WEST HILLS, Calif. -- The 12U National Team competed in a 10-inning exhibition game on Sunday afternoon in its final tune-up before heading to Taiwan for the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup, dropping a slugfest to Braves Baseball Academy -- a team comprised of local travel players, some of whom have played for Team USA in the past -- by the final of 25-13.

While not much went right for the stars and stripes on the pitching side of things, the offense showed its ability to put runs up on the board in bunches, continuing a trend that started back at the World Cup Americas Qualifier in May. After being held off the board for the first three innings of the game, the group broke through in the fourth, scratching across five runs to cut into its early deficit. Nicholis Parker Jr. got things going during this stretch with an RBI base hit up the middle, and to cap things off just a few batters later, Leyland Henry smoked a ball into right-center field to drive home two of his own.

From here, the star of the show for the red, white, and blue turned out to be Bryant Ju, who made his presence felt immediately in his first plate appearance of the day in the sixth inning. With two runners on and two outs, the young catcher smoked a ball into dead center for a three-run home run, his first as an official member of the 12U National Team after knocking two out of the park during qualifiers.

As it turned out, this would not be it for Ju, as the righty managed to repeat this feat just a few frames later. On the first pitch he saw in the ninth inning, Ju went yard yet again, lining the first pitch he saw into the trees in right field for his second home run of the game and his team-leading fifth RBI.

On Deck

Team USA will continue its training for a final day on Monday before departing for the WBSC U-12 World Cup on Tuesday, July 25. The team will play its first game of the tournament on Friday, July 28, at 2:30 A.M. ET against Czech Republic.