Box Score & Plays | Cumulative Stats

BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic – Team USA cruised past Curaçao, 19-2, behind a 15-hit barrage on Friday at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Americas U-18 Baseball Pan-American Championship at the IPL Academy.

After recording five hits in its tournament opener, the U.S. offense erupted for 19 runs on double-digit hits, highlighted by a four-hit performance from Chase Fuller and a three-hit, five-RBI outing from Sebastian Wilson. Team USA loaded the bases in two of the first three innings, scoring three runs to take an early advantage. Curaçao scratched across a pair of runs to come within a run, but Team USA’s offense broke through in the fourth, stringing together 12 runs on seven hits ignited by a leadoff triple from Dylan Seward. Team USA tacked on four extra runs in the fifth, highlighted by RBI hits from Sebastian Castillo, Fuller, and Jack Swanson.

Three pitchers combined to hold Curaçao to two runs on three hits. Southpaw Connor Salerno got the nod and struck out the side in the first inning, finishing with four punchouts in 2.0 innings of work. Justin Kirchner made his debut on the bump, fanning four batters across 2.0 innings to earn the win. Drake Hawpe entered in the seventh and needed just seven pitches to seal the victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Team USA struck first in the opening frame when Castillo drew a two-out walk while a hit-by-pitch to Lubin Rincon kept the inning alive. A wild pitch scored Castillo before Fuller gave the U.S. a two-run advantage with a single through the left side.
• Wilson delivered with the bases loaded in the third, lining the first pitch he saw for a hit to left field for an RBI single.
• Seward sparked the fourth-inning rally with a leadoff triple to opposite field. A pair of walks followed to load the bases for the third time in four innings.
• Rincon lifted a sacrifice fly to drive in a run, while a two-RBI single off the bat of Wilson made it 6-2.
• Three straight walks pushed the lead to 8-2, before Seward saw his second at-bat of the inning and notched a deep sacrifice fly to right.
• After Swanson drew a walk, Castillo, Rincon, and Fuller followed with consecutive RBI singles to give the U.S. a 13-2 advantage.
• Wilson capped the inning in fashion, golfing a 1-1 pitch to straightaway center for a two-RBI triple.
• Back-to-back singles from Cooper Collins and Drake Hawpe kicked off the fifth frame. Both came around to score following RBI base knocks from Swanson and Castillo.
• Fuller recorded his fourth hit of the day with an RBI triple to extend the lead to 19-2.

NOTABLES

• The 18U National Team earned its first-ever victory over Curaçao.
• Team USA’s 19 runs marks the 17th time in program history the 18U National Team has scored 19 or more runs. It was the program’s first such performance since 2018, when the squad beat Peru 26-0.
• Four players posted multi-hit outings while eight players tallied at least one base knock.
• Five players had multi-RBI days. Wilson led the way with five, while Castillo and Fuller had three apiece.
• Wilson’s five RBIs were the most by an 18U National Team player since Bryce Eldridge recorded five against the Netherlands in 2022.
• Fuller’s four-hit performance was the most since Colby Halter’s four-hit game against Panama in 2019.

ON DECK

The United States (2-0) wraps up pool play against the Dominican Republic (1-0) tomorrow, October 24, at 3:00 p.m. ET at the IPL Academy in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic.

To stay up to date with the USA Baseball 18U National Team, follow along with @USABaseball18U on Twitter/X, and @USABaseball on Instagram. For more information on the schedule including live statistics and streaming, visit HERE.