Durham native Alex McGillivray is back in the country after representing Canada at the U18 Men's Softball World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico.
McGillivray helped his team earn a bronze medal, defeating the US 2-1 in the bronze medal game. McGillivray smoked a 2-run bomb in the 6th inning to put Canada ahead for good, providing all the offence that was needed. He says he was a little nervous before drilling the winning run in.
"I was really nervous at the start. I didn't really have a plan going into it. I missed a high riser on the first pitch, then tried to lay a bunt down and missed that on the second one, so I was down 0-2. I was kinda nervous I was gonna strike out but I just kinda got the bat out on the third one and got a good piece of it," McGillivray stated humbly.
McGillivray was joined on the team by his Listowel Cyclones team mate Danny Scott from Stratford, as the two return to play hockey now with a couple bronze medals draped around their necks. They were joined by fellow Midwestern Ontarians in Hepworth's Joseph Weiler, Newton's Anthony Brubacher, Wingham's Riley Good, Arthur's Nolan Bultena and New Hamburg's Cohen Christner.
After McGillivray hit the game winning homer, he says as he rounded third, he was excited to see all his team mates waiting.
"Probably one of the best feelings I've had in my sports career so far. Rounding third, I had a lot of butterflies in my stomach, just couldn't stop smiling. It was good. Just seeing everyone on the team smiling waiting for me, it was fun," added McGillivray.
McGillivray adds he was extremely proud to have represented his country.
"I was really proud of myself and my team mates. Especially coming home after and getting my cell service back in Canada, just seeing my phone blowing up with texts from my family, my friends, even my bosses, all of that. It was awesome and they were all really proud," McGillivray concluded.
