TAINAN, Taiwan - In its first game of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup Super Round, Team USA picked up a convincing win over Venezuela, using a steady stream of offense to cruise to an 11-4 victory.
The big outburst from the stars and stripes came in the 3rd inning, when the offense put eight runs on the board to turn an early deficit into a sizable lead. The frame was punctuated by two home runs off the bats of Team USA hitters, with Tyler Early getting things going with a three-run shot and Bryant Ju following that up with a two-run blast two batters later.
Venezuela had chances to get back into things late in the game, loading the bases in both the fourth and the fifth innings. On both occasions, though, USA pitchers Gavin Gomez and Michael Ohman were able to work through the trouble with minimal damage done, keeping the team's advantage at a comfortable distance throughout.
The win marked the third for Team USA over Venezuela this year, with the other two coming at the World Cup Americas Qualifier back in May. It also helped the team improve to 5-1 on the tournament overall, and most importantly, 2-1 against teams also in the Super Round.
How It Happened
- Gomez got off to a great start on the mound, retiring the side in order on just five pitches in the first.
- Team USA struck first in the second, putting the opening run on the board thanks to a double off the top of the wall by Zaylon Johnson.
- Venezuela answered back with two runs in the top of the third, using three consecutive hits to take its first lead of the day.
- The red, white, and blue responded with eight runs in the bottom half of the inning to get the lead right back and then some. Early's three-run home run erased the deficit, and Ju's two-run longball extended the advantage.
- Another run came around on a bases-loaded walk by Nicholis Parker Jr., and the final two scored after an error on a hard hit ground ball by Early.
- Venezuela loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth, but only managed to push across one run after a double play and a flyout induced by Gomez and reliever Michael Ohman ended the threat.
- Ohman then helped out his own cause at the plate, lining a two-run home run over the wall in right field to get the run back.
- Venezuela again loaded the bases with one out in the fifth after three straight walks, but it again only scratched across a lone run after two straight groundouts.
- This would be the team's final chance, as Ohman shut things down in the sixth without any trouble to secure the win for Team USA.
Of Note
- Team USA sent 13 players to the plate in the third inning and recorded seven hits, six of which came in the first six plate appearances of the frame.
- Nine different players for Team USA recorded at least one hit. Oddly enough, however, only Johnson managed to post a multi-hit game.
- The team's three home runs today increased its total on the tournament to 16, easily the most in the field. Japan owns the next closest total at 10.
- Gomez and Ohman combined to give up just five hits in their six innings of combined work on the mound.
On Deck
- Team USA will continue the Super Round on Friday in a matchup against Japan (1-2), the No. 3 seed from Group A. The game is set to start at 11:00 A.M. local time/11:00 P.M. ET.
