USA Softball: Men’s National Team shuts out Bar Blues 8-0 in Game 1 of Jack Grafmeier Memorial Fastpitch Tournament

June 1, 2019

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Men’s National Team shuts out Bar Blues 8-0 in Game 1 of Jack Grafmeier Memorial Fastpitch Tournament

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 31, 2019 Web Release: Link

Kimberly, Wisc. – On the opening day of the Jack Grafmeier Memorial Fastpitch tournament, the USA Softball Men’s National Team (MNT) claimed the 8-0 (five innings) shutout win over Bar Blues.    Game 1: Team USA 8, Bar Blues 0   Duane Weiler (Richland, Pa.) started in the circle and pitched four complete innings for the U.S. before Tony Mancha (Las Cruces, N.M.) entered to close out the game in the fifth and final inning. In addition to five shutout innings, timely hits by the U.S. offense and aggressive baserunning allowed for the Red, White and Blue to strike first and remain in control of the game.   A pair of strikeouts and a groundout to Kevin Castillo (Long Beach, Calif.) in the top of the first inning quickly sent the U.S. to the plate. Erick Ochoa (Imperial, Calif.) drew a two-out walk but was left on base after Matt Palazzo (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) grounded into a fielder’s choice.   Keeping Bar Blues off the board in the second, Tyler Bouley (Champlin, Minn.) sent one up the middle with one out but was out at second on a fielder’s choice from Nick Mullins (Toms River, N.J.). Stealing second and moving into scoring position, Mullins touched home following an RBI single from Castillo to put the U.S. up, 1-0.   Bar Blues was retired in order for the second time in the top of the third, allowing Team USA to add to their lead. Jonathan Lynch (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) led off with a triple before scoring the second run on a sacrifice fly from Cameron Schiller (Prescott, Ariz.). With two outs, Palazzo took first on a walk prior to Tyler Dudley (Battle Creek, Mich.) going yard to extend the U.S. lead, 4-0.   Back-to-back strikeouts from Weiler in the fourth inning brought his total count to seven, while Bar Blues managed its second hit of the game before a groundout ended the frame. Mullins hit a groundball and was safe on a throwing error by the third baseman, and quickly advanced to second. After taking third, Gil Saenz (El Paso, Texas) singled to centerfield to bring him home, before scoring the sixth run off a double from Lynch. Schiller then doubled, before a sacrifice fly from Ochoa extended the U.S. lead to 7-0. Palazzo then hit one to the third basement who made an error, allowing Schiller to score and ultimately secure the 8-0 (five innings) shutout victory.    Mancha and Jeff Nowaczyk (Midland, Mich.) entered the game in the top of the fifth, retiring the Bar Blues offense on a strikeout, fly out and groundout.    Lynch finished 3-for-3, while Dudley had a team-high two RBI with his two-run shot in the bottom of the third. The Men’s National Team is back in action Saturday, June 1 at 2:00 p.m. CT against Optimum Crush before their 3:45 p.m. CT game versus Hustle Hogs.   Following the Jack Grafmeier Memorial Fastpitch Tournament, the team will break briefly before meeting up in Stevens, Pa. for exhibition games June 8-9 prior to the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Men’s Softball World Championship in Prague, Czech Republic June 13-23.    The team will finish out the 2019 season in Lima, Peru for the Pan American Games set for July 25-August 1. In eight Pan American Games participated in, the U.S. has claimed the Silver Medal in all but one event, falling just short the podium in 2015 with a fourth-place finish.   Announced earlier this year was the coaching staff for the 2019 team, including Head Coach Gregg Leather, in addition to Assistant Coaches Ron Guzman (Salinas, Calif.), Ron Hackett (Richmond, Va.), Greg Hicks (Bakersfield, Calif.), Nick McCurry (Ashland, Ohio) and Gerald Muizelaar (Grand Forks, N.D.).  Fans at home can follow along all summer long with the USA Softball National Teams at USASoftball.com.   About USA Softball USA Softball is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USA Softball sanctions competition through a network of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations.  USA Softball is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch.  USA Softball annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships.  The USA Softball umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.    As the NGB for the sport of softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USA Softball, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.

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