Canada's Matteo Manzi celebrates after scoring the second of two runs on a single by Robert Orr during the second inning of an international pool play baseball game against Italy at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., on Aug. 17, 2017.Gene J. Puskar/The Associated Press
Chase Marshall had a pair of home runs and five RBIs as Canada opened the 71st edition of the Little League World Series with a 12-2 rout of Europe-Africa on Thursday.
Marshall's second homer of the game came in a seven-run third inning for the Canadians (1-0), who are represented by White Rock, B.C. The game was completed after just four innings.
Robert Orr went 1 for 3 with three RBIs while Ty Fluet was 3 for 3 with three runs scored for Canada, which outhit the European champions from Emilia, Italy 12-3.
Starter Reece Usselman pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and six strikeouts.
Marshall came on in relief and pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for Canada. He gave up one run on one hit with a walk and four strikeouts.
The Canadians next game is on Sunday. They face the Latin America champions from Maracaibo, Venezuela (1-0).
Sixteen teams are competing for the Little League title. The White Rock-South Surrey Little League squad cruised through the Canadian Regional Tournament to earn the right to represent at the event. They went 8-0 and downed Mirabel, Que., from the Diamond Baseball League in the Canadian championship.