CHIRIQUI, PANAMA - Led by utility player Luke Leto (Portage, Mich.), Team USA was victorious in its first game of Super Round play of the World Baseball Softball Confederation's U-15 Baseball World Cup, held at Estadio Kenny Serracin in David.

Leto was a perfect 3-for-3, scoring four times and driving in two. Shortstop Cody Schrier (San Clemente, Calif.) added three runs, and second baseman Davis Diaz (Pittsburg, Calif.) registered two hits with a pair of runs.
The Dominican jumped on USA early, taking advantage of back-to-back misplays to score three runs. The stars and stripes cut the lead in the bottom of the second, after Leto led off with an infield single to the shortstop and came around to score on a sacrifice fly from catcher Charlie Saum (Ventura, Calif.).
DR took the run back in the third using a pair of hits, before USA exploded with five runs in the third to take control of the contest.
After a walk to Schrier, a double from infielder Brady House (Winder, Ga.) moved him to third. A free pass to Leto loaded the bases, and then a second straight walk, this one to designated hitter Josh Hartle (King, N.C.), cut the deficit to two. House and Leto both came home courtesy of a laser to left field from utility man Ryan Spikes (Covington, Ga.) and tied the contest. The good guys then took the lead on a long single to right field from right fielder Ryan Clifford (Raleigh, N.C.) that brought home both Hartle and Spikes and put USA up 6-4.
The squad added cushion the following frame, plating three runs courtesy of a Diaz (Pittsburg, Calif.) single, took second on a throwing error, and moved to third on a balk. He scored, again courtesy of House, and then a double from Leto brought home Schrier, who walked, and Leto later scored on a wild pitch.
DR kept things interesting, using a pair of walks and singles combatted with a double to bring home two runs and cut the lead to 9-6, before a bases-loaded strikeout from reliever Gage Ziehl (Penfield, N.Y.) put out the threat.
USA added some cushion, as centerfielder Tyree Reed (Vallejo, Calif.), who walked, came home on a Diaz double, Diaz scored on a wild pitch, Schrier on Leto's triple, and Leto on a passed ball.
Dominican threatened again, scoring in the seventh and leaving two men on before Leto came in to close out the victory.
USA returns to action at 3:00 p.m. ET Friday, taking on Chitre-pool top seed Cuba.