GIJANG CITY, South Korea - Despite a six-run rally over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, the 2019 18U National Team its first loss of the 2019 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Baseball World Cup to Japan, 16-7, on Sunday at Gijang-Hyundai Dream Park in Gijang City, South Korea.

Hunter Haas (Phoenix, Ariz.) led Team USA with two hits while drawing a walk and scoring a run. Also, five additional members of the stars and stripes collected one hit each in the contest. Japan's offense recorded 12 hits and six walks to claim the victory.

Ben Hernandez (Chicago, Ill.) got the start for the U.S. and suffered the loss after giving up six runs on five hits in two innings of work. Japan's Junya Nishi, who allowed two runs on two hits and struck out five, was awarded the win.

KEY MOMENTS

• Pete Crow-Armstrong (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) doubled to lead off the game and Tyler Soderstrom (Turlock, Calif.) brought him home with a sacrifice fly to give the U.S. an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
• Japan tied the game in the bottom of the first with a leadoff triple and an RBI-double.
• Five runs on four hits in the bottom of the third gave Japan a 6-1 lead and they added to that in the next inning with five more runs that put Team USA down 11-1 after four.
• The red, white and blue got two back in the fifth after Haas led off the inning with a single and Milan Tolentino (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Crow-Armstrong followed with a walk and a hit-by-pitch, respectively, before Robert Hassell (Franklin, Tenn.) and AJ Vukovich (Mukwonago, Wisc.) both recorded RBI-groundouts.
• A leadoff double in the top of the seventh by Vukovich set up Romo, who hit an RBI-triple to make it an 11-7 game.
• A solo home run in the seventh and four more runs in the eighth sealed the 16-7 victory for Japan.

NOTABLE INFORMATION

• Team USA moves to 2-1 in the 2019 WBSC U-18 World Cup with the loss.
• The loss snapped the 18U National Team's 21-game win streak in international play after both the 2017 and 2018 teams went undefeated.
• Hernandez (0-1) was tagged with the loss when he surrendered six runs on five hits while striking out two batters in two innings of work.

DUE UP

• September 2: USA vs. Panama (12:00 p.m. local [11 p.m. ET on 9/1]; Gijang City, South Korea; Gijang-Hyundai Dream Park)
• September 3: USA vs. Spain (12:00 p.m. local [11 p.m. ET on 9/2]; Gijang City, South Korea; Gijang-Hyundai Dream Park)

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Follow @USABaseball18U on Twitter for the most up-to-date information on the 18U National Team and 18U National Team Trials.