While the Cardinals and Rangers were taking the night of October 26 off, Canada defeated the USA 2-1 in the final of the Pan American Games in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico.
You can be excused for not being especially excited about this news, but for Canada's national baseball program and Coach Ernie Whitt, it's a huge win; this was Canada's first-ever gold medal in senior international competition.
The Canadian roster included four players who played baseball at NAIA schools: RHP Jimmy Henderson (Tennessee Wesleyan), LHP Mark Hardy (British Columbia), RHP Chris Kissock (Lewis-Clark State), and DH Emerson Frostad (Lewis-Clark State).
Henderson played for the 2003 Bulldog team that won the Appalachian Athletic Conference championship. He was drafted in the 26th round by the Nationals, and is now in the Brewers organization. Hardy was drafted by the Padres in the 43rd round in 2010. Kissock played for L-C State's national championship teams in 2006 and 2007, and was drafted by the Phillies in the 9th round in 2007. Frostad, a national team veteran (he played in the 2008 Olympics), was drafted in the 13th round by the Rangers, and is currently in the Astros organization. He played for L-C State's national championship teams in 2002 and 2003.
Hardy, Henderson, and Frostad played minor roles during the tournament. Hardy pitched three innings, allowed three hits and a run. Henderson pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowed three hits. Frostad played in one game, went hitless in four at-bats.
Kissock was a different story. He pitched four shutout innings (two hits allowed, struck out three). Two of the innings came in a key win against Venezuela. The other two came in the semifinal against Mexico, and he got the save.
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