands 4-2.
