TAINAN, Taiwan – Team USA rallied for six runs in its final two turns at bat to beat Chinese Taipei, 8-6, and clinch a spot in the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup gold medal game.
The United States will take on Venezuela in the title game on Sunday.
With the game tied at six in the bottom of the fifth, Jordan Leon and Anthony Ramon hit back-to-back singles and Ty Chambless was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Max Villalva followed that by sneaking a ground ball through the left side for an RBI single, giving the U.S. a 7-6 lead, which eventually grew to 8-6 on an RBI groundout by Jonah Saken. Chinese Taipei then put the tying run at the plate in the top of the sixth, but Levi Kerr was able to coax a game-ending groundout to secure the win.
The fifth inning was not the first time Team USA cashed in after loading the bases. Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth, two hits and a walk put runners on every base with just one out. Then, for the second time in the tournament, Anthony Frausto hit a grand slam and gave Team USA a 6-4 lead, smoking an outside pitch over the wall in right center field to ignite the late scoring outburst.
Dylan Mercado started on the mound for the United States and threw four innings, allowing four runs and striking out five. Levi Kerr worked the final two innings in relief and earned his third win of the tournament, permitting just one baserunner to reach via a walk.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Chinese Taipei opened the scoring in the top of the first when Po-Yuang Chuang walked and was eventually plated on Tzu-Chiao Ou’s sacrifice fly to give Chinese Taipei a 1-0 lead.
- With one out and Anthony Frausto on first base in the bottom of the first, Colin Anderson unloaded on a first-pitch curveball for a two-run homer to give the U.S. a 2-1 advantage.
- Chinese Taipei took a one-run lead in the third inning when Rui-Xi Chen hit a two-run home run over the left field wall, making the score 3-2 in favor of Chinese Taipei.
- In the top of the fourth, Chinese Taipei loaded the bases with nobody out but was only able to scratch across one run on a double play as the U.S. deficit grew to 4-2.
- After Ty Chambless doubled, Max Villalva walked, and Jonah Saken singled to load the bases in the fourth, Anthony Frausto took an outside pitch the other way for a go-ahead grand slam, giving Team USA a 6-4 lead.
- Chinese Taipei rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game. The first run scored on a fielder’s choice by Pin-Han Gao, and Rui-Xi Chen later scored on a wild pitch as the score became 6-6.
- Jordan Leon singled to lead off the United States’ half of the fifth and later scored when Max Villalva hit a single through the left side, giving Team USA a 7-6 lead.
- Jonah Saken gave the U.S. an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, driving in Anthony Ramon with a groundout to extend the lead to 8-6.
- Chinese Taipei put the tying run at the plate with one out in the top of the sixth, but a batter’s interference and a groundout induced by Levi Kerr secured the victory for the United States.
OF NOTE
- Team USA will appear in the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup gold medal game for the fourth time in its five trips to the tournament. The U.S. has won gold each time it has made it to the title game (2013, 2015, 2017).
- Friday’s win was the second consecutive game that the United States trailed in the fourth inning or later and won, as the team came back from a late deficit in Thursday’s win over Mexico.
- Team USA has hit 19 home runs in the tournament, surpassing its home run totals from all four previous WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cups it has played in.
- After another error-free game, the stars and stripes raised their team fielding percentage to .965.
- The U.S. has now scored at least one run in the first inning in all six of its games, giving the squad 25 first-inning runs.
- Team USA’s all-time record against Chinese Taipei improves to 4-2 at the U-12 level.
- Colin Anderson has now homered in three straight games, leaving the yard four times and driving in 11 runs over that span.
- By walking twice and hitting the game-winning single, Max Villalva reached base in all three of his plate appearances in the victory.
- Levi Kerr has won three games on the mound for the U.S. and owns a spotless 0.00 ERA, allowing just two hits in 7.2 innings of work.
- Friday’s game was delayed for 90 minutes after the first inning due to rain.
ON DECK
Team USA wraps up Super Round play against Venezuela on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. local/2:30 a.m. ET.
SOCIAL
Stay tuned to @USABaseball12U on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2022 12U National Team.
