Australia vs Canada: Premier 12 Baseball Olympic qualifier match result

Despite being yet to win a game at the Premier 12 Baseball tournament, Australia can still qualify for the super round, but will need a heavy win over Canada in their final pool game in Seoul. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 2pm (AEDT).

Thanks to the dominance of South Korea, Australia are still alive, but they need to win big and have one more result go their way.

Under the tournament’s complex run ratio system to determine positioning when three or more teams are locked up, Australia will need to win by three or more runs to get ahead of both Cuba and Canada on the ladder.

Should that happen, they then need South Korea to round of their group play with a win over Cuba this evening for the most unlikely of advancements to the super round.

Australia were involved in a heartbreaking loss yesterday, going down in the tenth innings 3-2 to the Cubans in a match they will feel they should have won.

The biggest concern for the Aussies coming into the tournament was where their offence was going to come from, and that proved to be the case right from the first innings. By the end of the contest, they had left ten batsmen on base, many in scoring positions.

Wasting scoring opportunities like that against Canada just won’t be acceptable, with Australia desperately needing to score and score heavily to make the super round.

That is even more so the case when you consider they have already used 11 of their 13 pitchers, including Joshua Guyer, Peter Moylan, Todd Van Steenesel, Sam Holland and Tim Atherton for extended periods.

The bullpen will be in full use against Canada, and the Aussies need an immensely strong start to the game. Steve Kent, who has only thrown 18 pitches, will have a huge role to play.

Canada will be confident coming into this though. The side who were expected to finish last in the group have been solid, surprising Cuba 3-0 on the first day of action, then pushing South Korea all the way last night before falling 3-1.

Like Australia, they too can still make the super round and stay alive for Olympic qualification, either by winning, or by losing by less than three and hoping Cuba fall to South Korea.

Unlike Australia though, their pitching rotation has barely been used in the tournament, with only seven hitting the mound, leaving plenty fresh for a final assault on Australia.

They have also gone with a settled batting line-up, making no changes between their opening two games. Dalton Pompey has been on fire at the top, and with others contributing, they will test the Australian pitching rotation in a big way.

Prediction
Australia improved big time yesterday, and as long as they don’t go backwards, they should have it in them to put a win on the board. Whether it’s by three or more might depend on their depleted pitching stocks holding their own.

Australia 6 – Canada 2.

Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this final game in the opening round of the Premier 12 tournament for Australia from 2pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.

Game information

First pitch: 2pm (AEDT)
Venue: Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul, South Korea
TV: Live, Fox Sports
Online: Live, Kayo Sports

Australia (squad)
Pitchers: Dean Aldridge, Timothy Atherton, Joshua Guyer, Samuel Holland, Jon Kennedy, Steven Kent, Peter Moylan, Dushan Ruzic, Daniel Schmidt, Ryan Searle, Joshua Tols, Todd Van Steensel, Luke Wilkins
Catchers: Ryan Battaglia, Allan De San Miguel, Robert Perkins
Fielders: Andrew Campbell, Trent D’Antonio, Wade Dutton, Darryl George, Robert Glendinning, Luke Hughes, David Kandilas, Timothy Kennelly, Mitchell Nilsson, David Sutherland, Logan Wade, Aaron Whitefield

Canada (squad)
Pitchers: Brock Dykxhoorn, Christopher LeRoux, Brandon Marklund, Scott Mathieson, William Mcaffer, Dustin Molleken, Daniel Procopio, Jasvir Rakka, Phillippe Aumont, Dylan Rheault, Scott Richmond, Evan Rutckyj, Robert Zastryzny
Catchers: Kellin Deglan, Dustin Houle, Andrew Yerzy
Fielders: Wesley Darvill, Charles Leblanc, Jordan Lennerton, Jonathan Malo, Gareth Morgan, Demi Orimoloye, Connor Panas, Dalton Pompey, Tristan Pompey, Michael Saunders, Rene Tosoni, Eric Wood