Canada's Bradley Ezekiel had two home runs against Venezuela during day two of the 18th WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in Prince Albert, helping the Canadians earn their first win of the tournament, 11-9. Here, he's seen rounding the bases following his first long ball of the game at Rotary Field in Prime Ministers Park on July 9, 2025. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Day two recap

Ezekiel homers twice to help Canada comeback over Venezuela

Jul 10, 2025 | 12:58 AM

Canada is in the win column at the 18th WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in Prince Albert.

The Canadians won a thriller on day two of the tournament, completing an epic comeback to stun Venezuela, 11-9.

Canada had a great opportunity in the top of the first when Venezuelan starter Luis Colombo walked the first three batters of the game to load the bases. Venezuela went to the bullpen and brought in Maiker Pimentel, who managed to strikeout the next three batters to escape the threat.

After a three up, three down bottom of the first, Canada got on the board in the second courtesy of a Blake Hunter two-run home run. Venezuela responded in the bottom half of the inning by way of the long ball, mashing three in the frame. Jose Dorantes kicked off the rally with a two-run shot, which was followed by back-to-back solo homers from Rafael Flores and Pedro Flores to make it 4-2.

Canada added a run in the third to cut the deficit to one, before taking the lead in the fourth. After Shane Boland singled to score a run and tie it, Canada managed to load the bases and Boland later scored on a wild pitch to give Canada the 5-4 advantage.

Riderville

They don't hand out the Grey Cup in August

17h ago

Amazing ending

Two Rebeccas tapped out of the Amazing Race

18h ago

HEALTHCARE

'We will not be ignored': CUPE workers rally outside Cockrill's office amid health care strain

19h ago

Venezuela did get a run back in the bottom of the fourth to tie it up again, and regained the lead an inning later when they exploded for another four runs. Each of their runs came from singles, highlighted by a two RBI single from Kleiver Rodriguez, making it 9-5 heading into the sixth.

There, Canada’s bats roared to life as Bradley Ezekiel started off the inning with a solo home run to deep left center field. After Ty Sebastian was walked and Quinten Bruce was hit by a pitch, Nick White grounded out to advance the runners. Colin Walsh was walked to load the bases the very next at bat, which set up a crazy sequence where back-to-back wild pitches allowed Canada to score two runs.

With the score now 9-8, Venezuela’s offence went cold in the bottom of the sixth while Canada picked up where they left off in the top of the seventh. Like the inning prior, Ezekiel led off the frame with his second solo homer of the night, this time going to straight away center to tie it at nine.

Bruce and White were both walked and Walsh advanced the runners with a groundout for the second out of the inning. With runners on second and third, Hunter came up clutch and smacked a two RBI double to the gap in right center, giving Canada the 11-9 lead.

Down to their last chance, Franklin Benitez got Venezuela off on the right foot by singling up the middle. However, it was all down hill from there. Rodriguez struck out the very next at bat, before Rafael Flores grounded into a double play to end the game.

Sebastian collected the win in the circle for Canada, throwing two innings while allowing two hits with four strikeouts. Colombo was handed the loss for Venezuela.

Canada is back in action on day three of the World Cup on Thursday when they battle with the World #1 ranked Argentina. First pitch is set for 8:30 p.m. at Rotary Field in Prime Ministers Park.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

Australia, Japan pick up first win, New Zealand improves to 2-0

The defending world champions Australia collected their first victory of the World Cup on day two.

The Aussies managed to take down the Dominican Republic 9-2 during the first game of the day, highlighted by a strong six-run sixth inning.

Scott Patterson launched a three-run home run while Jack Besgrove tossed a complete game, allowing two runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts. Yan Gonzalez was handed the loss for the Dominicans after giving up six runs (three earned) on five hits with four walks while striking out three.

Japan also got there first win of the tournament on Wednesday, stunning the United States in a nailbiter, 5-4.

After Tei Hamamoto singled to lead off the first, Yusuke Morita went yard in the very next at bat to give Japan the early 2-0 lead. It stayed that way until the top of the fifth when the Americans rallied for three runs, led by a Blaine Milheim two run home run. Japan tied it an inning later before the U.S. retook the lead in the top of the sixth, making it 4-3.

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Kaito Masaki knocked a pinch hit single before Kazuya Toriyama did the same the next at bat, advancing Masaki to third. Yutaro Inoue came in as a pinch runner for Toriyama and managed to steal second, which set up Koki Sato to line a two RBI single to regain the lead for Japan.

Shota Onodera threw a strong seventh inning, going three up three down to topple the U.S., 5-4. Hiroki Ikeda collected the win, allowing four runs on four hits with five walks while striking out seven in 5.1 innings of work. American starter Marco Diaz threw his second complete game of the tournament and was handed the loss after giving up five runs on nine hits with nine strikeouts.

And New Zealand stands alone as the only undefeated team remaining at the World Cup after defeating Argentina, 4-1.

The two softball powerhouses traded runs in the second before New Zealand blew the game open in the fifth when the Black Sox national team rallied for two in the frame. They would go on to add another in the top of the seventh before shutting down Argentina in the bottom half to improve to 2-0 at the tournament.

New Zealand starter Liam Potts tossed a complete game, allowing just one run on four hits with three walks and 11 strikeouts. Pablo Migliavacca took the loss for Argentina, giving up one run on four hits while walking two and striking out three. With the loss, the World #1 Argentinians are now the only winless team at the tournament.

Day three of the 18th WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup kicks off with the Dominican Republic and the United States at 11:30 a.m., followed by Venezuela and New Zealand at 2:30 p.m., and Australia and Japan at 5:30 p.m.

A full tournament schedule with results can be found by clicking here.

—

loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com