Shutout Sends Team USA to Gold Medal Game

12U National Team has now won 20 straight international games, dating back to 2019

Box Score | Plays | Cumulative

AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico – Team USA (8-0) punched its ticket to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier gold medal game with a 13-0 win over Panama (4-4) on Saturday in Aguascalientes.

In a rematch of the 2022 WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Championship Game, No. 1 Team USA will face off against No. 3 Venezuela (6-2) in the final game of the U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier on Sunday. In the Opening Round, the U.S. used a walk-off home run to come out victorious over Venezuela, 25-24, in a back-and-forth game last Saturday.

Against Panama, Team USA was paced by a strong performance on the mound from Jacob Miller (3-0). The righty pitched 4.0 innings, gave up just six hits, struck out four, and did not allow a run. Miller lowered his WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier-leading ERA to 0.50.

On offense, Greyson Wuis (4), Boston Targac (3), and Jett Schoolcraft (2) led the way with multi-RBI performances.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

  • Leyland Henry jump started Team USA in the bottom of the first with a solo home run, providing an early lead.
  • In the bottom of the second, Wuis gave the red, white, and blue a 5-0 advantage by smashing a grand slam to right center.
  • Targac kept things rolling in the third with a two-run home run to dead center, giving Team USA a 7-0 lead.
  • Team USA wrapped up its scoring in the bottom of the fourth with six runs. Bryant Ju laced an RBI-single through the left side, Targac reached on a fielding error to score Zaylon Johnson, Schoolcraft added two with a two-RBI single, and Tyler Early came around to score on a wild pitch.
  • Michael Ohman came on in the top of the fifth to close the door on Panama and give Team USA the 13-0 victory.

NOTABLE:

  • The win extended the 12U National Team international competition win streak to 20, dating back to 2019.
  • Team USA has scored 10 or more runs in every game of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier and has won seven of its eight games by double-digits.
  • Miller was able to work his way out of two bases-loaded jams to keep Panama scoreless.
  • Henry has now hit a home run in six of his last eight games.
  • Team USA and Venezuela are the two highest-scoring teams in the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, averaging 16.88 and 19.12 runs per game, respectively.
  • When Team USA defeated Venezuela, 25-24, in the Opening Round of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier, the 49 combined runs set a Team USA 12U National Team record for most combined runs scored in a single game.

ON DECK

Team USA will face Venezuela on Sunday afternoon in the final game of the WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup Americas Qualifier. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. local/4:00 p.m. ET at Cecadi. Stay tuned to @USABaseball12U on Twitter for the most up-to-date news about the 2023 12U National Team.