With the win, Canada’s record in tournament play climbed to 3-0 (won-lost), the same as host New Zealand. Canada and New Zealand were set to meet Monday (1:30 a.m. EST) in a first-place showdown.
“The competition is great,” said Ellsworth, Team Canada’s captain in a text from Auckland. “We are healthy, the pitchers are throwing great and the fan support we are getting is out of this world.”
Ellsworth said about 30 fans followed the team to Auckland for the world championship and are, by far, the loudest in the park.
Against Mexico on Sunday, Bryan Abrey of Richmond, B.C., was sent home from first on Ellsworth’s first-inning double. Ellsworth went 1-for-3 with an RBI in the game. Both he and the runner he was trying to advance were out on his fifth-inning sacrifice bunt.
Jason Sanford from Durham, N.S., led Canada at the plate, recording two hits, two RBI and one hit.
Andy Skelton from Scarborough, Ont., fired a two-hit complete game shutout for Canada, striking down nine Mexican batters and retiring them in order through the first three innings.
Mexico’s pitching staff gave up six runs on nine Canadian hits. The Mexicans also committed four errors to none for Canada.
There are two pools of eight countries participating in the world tournament, which runs until March 10.
