On Top of the World

BY CHRIS PHARIS

The 2018 season for the 15U National Team began like any other in the squad’s seven-year history and it ended with the team etching their names in the history books after winning its first-ever World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup, held at Estadio Kenny Seracin in David, Panama.

OPENING ROUND

Team USA opened the tournament by dominating China, 27-0, in a shortened five-inning game. After scoring three runs in the first, the squad exploded in the second, plating 14 runs on six hits and four errors by the Chinese, before adding three insurance runs in the third and seven in the fourth.

Team USA continued its dominating start to the tournament the following afternoon by earning its second straight shutout in a 10-0 victory over Germany. Once again, the bats were hot as the team scored runs in all four innings at the plate. After scoring a run in the first inning, the offense scored five insurance runs in the second to take the 6-0 lead. The squad added three more runs in the third before the game was called due to the international run-rule after the stars and stripes scored a run in the fourth.

On the third day of play, the stars and stripes fell in a pitcher’s duel to Chinese Taipei, 2-1. The game was held scoreless through four-and-a-half frames, until Chinese Taipei broke the tie after using a leadoff double, a wild

pitch, and a single through the right side to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. The lead was short-lived, as the U.S. tied things up the following inning. However, Chinese Taipei would then take advantage of a bases-loaded walk to plate the eventual game-winner in the sixth.

After the loss, the pressure mounted for Team USA, as the squad faced a potential elimination game every day for the remainder of the tournament. The team responded positively to that pressure by recording its third shutout of the tournament over Brazil, 8-0. In the first inning of the contest Team USA was rolling, with a 4-0 lead before a weather delay pushed the game back two days.

In between the first and second innings of the weather delay against Brazil, the stars and stripes faced host-country Panama. Once again, the U.S. got off to a hot start, scoring three of its four runs in the first two innings. After Panama scored in the bottom of the fourth, Team USA bounced back to score a run in the top of the fifth, to make the eventual final score, 4-1.

After resuming its game with Brazil the following day, the squad notched one run in the fourth and three more in the sixth to win the game and secure a spot in the Super Round of the tournament.

SUPER ROUND

Team USA thrived under the immense pressure of the win-or-go-home Super Round. After allowing the Dominican Republic to score three runs in the first inning of the opening game of the Super Round, the stars and stripes scored one in the second to trail 3-1 heading into the third. After the Dominican Republic added another run in the top half of the inning, the U.S. offense exploded for five runs in the inning to take a 6-4 lead. The offensive production continued in the fourth and fifth innings as Team USA won the game 13-7.

Following the impressive victory, the squad continued to roll, besting international powerhouse Cuba, 10-0, to record the fourth shutout of the tournament. The semifinal game matched world-powers Japan and the United States against one another. Team USA fell behind again, as Japan scored runs in the first and fourth innings to take a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth. As was a staple with the team, the U.S. overcame adversity once again to score the final eight runs of the contest to secure an 8-2 win and a spot in the gold medal game.

GOLD MEDAL GAME

A sold-out crowd at Estadio Kenny Serracin watched a rematch of a game that pitted Team USA and the host country, Panama, against one another for the second time in four days. The stars and stripes wasted no time making putting pressure on Panama early, as they plated six runs in the first inning to take a commanding lead. Each team added a run in the fourth and Team USA closed out Panama to capture the 2018 World Baseball and Softball Confederation’s (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup.

In addition to the gold medal, six players earned additional hardware. Cody Schrier (San Clemente, Calif.) was named the World Cup Most Valuable Player and also took home the award for most runs and the batting title. Sam Dutton (Rainbow City, Ala.) earned the lowest ERA title and Brady House (Winder, Ga.) earned the award for most RBIs in the tournament. Four players, Andrew Painter (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) (starting pitcher), House (first base), Luke Leto (Portage, Mich.) (third base) and Ryan Spikes (Covington, Ga.) (outfield) were also named to the All- World Team for their outstanding play. ♦