Very impressive performance by Bradley Ezekiel yesterday in Canada’s come-from-behind win over Venezuela. Canada fell behind 9-5 after 5 innings, and could ill-afford to lose, as it would have eliminated them from Super Round qualification. To start the 6th, Ezekiel hit a bomb to trim the lead by a run, to 9-6. Canada rallied for two more in the inning but still trailed 9-8 headed into the 7th, with just three outs to go. Having batted around in the 6th, you-know-who was leading off the 7th. Ezekiel put the team on his back, homered again to tie the game at 9 and take the pressure off his teammates, who went on to score two more in the inning for the 11-9 win.
Clutch x 2, when Canada needed it most.
More than Honorable Mention
While there is no honorable mention given for Player of the Day, certainly Blake Hunter would garner the award. While Ezekiel homered twice in consecutive innings, all Hunter did was hit a 2 run homer in the second inning to start the scoring for Canada, and then in the crucial 7th inning, he followed Ezekiel’s second homer with a two-run double to break the tie and provide the 11-9 margin of victory.
5 hits between these two, Ezekiel and Hunter, 4 for extra bases, driving in 6 of the 11 runs, including the tying and go-ahead runs in the 7th.