After their 7-1 lead evaporated in the top of the seventh inning last night, Team Canada needed a hero.

Tyson Zehr, a 19-year-old infielder from Tavistock, Ont., seized the moment, hitting a bases-loaded double over the American left-fielder’s head to give the hosts a 9-8 walkoff victory and push their record to 2-1.

“I knew I had to hit it deep, and it just kept going,” Zehr said of his winning hit. “There were chills running through my body.

“But it wouldn’t have mattered if the four guys before me wouldn’t have got on base.”

The Canadians cruised into the top of the seventh – the final inning in softball play – when 17-year-old starting pitcher Tyler Randerson and the infield defence started to come unravelled.

After a quick first out, two hits to right field were followed by an error, a single and two walks as the U.S. shaved the lead to 7-4.

Randerson then induced a groundball back to him, but his throw to home was offline, allowing two more Americans to score.

Randerson, a right-hander from New Hamburg, Ont., had given up a solo homer to U.S. slugger Justin Perez an inning earlier.

With the game coming unglued, Canadian coach Jim Jones turned to the team’s lone Newfoundlander, pitcher Eric Healey, to get them out of the jam.

In his first appearance, the groundball specialist struck out the first batter he faced for the second out of the inning, but then bobbled a slow groundball on which the Americans tied the game 7-7.

Another walk and an infield hit gave the U.S. their first lead of the game, 8-7, before Healey finally closed out the inning.

“I went out with a lot of energy in my head, so I had to take a couple of deep breaths before I started pitching,” Healey admitted post-game. “It’s great to know they have faith in me.”

Healey, an 18-year-old from Chapels Cove, Nfld., would go on to record the win.

In the bottom of the frame, Canada’s leader Taylor Schubada hit a ground-rule double, and went on to tie the game on a Curtis Piecowye single.

A single from Johnny Baker and a walk to pinch-hitter Josh Elliot loaded the bases for Zehr, the star of the Tavistock Athletics.

“Canadians never quit,” Zehr said of the game-winning rally. “We have heart. We knew that wasn’t the end when they started getting runs.”

“We’ve got a motto ‘Never give up,’” Jones said moments after the thriller. “It’s not how I would like to draw it up by any means, but it worked out. We’ll learn from it.”

The Canadians’ struggle to control their nerves in front of the large crowds continued last night.

“You forget that they’re 17 and 18 years old and play in front of 50 people all the time,” Jones said. “That’s what pressure does.”

If Canada hadn’t won yesterday, they would have had to beat one of New Zealand or Japan to remain in the hunt – a much tougher task. Argentina, New Zealand, and Japan remain unbeaten early in the tournament.

Despite the loss, U.S. slugger Perez was still smiling post-game.

“We fought back tremendously,” the 17-year-old from Erie, Pa., told the Star. “In all sports, that’s what the USA is all about – just fighting back. We had one hit going into the seventh and we scored seven. That’s a huge answer back.

“It’s one of the best games I’ve ever been in, to tell you the truth.”