ON TOP OF THE WORLD
A RECAP OF THE 2018 15U NATIONAL TEAM 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. 10
2 0 1 9 N AT I O N A L T E A M C H A M P I O N S H I P S
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
