HAARLEM, Netherlands – The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the semifinals of Honkbalweek Haarlem on Thursday, falling in a hard-fought 10-inning contest to Curaçao, 3-2, at Pim Mulier Stadium.
Curaçao scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch. With the victory, Curaçao (4-2) advances to the Honkbalweek Haarlem gold-medal game against the winner of tonight’s contest between The Netherlands and Japan. Team USA (3-3) will play the loser of that game for the bronze medal at 2 p.m. local/8 a.m. ET.
Wyatt Langford (Florida) led the way offensively for the U.S. with two of the team’s three hits, a walk, two stolen bases, and a scored run, while Joseph Gonzalez (Auburn) stood out on the mound, pitching 5.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and just one unearned run allowed.
KEY MOMENTS
- Wyatt Langford (Florida) found himself in scoring position three times on Thursday, including twice in the early innings. The first came in the second inning when he led off the frame with a double and moved to third on a long flyout by Jacob Wilson (Grand Canyon). He was stranded there after a strikeout and a line out, however.
- He made his way to second once again in the fourth after he reached on an error and stole second. Another line out kept the game in a scoreless tie though.
- A leadoff triple and an RBI groundout got Curaçao on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth.
- Team USA answered back in the sixth when it mounted a two-out rally to tie the game back up. Once again, it was Wyatt Langford (Florida) getting things started with his second hit of the day, a single to right. He promptly stole second for the second time before moving up to third and scoring on a pair of wild pitches.
- The U.S. had a prime opportunity to take the lead in the seventh as three walks loaded the bases but a towering flyball to left ended the threat.
- Curaçao went quietly in the home half of the inning to send the game to extra innings.
- With runners starting the top of the eighth on first and second, Team USA put on a slash play and Jacob Gonzalez (Ole Miss) was able to move both runners up a base with a fly out to deep left. Curaçao then opted to load the bases with an intentional walk and drew the infield in for the next batter who hit a hard groundball right at the shortstop who threw home for the second out.
- Team USA grabbed its first lead of the game just four pitches later, however, when Kyle Teel (Virginia) was hit by a 2-1 offering to plate Dylan Crews (LSU) from third. A flyout to center would end the frame with the bases loaded.
- Curaçao got a clutch two-strike, two-out single in the bottom of the eighth from Rayshelon Carolina, but a perfect throw to the plate from center by Enrique Bradfield (Vanderbilt) cut another runner down for the third out of the inning to send the game to the ninth.
- Neither team was able to plate a run in the ninth.
- The top of the 10th started with a long flyball to right by Dylan Crews (LSU) which moved both runners up 90 feet. Following another intentional walk to load the bases, Curaçao made another nice defensive play, this time by the third baseman, to get a force out at home before a strikeout left three stranded.
- Curaçao’s half of the 10th did not last long as the first two batters were both hit by pitches, forcing in the game-winning run.
NOTABLE INFORMATION
- Rhett Lowder (Wake Forest) started on the mound for Team USA and worked 3.1 strong innings, allowing just one run on three hits and a walk with one strikeout.
- Joseph Gonzalez (Auburn) came out of the bullpen to post a stellar effort which saw him throw 5.1 innings, yielding just one unearned run in extra innings on three hits and punching out four without issuing a walk.
- Wyatt Langford (Florida) had a standout day offensively, recording two of the team’s three hits, stealing two bases, walking once, and scoring a run.
- Yohandy Morales (Miami) had the team’s only other hit, a single in the fifth.
- In addition to Langford’s two stolen bases, Dylan Crews (LSU) also swiped a base. The U.S. is now 12-for-13 on the basepaths at Honkbalweek Haarlem.
- In 42.2 total innings, the U.S. pitching staff has combined to strike out 52 batters, walk only 17, and yield just two extra-base hits.
ON DECK
- The U.S. will play the loser of tonight’s contest between Japan and Team Kingdom of the Netherlands at 2 p.m. local/8 a.m. ET for the Honkbalweek Haarlem bronze medal on Friday at Pim Mulier Stadium.
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Stay tuned to @USABaseballCNT on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2022 Collegiate National Team at Honkbalweek Haarlem.
