PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico - The USA Baseball 15U National Team scored two runs in the third inning and picked up a key insurance run in the seventh to win gold at the 2019 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier with a 3-1 victory over Panama at Unidad Deportivo Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Louis Rodriguez (Long Beach, Calif.) was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

The U.S. finished the tournament with an 8-1 record and outscored its opponents 66-33. The win marks the fourth consecutive U-15 Baseball World Cup Qualifier gold medal for the red, white and blue (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019), and the third straight international title after the 15U National Team won its first-ever world championship at the 2018 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup.

Termarr Johnson (Atlanta, Ga.) led the team at the plate, going 2-for-4 and playing a role in all three U.S. runs, crossing the plate once and tallying two RBIs. He was joined by Joe Brown (Petaluma, Calif.), Karson Bowen (Anaheim Hills, Calif.), and Ben Reiland (Irvine, Calif.), who all collected hits in the game.

Rodriguez started on the bump for the red, white and blue and put together four scoreless frames in his five innings of work, allowing just one run and tossing four strikeouts to earn the win and tournament MVP honors. Ethan McElvain (Thompson's Station, Tenn.) and Duke Ekstrom (San Diego, Calif.) both came on in relief and combined for four strikeouts with Ekstrom recording the save after tossing a perfect seventh inning.

Johnson, Bowen, Steven Milam (Las Cruces, N.M.) and Kai Caranto (Santa Clarita, Calif.) were also named to the all-tournament team at outfield, catcher, second base and outfield, respectively.

Key Moments
• Johnson put the U.S. on the board with an RBI-double to left that scored Milam and followed by stealing home to put the U.S. up 2-0 in the top of the third inning.
• A Panama RBI-single in the bottom of the fifth inning cut Team USA's lead in half, 2-1.
• Reiland hit a lead-off triple in the top of the seventh inning and scored on a Johnson RBI-single to extend the lead 3-1 for the stars and stripes.
• Ekstrom tossed two strikeouts and Milam completed a 4-3 putout in the bottom of the seventh to solidify the 3-1, gold medal victory for Team USA.

Notable Information
• Termarr Johnson led the team at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one run scored and two RBIs.
• Louis Rodriguez picked up with win, striking out four in five scoreless innings. Duke Ekstrom was credited with the save.
• The U.S. has qualified for the 2020 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup and will be joined by Panama, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Venezuela representing the Americas region.
• Louis Rodriguez was named tournament MVP, after throwing 10 strikeouts across 10.2 innings pitched in tournament action and earning the gold medal win.
• Termarr Johnson, Karson Bowen, Steven Milam and Kai Caranto were all named to the all-tournament team at outfield, catcher, second base and outfield, respectively.
• This marked the fourth consecutive gold medal at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier after winning the tournament in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
• The USA Baseball 15U National Team has won three straight international tournaments, including its first world championship in 2018 at the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup.

Social
Stay tuned to @USABaseball15U on Twitter, @usabaseball on Instagram and visit USABaseball.com for the most up-to-date news about the 15U National Team.