CLEMSON, S.C. – The 15U National Team picked up back-to-back wins by double digits and defeated Australia, 15-0, Monday evening at Clemson University. Team USA shutout Australia for the second time in as many games and improves to 2-0 in the International Friendship Series. The 15U National Team has now scored 29 runs over two games and is on an 11-game unbeaten streak against international competition.
Despite a slower start than in yesterday’s contest, Team USA readily adjusted and once again won big against its opponents from Down Under. Australia’s hard-throwing southpaw, Mitch Evans, threw an admirable 3.0 innings in which one run was conceded but the big bats of Team USA could only be suppressed for so long. U.S. backstop Cooper Collins drew first blood in the second inning, setting the stage for starting pitcher Andrew Brech to pick up the win. Brech flaunted an exceptional performance on the bump, hurling 5.0 innings of one-hit ball while punching out seven batters. Chase Cotton closed out the contest from there, throwing 1.0 inning to secure the run-rule victory.
Team USA’s deadly offense stole the show in the fourth frame and proved to only get better as the game went on, scoring 14 runs over the final three innings. Today, the offense ran through Jared Grindlinger and Rocco Maniscalco, both of whom launched home runs in today’s win. Grindlinger went 3-for-3 with two triples, a home run, picked up four RBIs and scored three runs. Maniscalco also went deep for the U.S., as the starting third baseman went 2-for-3 at the plate while driving in three runs and scoring three times himself.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Grindlinger led off the second inning with a triple deep to right center field and came around to score after Collins made his series debut with a sacrifice fly.
- It was crickets until the top of the fourth, when Grindlinger once again tripled and carried his momentum all the way home after a bobble in the outfield permitted him to come and score.
- Jacob Seamon picked up an RBI in back-to-back days and plated Team USA’s fourth run in the fifth, as a line drive single scored Jeremiah Hall, who reached on a hit-by-pitch.
- Facing a hitter’s count later that inning, Maniscalco tomahawked a 3-1 offering high and deep over the right field wall for a three-run home run.
- A double by Carter Shouse in the sixth frame was immediately followed up by an RBI-double by Hall to make it an 8-0 U.S. advantage.
- A pair of free passes continued to put pressure on Australia in the sixth, and was taken advantage of by the stars and stripes after Grindlinger pummeled a first pitch fast ball over the right field fence for Team USA’s second three-run jack.
- The eight-run sixth was capped off after a pair of walks and a defensive miscue allowed Hall to drive in another run on a base knock. Then, it was Jordan Kurz who kept his head on a swivel, scoring on a wild pitch and giving Team USA a 15-0 lead.
NOTABLES
- This contest marks the first time the 15U National Team has notched back-to-back shutouts since 2018, when Team USA did not allow a single run against China and Germany in the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Finals.
- The 15U National Team has now won back-to-back games by 14 runs or more, the first time since 2016 when Team USA beat New Zealand and Mexico, 16-1 and 16-0, respectively.
- Over the 15U National Team’s last three games, two of those have featured multiple home runs, the latest being 2023 when Grady Emerson and JC Pacheco both went yard against Puerto Rico.
- Brech is the first pitcher since Carson Bolemon in 2022 to not allow a single run in a 5.0 inning outing.
- Grindlinger, Hall, and Maniscalco each collected multiple hits in today’s win while Grindlinger leads all players in base hits with six.
- Team USA is batting .406 as a team while the pitching staff currently boasts a 13.4 K/7.
ON DECK
The 15U National Team plays its third contest against Australia tomorrow, September 9, at Auburn University. First pitch will be thrown at 2:00 p.m. local/3:00 p.m. ET; fans can follow live stats on GameChanger and the games will also be live streamed to the USA Baseball YouTube channel.
SOCIAL MEDIA
To follow along with all the action with the 15U National Team, be sure to follow @USABaseball15U on Twitter and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.
