TAINAN, Taiwan - The USA Baseball 12U National Team run ruled its opponent for the third straight game, cruising past South Korea, 27-6, in four innings in the third game of Pool Play in the 2017 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup on Sunday afternoon at Tainan Stadium.
The United States started the scoring off in a big way, plating 10 runs in the second inning after Trent Abel (San Diego, Calif.) was walked with the bases loaded, and Kai Caranto (Santa Clarita, Calif.) followed with a bases-clearing triple. Two batters later, Josh Atomanczyk (Franklin, Texas) crushed his second home run in two days, with a two-run shot to center field. Later in the inning, Brad Burnes (Belvedere, Calif.) and Brandon Olivera (Hialeah, Fla.) scored on an error and wild pitch after drawing walks and Daniel Arambula (Redlands, Calif.) extended the lead to 10-0, after blasting a two-run home run down the right field line.
Team USA continued to put up runs in the third, when Benjamin Reiland (Irvine, Calif.) started off the inning with a double to the wall in right center and Raffaele Velazquez (Long Beach, Calif.) ripped a single through the right side to score two runs, after Atomanzyck drew a walk on the play before. Burnes followed with a double to right center scoring Reiland and Caranto reached on a fielder's choice to push the U.S. lead to 14-2.
The 12U team struck big again in the fourth, when Burnes smacked a two-run home run down the left field line, after Velazquez was hit by a pitch. Later in the frame, Abel reached on an error by the shortstop with the bases loaded to score a run and Caranto drew a walk to drive in Owen Egan (Yucaipa, Calif.) who singled earlier in the inning. Reiland kept the U.S. offense going with a two-RBI single through the right side and Gavin Grahovac (Orange, Calif.) singled to right field, plating another Team USA run.
The U.S. squad continued to add on runs in the fourth, after Burnes and CJ Rice (Pleasanton, Calif.) hit back-to-back RBI singles and Colt Emerson (Cambridge, Ohio) used a two-RBI double to the wall in center field to score Rice and Ashton Larson (Overland Park, Kan.) who singled earlier in the fourth inning, making it 27-5.
In the bottom of the fourth, Spencer Butt (Davie, Fla.) shutdown South Korea offense to end the game due to the WBSC run rule.
The 12U team compiled 16 hits and 13 walks in its largest margin of victory in the WBSC U-12 World Cup.
Burnes finished the game 3-of-4 with four runs, and four RBI, while Caranto led the game with five RBI in the leadoff spot. Egan went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI, and Reiland finished 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBI to pace the United States offense.
Starting pitcher Hank Benny (Austin, Texas) earned the win on the mound, allowing three earned runs on five hits, while striking out a game-high four in two innings of work.
Team USA will continue Pool Play in the WBSC U-12 World Cup on July 30 against Germany at 10:00 p.m. ET in Shan-Hwa Stadium. Fans can also follow the game on USABaseball.com or on Twitter .