Softball Canada Announces Schedule of Games for World Championship

March 25th, 2008

VIII Junior Men’s World Championships Schedule Announced

(Ottawa, ON) – The International Softball Federation (ISF) officially released the schedule for the ISF Junior Men’s World Softball Championships today. Canada will be hosting the event, which will be held from June 20th-29th, 2008 at the Pepsi Softball Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon.

Twelve (12) countries will be represented at the event, including three-time defending champion Australia, as well as Argentina, Botswana, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States and Venezuela. Each team will feature the very best male players aged 19 and under from their respective countries.

Canada previously earned bronze medals at the World Championships in 2005 in Summerside, PEI, in 2001 in Sydney, Australia and in 1997 in St. John’s Newfoundland. Their last Gold Medal came in 1993, when they defeated host country New Zealand in the Grand Final.

Each of the twelve teams will face each other in round robin play, which will be played from June 20th to 27th, 2008. The top four countries will advance to the page playoff on June 28th, as the third and fourth place teams will square off, immediately followed by a second playoff game between the two top teams. The winner of the latter will earn a direct berth to the Grand Final, while the losing team will meet the winner of the first playoff game to determine who will move on to the Grand Final.

The tournament’s first game will feature the defending champions from Australia taking on Botswana (June 20th, 12:00pm PDT), who will be making their first ever appearance at the Junior Men’s World Championships. Canada will play its opening game against the Czech Republic later that night (7:00pm, PDT).

Canada’s Schedule (All game times are Pacific Daylight Time)

June 20th: Canada vs. Czech Republic (7:00pm, PDT) – Field I
June 21st: Canada vs. Argentina (7:30pm, PDT) – Field I
June 22nd: Canada vs. South Africa (11:00am, PDT) – Field II
June 22nd: Canada vs. New Zealand (7:30pm, PDT) – Field I
June 23rd: Botswana vs. Canada (11:00am, PDT) – Field II
June 23rd: Venezuela vs. Canada (7:30pm, PDT) – Field I
June 24th: Australia vs. Canada (7:30pm, PDT) – Field I
June 25th: Mexico vs. Canada (12:00pm, PDT) – Field I
June 25th: Denmark vs. Canada (7:30pm, PDT) – Field I
June 26th: Canada vs. Japan (7:30pm, PDT) – Field I
June 27th: Canada vs. United States (7:30pm, PDT) – Field I

June 28th: Playoff 1 – 3rd place vs. 4th place (3:00pm, PDT) – Field I
June 28th: Playoff 2 – 1st place vs. 2nd place (5:30pm, PDT) – Field I
June 29th: Playoff 3 (Bronze medal) – Winner Playoff 1 vs. Loser Playoff 2 (1:00pm, PDT) – Field I
June 29th: Playoff 4 (Gold Medal) – Winner Playoff 2 vs. Winner Playoff 3 (4:00pm, PDT) – Field I

Click here for the entire tournament schedule.