TAINAN, Taiwan – The United States plated seven unanswered runs, surrendered only three hits, and surpassed Mexico, 7-1, on the first day of World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup Super Round action at Asia Pacific International Baseball Stadium.
With the win, Team USA improves to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Super Round standings, per WBSC tournament rules.
Despite falling into an early deficit for the third time in the tournament, the U.S. managed to assemble consistent at-bats and scored two or more runs in three separate innings en route to earning its fifth victory in six games. It was not just the offense that fueled the win, however, as Team USA displayed a collective, team effort and gave up only one hit in the final three innings played. Starting pitcher Barret Schell buckled down after giving up a solo shot in the first, as he proceeded to hurl two shutout innings and keep Mexico’s bats at bay. Brock Bliss took over on the bump in the fourth and fired two clean innings, highlighted by a 6-4-3 double play in the fourth to cap off a nine-pitch frame.
For the third consecutive game, the United States’ offense was quiet in the first two innings, as Mexico’s starting pitcher Diego Garcia refused to give up a hit until the third, when the bats finally kicked into gear behind eight-hole hitter Russell McGee. After McGee chalked up the team’s first hit of the day, the top of the order produced a pair of runs to hand the U.S. a lead it would never surrender. Back-to-back walks in the fifth ignited a pitching change which did little good, as the dangerous bat of Kristian Valadez was on deck. Valadez continued to haunt opposing arms, as he hammered the first pitch he saw off the fresh arm for a three-run jack, clearing the wall in center field and providing the U.S. room to breathe. Jack Carson put the finishing touches on for the stars and stripes and tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth.
Schell got the nod today and fired 3.0 innings, allowing just one run on two hits and punching out three batters. Bliss entered in relief in the fourth and followed up Schell’s performance with 2.0 no-hit frames to earn his second win of the tournament while Davis Romejko got the call in the sixth and struck out one to close out the contest. In three plate appearances, Valadez forced two free passes and drove in three runs with his lone hit of the ball game. Carson produced two runs on one hit, Jaxon Spray added a base knock, while Nolan Hatch and McGee each scored two runs and tallied a base hit apiece.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- A two-out solo shot off the bat of Gaston Gaxiola Hirales handed Mexico an early one-run lead in the first.
- In the third, Hatch laid down a bunt-single, prompting Mexico’s defense to commit an errant throw, scoring McGee–who reached on a leadoff single–and putting Hatch on third. Hatch later came around to score and bestowed the U.S. a one-run advantage after Christopher Chikodroff logged his eighth RBI of the tournament.
- The United States’ lead extended two innings later in the fifth, as back-to-back walks issued to Hatch and Chikodroff triggered a pitching change. Eyeing the first pitch off the new arm, Valadez proceeded to drill a letter-high offering for a no-doubt, three-run homer, extending the lead to 5-1.
- After Spray led off the sixth with a base knock and McGee took first on a hit-by-pitch, Carson cracked a 1-1 offering to left-center field for a two-RBI double to make it 7-1 in favor of the U.S.
NOTABLES
- The United States improves to 9-3 all-time against Mexico at the 12-and-under level of competition while the 12U National Team is now 5-1 all-time versus Mexico in WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup tournaments.
- Today’s 7-1 win is the team’s largest margin of victory over Mexico in WBSC U-12 World Cup play.
- The U.S. needed only five hits to get the job done, marking the fewest number of hits in an international-competition win since the 2023 WBSC U-12 World Cup, when the stars and stripes needed only three hits in a 5-1 victory over South Korea.
- As of Thursday afternoon, the United States leads all nations in hits (54) and RBIs (51). On the flip side, its pitching staff leads all countries in strikeouts (44) and is second in ERA (1.76).
- Valadez tops the leaderboard in home runs (3), RBIs (11), and slugging (1.250), while Chikodroff remains first among all players in hits (10).
- Team USA’s reputation for big bats remains true, as Valadez becomes the seventh player since 2023 to homer three or more times in the first six games of a tournament in 12-and-under international competition.
QUOTABLES
- “We know we’re good defensively,” said assistant coach Roger Wright. “From pitching to the defense, the team is starting to make plays out there. At the plate, we’re being more patient; the players are making adjustments and making timely, big hits.”
- “It’s all about the team,” said Valadez when asked about his performance. “Every time we go out we try to get a team win together, which is what we did today.”
ON DECK
The United States will compete in the second slate of Super Round play in a primetime matchup with Chinese Taipei on Friday, August 1. Chinese Taipei is set to play the Dominican Republic tonight in the first session of the Super Round while first pitch for tomorrow is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local/6:30 a.m. ET at Asia Pacific International Baseball Stadium.
SOCIAL MEDIA
To follow along with all the action with the 12U National Team, be sure to follow @USABaseball12U on X and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
