PANAMA CITY – Team USA will look to remain unbeaten at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier on Monday against Venezuela. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm local/2:00 pm ET at Estadio Nacional Rod Carew in Panama City, Panama.
LAST TIME OUT
The stars and stripes scored four runs in the second inning en route to a 7-3 win over Puerto Rico on Sunday afternoon. Led by Gavin Fien, who had two hits and three RBIs, Team USA came back from an early two-run deficit to improve to 2-0 in the tournament. Puerto Rico struck for two quick runs in the top of the first but Fien immediately evened the score with a two-run double in the bottom of the inning before productive hitting by Team USA gave it a four-spot in the second. Eli Willits scored the final run of the game for the U.S., coming home on an error in the fifth.
On the mound, Josh Hammond settled in after the two-run first to turn in four innings and allow just the two runs. Hammond worked around baserunners in the second and fourth innings–including escaping a first and third, no out jam in the fourth–to earn the win. Dylan Wood picked up the save with three innings of one-run ball, getting the final three outs on just six pitches.
SCOUTING VENEZUELA
Venezuela is 0-1 entering play on Monday, dropping its opening game to host Panama on Saturday. Panama held the Venezuelan side to just one hit in Saturday’s game, coming off the bat of eight-hole hitter Moisés Núñez, who also had the only RBI of the night for Venezuela. On the mound, Venezuela has allowed just four hits in seven innings but has walked nine, striking out two.
HISTORY AGAINST VENEZUELA
The United States and Venezuela have met 20 times at the U-18 level with the U.S. holding a 17-3 advantage in the series (9-2 at Qualifier). The two nations played for the first time in 1992 and most recently competed against one another in 2023, which resulted in a 4-1 win for Team USA.
TEAM USA STAT LEADERS
HITS: Kayson Cunningham, Gavin Fien (3)
RBIs: Kayson Cunningham, Brayden Jaksa (5)
RUNS: Eli Willits (4)
TB: Gavin Fien (6)
BB: Ethan Holliday, Brady Murrietta, Eli Willits (3)
IP: Josh Hammond, Nico Partida (4)
K’s: Nico Partida (11)
QUALIFIER SUCCESS
Team USA has won six consecutive gold medals at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, dating back to 2009. Since first competing in the event in 1993, the U.S. owns six gold medals, four silvers, and three bronze medals. The stars and stripes own a 49-1 record over their last 50 World Cup Qualifier games.
GROUP B STANDINGS
Panama 3-0
UNITED STATES 2-0
Brazil 1-1
Puerto Rico 1-2
Venezuela 0-1
Costa Rico 0-3
INSIDE THE ROSTER
The U.S. roster features four players who have previously donned the stars and stripes. Grady Emerson has played for the 15U National Team in each of the past two summers, helping Team USA win a World Cup in 2022 and a friendship series in 2023. He is joined by a pair of teammates from the 2022 World Cup-winning squad: Ethan Holliday and Brady Murrietta. Additionally, Gavin Fien returns to Team USA after playing for the 2019 12U National Team. Eight total players on the roster have also previously participated in a USA Baseball development program, including three-time participant Kayson Cunningham.
MEET THE COACHING STAFF
The 18U National Team is led in 2024 by Rick Eckstein, a five-time Professional National Team coach and former MLB hitting coach. Eckstein served under longtime big-league manager Davey Johnson for several U.S. professional teams, winning three medals. He secured USA Baseball’s “Doc” Counsilman Science Award in 2008 and the 2023 Coach Educator of the Year Award. Eckstein began his coaching career in 1997 and held stints as the hitting coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals. He is joined on staff by his brother, 2006 World Series MVP David Eckstein, along with two-time MLB All-Star Brad Penny and longtime high school coach Steve Stone.
