TAINAN, Taiwan – Colin Anderson hit two homers and drove in seven runs to propel the 12U National Team past Korea, 8-5, in its pool play finale at the VI World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup on Tuesday afternoon in Tainan, Taiwan.
With the performance, Anderson tied the 12U National Team record for most RBIs in a single game in international play. The U.S. clinched the top seed in the Super Round out of Group B with the win.
Team USA responded quickly after falling into a 1-0 hole in the first. Jonah Saken and Jordan Leon both walked to open the bottom half of the inning, and Trent O’Malley was hit by a pitch as the stars and stripes loaded the bases for Colin Anderson. The outfielder then stepped up to the plate and delivered, clobbering a grand slam just inside the left field foul pole as Team USA took a 4-1 lead.
Then, with the U.S. leading 5-4 with two outs in the second inning, Anderson pounced on an 0-2 pitch and went the other way for an opposite-field, three-run homer to extend Team USA’s lead to four. Korea chipped into its deficit with a run in the fifth but was not able to get anything more as the U.S. bullpen held strong in the win.
Major Ciers was clutch in relief for the United States, turning in 2.2 innings of one-run ball to earn the win. After entering in the second inning and allowing two unearned runs to score, Ciers permitted just one baserunner over the next two innings to keep Korea off the scoreboard. Trent O’Malley earned the save for the stars and stripes, throwing a hitless sixth inning to clinch the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Korea jumped out to a quick lead in the top of the first, as Woochan Jung drew a leadoff walk and scored on a balk to give Korea a 1-0 lead.
- The U.S. responded immediately in the bottom of the first, scoring first-inning runs for the fourth consecutive game. After a pair of walks and hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, Colin Anderson snuck a grand slam inside the left field foul pole to give Team USA a 4-1 advantage.
- Korea answered in its half of the second inning when Seungwoo An hit an RBI single before two more runs scored on an error to knot the game at four.
- Team USA had a quick answer in the bottom of the second, as Max Villalva got hit by a pitch and Jonah Saken singled to put a pair of runners on. Jordan Leon then delivered with a single through the right side to plate Villalva and make it a 5-4 lead for the United States.
- With two out and two on in the bottom of the second, Colin Anderson took an 0-2 pitch the opposite way for a three-run homer, his second blast of the day, to give Team USA an 8-4 lead.
- After entering the game in the second inning, Major Ciers tossed two key scoreless innings in the third and fourth as Team USA maintained its 8-4 edge.
- Korea scratched a run across in the top of the fifth when Woochan Jung singled and scored on a wild pitch to creep within three runs.
- Trent O’Malley took the mound in the top of the sixth and worked around a leadoff walk to notch the save and secure the 8-5 victory for Team USA.
OF NOTE
- With seven RBIs in the win, Colin Anderson ties the 12U National Team record for RBIs in a single international game (Also: Nathan Aguilar, seven vs. Colombia on 8/4/2016).
- Team USA has hit 14 homers through its first four games, already surpassing the 12U National Team’s home run totals at the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cups in 2013, 2015, and 2019.
- By scoring four runs in the first inning on Tuesday, the U.S. has now scored 22 runs over four first innings in the tournament.
- The U.S. went 4-0 in WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup pool play for the third time in team history. The team also completed the feat in 2015 and 2017, when it went on to win gold both times.
- Jonah Saken picked up another hit on Tuesday and has now hit safely in all four games to post a .700 batting average (7-for-10).
- After the massive day in Tuesday’s win, Colin Anderson has driven in a tournament-most 14 runs. He has three homers and sixteen total bases in four games.
- Team USA’s pitching staff lowered its ERA to 2.29 in the win. The group has struck out 20 batters in 21.0 innings and held opponents to a .234 batting average against.
ON DECK
Team USA has the day off on Wednesday and will return to action for the first game of the Super Round on Thursday, August 4. The time and opponent are to be determined.
SOCIAL
Stay tuned to @USABaseball12U on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2022 12U National Team.
