PANAMA CITY – Team USA continues play at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier on Tuesday, taking on Brazil. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. local/6:00 p.m. ET at Estadio Nacional Rod Carew in Panama City, Panama.
LAST TIME OUT
Team USA struck for five runs all with two outs in the second inning in a 6-0 win over Venezuela on Monday. After opening the scoring in the bottom of the first on a little-league home run by Gavin Fien, the U.S. got RBI hits from Josh Owens, Eli Willits, Kayson Cunningham, and Fien in the second to pull away.
The pitching staff of Aiden Stillman, Jordan Martin, Austin Weiss, and Cooper Rummel was dominant all game long against Venezuela to post Team USA’s second shutout in three games. Stillman started and pitched the first two innings before Martin worked around two baserunners in a scoreless third. Weiss struck out the side in the fourth and got out of a big jam in the fifth, and Rummel punched out four batters in the final two innings to lock down the win.
SCOUTING BRAZIL
Brazil is 1-2 entering Tuesday's contest, most recently falling to Panama, 2-1, in walk-off fashion on Monday. Brazil has pitched to a 2.14 team ERA in its first three games, led by Luca Tsuru, who has turned in five scoreless frames. At the plate, Brazil owns a team batting average of .257; Saulo Costa, Noah Takahaski, and Lucas Uru each have three hits to pace the squad.
HISTORY AGAINST BRAZIL
The U.S. has beaten Brazil in 16 of the 17 matchups between the two nations since they first met in 1989. Team USA is also 8-0 all-time against Brazil in World Cup Qualifier action. The last meeting between the U.S. and Brazil came in 2022, a 10-0 win for the stars and stripes.
TEAM USA STAT LEADERS
HITS: Kayson Cunningham, Gavin Fien (4)
RBIs: Kayson Cunningham (6)
RUNS: Eli Willits (5)
TB: Gavin Fien (8)
BB: Ethan Holliday, Brayden Jaksa, 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 4-0
UNITED STATES 3-0
Brazil 1-2
Puerto Rico 1-2
Venezuela 0-2
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.
