PANAMA CITY – Nico Partida and Xavier Mitchell combined to no-hit Costa Rica in an 18-0 victory in Team USA’s group play opener at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier on Saturday.
It was the first no-hitter for the 18U National Team since the U.S. no-hit Ecuador on September 11, 2014.
Partida started on the mound for the United States (1-0) and was in command from the first pitch, striking out the first eight batters he faced before issuing a two-out walk in the third. Partida responded by punching out the next Costa Rica (0-2) batter and then struck out two more in the fourth to finish off his four-no hit frames. Mitchell took over on the mound and worked around a one-out walk, striking out three to polish off the no-hitter.
In addition to the pitching dominance, the U.S. bats scored early and often in the run-rule victory. After a three-run first, the stars and stripes struck for 15 runs in the bottom of the third to pull away. Ethan Holliday got the scoring started in the third with an RBI single and was followed immediately by Brayden Jaksa’s second RBI knock of the game to extend the lead to six. The advantage ballooned to nine on RBIs from Grady Emerson and Kayson Cunningham, and the U.S. then displayed patience at the plate to go in front by 12. Emerson, Trent Grindlinger, and Cunningham put the finishing touches on the 15-run outburst with RBI hits later in the frame.
Cunningham (2-for-3) and Jaksa (2-for-2) paced the U.S. with multi-hit games, both also driving in a game-high four runs each. Emerson added three runs batted in, and Fien, Holliday, and Jaksa all scored three runs in the win. Team USA’s offense drew 10 walks and struck out just once in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The U.S. used a two-out rally to get on the board in the bottom of the first. Fien tripled to right field, Holliday walked, and both came home on Jaksa’s RBI double off the wall to make it 2-0 before Quentin Young’s RBI single gave the U.S. a quick three-run edge.
- Holliday began Team USA’s 15-run third with an RBI single to plate Cunningham, who led off the frame with a walk. Jaksa followed with an RBI single of his own, and Emerson sent a sac fly deep to center field to make it a 6-0 U.S. lead.
- Jaksa came around to score later in the third when a hard-hit ball by Brady Murrietta snuck under the third baseman’s glove, and two batters later, Cunningham dropped a single into left field to give Team USA a 9-0 lead.
- Eli Willits scored on a wild pitch, Holliday and Jaksa drew consecutive bases-loaded walks, and Josh Hammond was hit by a pitch, growing the United States’ edge to 12 in the third.
- Team USA’s lead became 16 later in the third when Emerson smacked a two-run single through the right side to bring home Holliday and Jaksa, followed immediately by a two-run double by Grindlinger.
- Cunningham capped the 15-run outburst in the third with a well-struck single back up the middle to plate Grindlinger and Slater de Brun and give the U.S. an 18-0 lead.
- Partida returned to the hill in the fourth and continued cruising, sending the side down in order to finish his day.
- Taking the mound in the fifth, Mitchell worked around a one-out walk to strike out three and put the finishing touches on Team USA’s first no-hitter in 10 years.
NOTABLES
- A fourth-inning foul out was the only out recorded that was not a strikeout in Team USA’s victory.
- The United States sent 20 hitters to the plate in its third-inning outburst, totaling six hits and six walks in the frame.
- Ten different U.S. players scored a run in the 18-0 win, including three each by Fien, Holliday, and Jaksa. Cunningham and de Brun each crossed home twice.
- Holliday, Jaksa, and Willits each drew two walks on Saturday.
- Team USA is now 3-0 all-time at the U-18 level against Costa Rica. Saturday’s matchup was the first between the two nations since 1997.
QUOTABLES
“It was a good day on the mound,” Partida said. “I just went out there and tried to throw strikes and tried to compete. I knew our offense would work and I knew they would get the job done at the plate. As long as I did my job and threw strikes, we’d have a good day.”
ON DECK
The U.S. returns to action on Sunday against Puerto Rico, continuing WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier group play. First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. local/12:00 p.m. ET at Estadio Juan Demóstenes Arosemena in Panama City, Panama.
