Box Score | Plays | Cumulative

AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico – Team USA (7-0) completed an Opening Round sweep of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier with a 10-0 win over Mexico (6-1) on Friday in Aguascalientes.

The victory earned Team USA the No. 1 seed in the semifinals, and it will face off against No. 4 Panama on Saturday morning. No. 2 Mexico will face No. 3 Venezuela on Saturday afternoon.

Friday’s game against Mexico was a continuation of the contest that began on Monday that was delayed due to a power outage. The game resumed play with Team USA leading 5-0 in the bottom of the third. The stars and stripes added five more runs to earn its sixth double-digit victory in seven games.

Tyler Early (2-0) earned the win with a lights-out performance. The lefty worked 4.1 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just four hits and striking out eight. He also contributed at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, two walks and a run scored. Leyland Henry led the offense with a 2-for-2 performance, recording an RBI-single and a solo home run.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Henry got Team USA on the board in the bottom of the first inning with an RBI-single, scoring Early. A Mexico error resulted in two more U.S. runs, creating a 3-0 lead.
• In the bottom of the third, Henry knocked a solo homer and Zaylon Johnson later scored on a fielding error. When the game resumed on Friday, Early got the scoring going with an RBI-single and Boston Targac scored on a passed ball to cap a four-run inning, giving Team USA a 7-0 advantage.
• Mexico loaded the bases in the top of the fifth but Nathan Handley-White came on to pitch in relief and stranded the runners by striking out two in seven pitches to preserve Team USA’s lead.
• In the bottom of the fifth, Jett Schoolcraft laced an RBI ground-rule double to center field before Greyson Wuis ended the game with a two-RBI ground-rule double, giving Team USA its 10-0 final score.

NOTABLE:

• Team USA swept the Opening Round of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier and secured the No. 1 seed heading into the Medal Rounds.
• The win extended the 12U National Team international competition win streak to 19, dating back to 2019.
• Team USA has scored 10+ runs in every game of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier and has won six of its seven games by double-digits.
• Early and Handley-White combined for 10 strikeouts in five innings.
• Where Team USA players rank on the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier Leaderboard:
  • Batting Average: T-2^nd – Leyland Henry (.667)
  • Home Runs: T-2^nd – Tyler Early (6)
  • RBI: 5^th – Greyson Wuis (14)
  • Runs: T-2^nd – Tyler Early & Zaylon Johnson (15)
  • OBP: 1^st – Leyland Henry (.815); 3^rd – Tyler Early (.759)
  • ERA: 1^st – Jacob Miller (0.75)
  • IP: 2^nd – Jacob Miller (8.0)
  • SO: T- 2^nd – Jacob Miller & Tyler Early (8)

ON DECK

Team USA will face Panama on Saturday morning in the semifinals of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m. local/12:00 p.m. ET at Cecadi. Stay tuned to @USABaseball12U on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2023 12U National Team.