PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico - Ten hits by six batters powered the 15U National Team to an 11-4 defeat of Colombia in its third game of the 2019 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier on Sunday at Unidad Deportivo Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The win clinches Team USA a spot in the Super Round that begins on Thursday, September 19.

Joe Brown (Petaluma, Calif.) led the offense, going 3-for-3, scoring one run and collecting two RBIs, while Dylan Lina (Carson, Calif.) tallied three RBIs on an inside-the-park home run in the fourth inning. Along with Brown and Lina, four other U.S. batters collected hits in the game, including Steven Milam (Las Cruces, N.M.), Mikey Romero (Menifee, Calif.), Nolan Schubart (Durand, Mich.) and Ben Reiland (Irvine, Calif.) 

Brandon Barriera (Coconut Creek, Fla.) started on the bump for the red, white and blue, and got the win, surrendering just two runs on four hits with six punchouts through five innings of work. Louis Rodriguez (Long Beach, Calif.) took over in the sixth and gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits and struck out two batters. Lina closed the game with a perfect seventh inning, striking out all three batters he faced. 

Key Moments

• Milam singled through the ride side to score Brown, who reached base on a single of his own, and gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
• A Karson Bowen (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) sac-fly and a two RBI-single up the middle by Kai Caranto (Santa Clarita, Calif.) gave Team USA a 4-0 advantage in the top of the third inning.
• Milam scored on a throwing error in the top of the fourth inning to give the red, white and blue a 5-0 lead.
• Lina cleared the bases with a three-run inside-the-park home run in the top of the fourth inning to extend the U.S. lead to 8-0.
• An RBI-single and triple put Colombia on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 8-2.
• Drew Burress (Perry, Ga.) crossed the plate on a Colombia error, giving the U.S. a 9-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning.
• Romero's RBI-single through the left side in the top of the fifth inning made it a 10-2 game.
• Colombia cut the lead to 10-4 in the top of the sixth inning with a two RBI-triple to center field.
• Schubart scored on an error by the left fielder in the top of the seventh inning and Lina sat all three Colombian batters down in the bottom frame to solidify Team USA's 11-4 win.

Notable Information

• With the win, Team USA is now 3-0 in pool play action at the 2019 WBSC Americas Qualifier and clinched a spot in the Super Round that begins on Thursday, September 19.
• Barriera (1-0) earned the win after giving up just two runs on four hits and striking out six batters in his first start of the tournament.
• Seven U.S. batters collected hits in the game, including Steven Milam (2-for-4, RBI), Mikey Romero (1-for-3, RBI), Nolan Schubart (2-for-3), Ben Reiland (1-for-2), Dylan Lina (1-for-4, three RBIs), and Joe Brown (3-for-3, two RBIs).

Up Next
The 15U National Team continues action at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier on Monday, September 16 against Dominican Republic at 1 p.m. CT on Field One at Unidad Deprotivo Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. 

Social
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