Weiler throws no-hitter in 20-0 victory over Peru; Castillo’s grand slam highlights Game 4 win for U.S. Men’s National Team

July 30, 2019

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Weiler throws no-hitter in 20-0 victory over Peru; Castillo’s grand slam highlights Game 4 win for U.S. Men’s National TeamÂ

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 29, 2019 Web Release: Link

Lima, Peru – The U.S. Men’s National Team (MNT) shut out Peru, 20-0, in Monday’s contest at the Campo de Softball, Complejo Deportivo Villa Maria del Triunfo,as Duane Weiler (Richland, Pa.) threw a no-hitter and the offense scored 20 runs on 18 hits in three innings. Three players went yard on the day, including Kevin Castillo (Long Beach, Calif.) who knocked two out of the ballpark to plate eight runs in Game 4 of the Pan American Games.    Click here to view the Pan American Games schedule for the U.S. Men’s National Team   “Our goal going in was to finish it as quick as possible, and coming out of that big first inning was huge,” said Head Coach, Gregg Leather (Staten Island, N.Y.). “We didn’t even have to get our other pitchers up because we knew Duane (Weiler) was going to pitch those three innings once we scored 12 runs in the first inning. The guys did exactly what we wanted and couldn’t ask anything more of them.”     Matt Ratliff (American Fork, Utah) got things started early with a leadoff double and rounded the bases to score after a single from Erick Ochoa (Imperial, Calif.). Matt Palazzo (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) singled before Jeff Nowaczyk (Midland, Mich.) reached on an error to set up a bases loaded situation for U.S. No. 5 batter, Castillo. It only took one pitch as Castillo cleared the bags with a grand slam to push the lead to 5-0.    Yusef Davis (Long Beach, Calif.) drew a walk and one out later, Marcus Tan (Union City, Calif.) singled and Jenner Christiansen (Hayward, Calif.) walked to load the bases for the second time in the top of the first inning. Ratliff then drilled one down the right field line, plating Davis and Tan before Christiansen crossed on the throw home to make it 8-0. After advancing to third on the same throw, Ratliff would stay put after a two-out walk was issued to Palazzo before scoring on a wild pitch. Nowaczyk then walked to put two runners on for Castillo, who once again came up big with a three-run shot past the left field fence to put up a 12-run first inning for the Red, White and Blue.   Weiler started his dominance in the circle, striking out the first two batters to begin the bottom half of the first inning. A fielding error allowed Peru to place a runner on first base, but Weiler followed it up with a strikeout to get out of the inning.   The MNT tacked on another five runs in the top half of the second frame. A one-out double from Christiansen put a runner on before Ratliff homered on a fly ball to centerfield to extend the lead, 14-0. A fly out to left field made for two outs, but the Red, White and Blue offense continued to work the plate. Palazzo went yard to put the U.S. ahead 15-0, while Nick Mullins (Toms River, N.J.) dropped a fly ball into left field to drive home two more runs before the inning was over.    Retiring Peru in order through the bottom of the second inning on a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts from Weiler, the U.S. offense returned to the plate.   Singles from Christiansen and Ratliff led off the third, and a one-out walk to Palazzo loaded the bases for the fourth time in the game. Despite a fly out to right field, three-straight singles from Castillo, Davis and Mullins plated what would be the final runs of the game to put the U.S. ahead, 20-0.    Another three strikeouts from Weiler in the bottom of the third inning capped off the 20-0 shutout victory over host country Peru. Through three innings of work, Weiler fanned eight batters and held Peru hitless. Castillo went 3-for-3, leading the team with eight runs batted in with his two home runs, while Ratliff went 4-for-4 with five RBI and one home run. Palazzo was the third U.S. batter to go yard in the contest.    The U.S. is back in action tomorrow, Tuesday, July 30 at 2 p.m. CT against No. 9 Mexico for Game 5 of the 2019 Pan American Games.   Click here for the complete 2019 USA Softball Men’s National Team roster   Held every four years, the U.S. has earned seven silver medals dating from 1979-2003, while falling just shy of the podium with a fourth-place finish at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games. Of the 15 athletes named to the Pan American Games roster, Kevin Castillo (Long Beach, Calif.), Mancha, Nick Mullins (Toms River, N.J.), Palazzo and Tan return from the 2015 Pan American Games squad. The U.S. team is led by Head Coach Gregg Leather (Staten Island, N.Y.), along with assistant coaches Ron Guzman (Salinas, Calif.), Greg Hicks (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Gerald Muizelaar (Grand Forks, N.D.). Leather and Hicks served as assistant coaches at the 2015 Pan American Games, while Muizelaar competed for the Red, White and Blue.

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