CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA - Coming on the heels of a tough loss the previous night, the 15U National Team rebounded in a big way to down Venezuela 5-1 on Sunday night in the third game of the 2017 COPABE Pan Am "AA" Championships in Cartagena, Colombia.
The United States (2-1) got a quick jump early, capitalizing on Venezuela's starting pitcher throwing only eight strikes in his first 25 pitches. Three walks and two hit-by-pitches later and Team USA had a two-run lead in the first inning.
With a new pitcher in for Venezuela, things crawled to a dead-heat as Alejandro Rosario (Miami, Fla.) started for the Stars and Stripes and tossed four scoreless innings, striking out two in his 5.0 innings.
The 15U team would extend its lead in the fifth as Pete Crow-Armstrong (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) doubled to left field before Alek Boychuk (Buford, Ga.) walked to put him in scoring position. Robert Moore (Leawood, Kans.) and Michael Brooks (Lake Worth, Fla.) then both reached on back-to-back fielder's choices before a throwing error by the third-basemen allowed Boychuk to make it all the way home.
Mac Guscette (Nokomis, Fla.) then got his second RBI of the night, rocketing a single through the left side to score Brooks and push the lead to 4-0.
Venezuela would close the gap slightly, adding a run in the bottom of the sixth, however, the U.S. would match that run in the eighth to keep the lead at four.
Roc Riggio (Simi Valley, Calif.) kick-started the eighth with a double down the right field line before Petey Halpin (San Mateo, Calif.) drew his second walk of the game. Crow-Armstrong then moved everyone forward with a sacrifice bunt to set up the Boychuk sacrifice fly in the next at-bat to add insurance to the lead.
On the day, Crow-Armstrong led the team with a 2-for-2 outing, while Guscette finished with a game-high two RBIs.
It was another strong day for the United States' pitching staff, as Joshua Hartle (King, N.C.), Jackson Miller (Trinity, Fla.) and Masyn Winn (Kingwood, Texas) all came in to provide shutout relief innings.
Hartle allowed just one run while striking out two in 1.0 innings, while Miller and Winn tossed 2.0 and 1.0 no-hit innings, respectively, getting two strikeouts a piece.
The 15U National Team will try to keep the momentum going on Monday, Aug. 14 when it takes on Argentina in the afternoon game. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
Continue to follow on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 15U National Team.
The COPABE Pan Am Championships is a World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Continental Championships and serves as a qualifier to the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in 2018.