After a strong start at the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup, the Aussie Steelers have been shut out, going down 6-0 to World #3 Canada.

Canada's Derek Mayson hit two home runs and Sean Cleary pitched a complete game with eleven strike outs to get the win.

For the Steelers it was Jack Besgrove again with the ball in hand, who backed up well with eight strike outs, three hits, two earned runs and a walk in his 4.1 inning outing. Marshall Kronk relieved for 1.2 innings, giving up four earned runs, while Jay Selu's appearance finished up with 1.0 innings pitched, one hit, ball and strike out.

In the second at-bat of the game for the Steelers, Callum Beashel tripled to right field giving the Australians the sense that some runs were in the offing. Unfortunately their next batter would get on base in the fifth inning. 

Canada's Cleary threw strike outs and induced ground outs all game, with his tight no-walk performance restricting any hope the Steelers had to build momentum.

Steelers Head Coach Laing Harrow was looking for the positives in the team's loss. “We have always been strong in scoring runs early in our games. We missed that opportunity today and instead they came out in the next game and an 0-2 pitch goes out of the park. From that point we had difficulty grabbing any momentum back. It was credit to Canada for the way they swung the bat, especially Derek Mayson – he was on fire today."

"It doesn’t hurt us to lose. We've got to learn from that and come back harder tomorrow. We’ve had times where we have come back from behind – we can do it, we are capable of doing it, but today wasn’t the day. It shows we have to get runs on the board early to help our pitchers out."

The Steelers will finish the Opening Round of the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup at 12pm NZDT with their final pool game against the 11th-ranked South Africa. 

Batting:
2B: (1) MAYSON, Derek Ross (CAN)
3B: (1) ABREY, Bryan Michael (CAN); (1) BEASHEL, Callum (AUS)
HR: (2) MAYSON, Derek Ross (CAN)
RBI: (3) MAYSON, Derek Ross (CAN); (2) ABREY, Bryan Michael (CAN); (1) LASKOWSKI, Justin Maxwell (CAN)
BB: (1) ROY, Mathieu (CAN); (1) EZEKIEL, Bradley Joseph (CAN); (1) BRUCE, Quinten David (CAN)

Base Running:
SB: (1) BRUCE, Quinten David (CAN)

Pitching:
Australia
BESGROVE, Jack: 4.1IP, 3H, 2ER, 1BB, 8K
KRONK, Marshall: 1.2IP, 5H, 4ER, 1BB, 2K
SELU, Jay: 1.0IP, 1H, 1BB, 1K

Canada
CLEARY, Sean: 7.0IP, 2H, 0ER, 0BB, 11K

Schedule:
Wednesday November 30 at 12pm NZDT v SOUTH AFRICA (Ranked 11th)
Super Round and Medal Round (results depending) to follow from December 1.