Men's Masters Rout Venezuela 9-1

Game 2 for the Canadian Masters Men Softball team featured a match up between the Canadian Team and Team Venezuela at Kibbutz Gezer at 8:00 pm.

The game featured a one-two pitching punch for Canada of lefty John Marshall and righty Mark Bendahan, squaring off against their Venezuelan tandem counterparts.

Canada came out yet again with a first inning run to take the lead, and then scored 2 in the 2nd, 2 in the 3rd and capped the scoring with 4 runs in the 5th and final inning as they won 9-1 in a shortened game victory.

John Marshall started the game and pitched a beautiful 3 inning no-hitter, striking out 4 hitters and giving up only 2 walks in a shut down performance, as he mixed his rise ball with change ups to keep the hitters off balance the entire way through the lineup. John was at his powerful best, overpowering the hitters with his lefty stuff and mix of pitches.

Mark Bendahan came in to pitch 2 more knock out innings, giving up only one hit, 2 walks and a lone run, while striking out 3. Mark was climbing the ladder with each successive batter, keeping them guessing and swinging through the zone as he kept his pitches in and around the strike zone all the way to the final game ending strike out

The Canadian Masters hitting was paced with great contributions from throughout the lineup including:

- Big slugger Colin Halpern who continued his ground and air assault with another monster game, including a big rbi single to right field, and rbi ground out and yet another 3 run home run in the breakout 5th inning to put the game out of reach;

- First baseman Jeff Michaels who continued to pound the ball with 2 hits including a double and single, with 2 runs scored;

- Shortstop Stephen Goldsmith with a 2 hit night including a double and run scored and stolen base;

- Catcher David Goldstein who knocked in the first run in the first inning with an rbi double and plated another run on a sacrifice fly to left field;

- Centerfielder Robbie Cooper who opened the game with a single up the middle and scored the opening run, and chipped in with two running catches off the bat of the Venezuelan clean up hitter;

- Left fielder Gavin Ziv who continued to wield a hot bat with yet another triple and 2 runs scored and a walk, coupled with a nice running catch in LF;

- Pitchers John Marshall and Mark Bendahan who each chipped in with a double and single, respectively, to help their cause;

- Third baseman David Katz who stroked a nice change up straight up the box to knock in a run and also drew a walk;

- Second baseman Steve Bleiwas who started his first Maccabi game and got right into the action with a double and run scored to open his Maccabi career.

- scorched 3 hits including a triple and two singles and made a nice running catch in left field;

The Canadian Masters move to Game 3 at Kibbutz Maor on Monday July 10 at 12:00 against USA.