FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 29, 2016

 

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USA Softball Junior Men’s National Team falls 5-2 after Japan’s second-inning outburst

 

MIDLAND, Mich. – The USA Softball Junior Men’s National Team (JMNT) dropped a 5-2 decision against Japan on the first day of playoff rounds at the 2016 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Junior Men’s Softball World Championship. After Japan scored all five of their runs in the second inning, Team USA was unable to bounce back from the early deficit and took the loss at Currie Stadium Thursday night.

 

Team USA’s Bryce DuCharme (Hudson, Wis.) began the game with a leadoff walk but a double play by Japan sent both DuCharme and Derek Martin (Stevens, Pa.) back to the USA dugout. Martin returned to the field as a courtesy runner for Peyton Hall (Prairie du Chien, Wis.) who reached base on balls, but did not advance as a groundout by Isaac Hormann (Young America, Minn.) would end the inning. Starting pitcher Zane Chason (Alma, Ga.) issued two-straight strikeouts and Hormann caught a fly out  to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.

 

Despite Justin Perez (Northeast, Pa.) recording the game’s first hit on a single to center field, the JMNT would leave him stranded at third following a groundout by Brogan Potter (Prairie du Chien, Wis.), strikeout by Jeff Lewis and fly out by Jonathan Broadbear (Bloomington, Ill.).

 

A second-inning outburst by Japan’s offense led them to strike first in the second inning and go up 5-0 early on. After a walk, a single hit, and an error made by Derek Martin (Stevens, Pa.), Japan’s Kazumasa Shirabe doubled to center field to tack on two runs and give Japan the lead. With runners on second and third, Chason walked the next batter, loading the bases for Japan and prompting a pitching change by Team USA. D. Martin switched from his third base position to the mound and delivered a strikeout to the next batter he faced.  With one out and the bases loaded, Japan’s Sho Ashida capitalized on the opportunity and hit a triple to left field, extending their lead to 5-0. Japan’s next batter bunted and would reach on a fielder’s choice after a play at home stopped Japan from scoring a sixth run. With two outs, D. Martin issued a strikeout to end the inning.

 

After DuCharme’s leadoff walk and a single by Hall in the third, the USA threatened to strike back with a few runs of their own but was kept from scoring after D. Martin was caught at second stealing. A 1-2-3 inning in the fourth saw a fly out to left field by Hormann, and back-to-back strikeouts by Perez and Potter.

 

Jeff Lewis (Amboy, Minn.) would lead off the fifth with a single but both him and Steven Nessler (Mankato, Minn.) would be left on base, keeping the score at 5-0. Two consecutive fly outs by D. Martin and Hall in addition to a groundout by Hormann would end the USA’s at bat in the sixth inning.

 

The Red, White and Blue tried to battle back in the seventh but was unable to earn enough runs. Two-straight walks by Matt Martin (Myerstown, Pa.) and Lewis put the USA on base. With one out, both runners advanced to second and third on a single to left field by Broadbear. M. Martin would cross home on the play and record USA’s first run of the game. An infield fly out by Nessler marked the second out of the inning. With two outs and one baserunner, DuCharme hit an RBI single to plate Kelly Fagan-Beam (Bakersfield, Calif.). However, it was not enough as Japan recorded their last strikeout and secured their win over Team USA.

 

Team USA will return to action tomorrow against Canada at 2:30 p.m. ET.  Fans at home can watch online or follow along with live stats at 2016JMWC.com. 

 

About ASA/USA Softball
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.2 million.  ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won 10 World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com/.

 

About the World Baseball Softball Confederation 

Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland -- the Olympic Capital -- the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) is the world governing body for baseball and softball. WBSC has 213 National Federation and Associate Members in 142 countries and territories across Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and Oceania, which represent a united baseball/softball sports movement that encompasses over 65 million athletes and attracts approximately 150 million fans to stadiums worldwide annually. 

 

The WBSC also governs all international competitions involving official National Teams. The WBSC oversees the Softball World Championships (Men, Women, U-19 Men, and U-19 Women), Premier12, World Baseball Classic, and Baseball World Cups (U-12, U-15, U-18, U-23 and Women's).

 

For further information, please go to www.WBSC.org or follow the WBSC on Twitter at @WBSC.

 

 

Katie Willis I Communications Coordinator

Amateur Softball Association/USA Softball

2801 NE 50th Street

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111
405-425-3425 (O)

Visit Us Online: ASAUSASoftball.com

 

Follow along with USA Softball Junior Men as they compete at the WBSC World Championship!

 

WBSC Junior Men’s World Championship (July 24-30) –2016JMWC.com