Newfoundlander Sean Cleary extended what has been his dominant pitching performance at the 2019 WBSC world men’s fastpitch championship on Friday, tossing six shutout innings as Canada downed the host Czech Republic 4-0 in quarter-final play.
At Prague, Cleary, a 34-year-old native of Harbour Main, allowed four hits and a single walk while striking out 13 as Canada won for the seventh time in as many games in the tournament.
Cleary has been the pitcher of record in four of those wins, allowing just a single run and striking out 36 batters in 21 innings.
Canada, which will face Argentina in a semifinal game today, has a total of six Newfoundlanders on its playing roster. Besides Cleary, there is shortstop Shane Boland of Goulds who had two hits and drove in a run Friday; Boland’s brother Ryan, the Canadian catcher; Jason Hill of St. John’s, Kyle Ezekiel of Holyrood, and Ezekiel’s older brother Brad, who also reached base twice against the Czechs, with a hit and a walk.
John Hill of St. John’s and Les Howey of Conception Bay South are assistant coaches for Canada.
