Lima, Peru – The U.S. Men’s National Team (MNT) struggled to come alive in Game 6 of the Pan American Games, dropping a 7-0 (five inning) decision to world-ranked No. 5 Argentina. With the loss, the Red, White and Blue play in tomorrow’s Bronze Medal game, with the winner of that contest advancing to the finale for a shot at Pan Am Gold. The offense managed just two hits as two Argentina pitchers combined for the shutout Wednesday afternoon at the Campo de Softball, Complejo Deportivo Villa Maria del Triunfo.
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Click here to view the Pan American Games schedule for the U.S. Men’s National Team
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Erick Ochoa (Imperial, Calif.) worked to a 3-2 count before drawing a walk in the top of the first inning to put the first base runner on for the U.S. with one out. Argentina’s Mata retired the next two U.S. batters on a pair of strikeouts to strand Ochoa at first. Argentina’s offense quickly got hot as they jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the frame. Following a two-out two-run home run, a pair of singles and an error plated another two runners to push the U.S. deficit, 4-0.
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Recording the first hit of the game for the U.S. with one out in the second inning was Jonathan Lynch (Cape Girardeau, Mo.), who doubled on a fly ball to left field. Lynch was unfortunately left stranded after a fly out in foul territory and a line out signaled the start of the bottom frame. Argentina stretched their lead after their second two-out two-run home run and solo shot followed to put them up, 7-0, after two innings of play.
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The Red, White and Blue went down in order and while Argentina took first on a hit-by-pitch with two outs, a strikeout by U.S. relief pitcher Duane Weiler (Richland, Pa.) closed out the third frame.
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Looking for an offensive spark in the fourth inning, Jeff Nowaczyk (Midland, Mich.) dropped one into centerfield for a single with one out. Cam Schiller (Prescott, Ariz.) grounded into a fielder’s choice, with both making it safely on base to put two runners on for the U.S. Lynch then hit a ground ball to shortstop, who recorded the second out at third base. A walk to Yusef Davis (Long Beach, Calif.) loaded the bases for the MNT before a line out to Argentina’s second baseman halted the U.S. chances of scoring.
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Retiring Argentina in order through the bottom half of the fourth frame, the U.S. fell short in their final plate appearance and dropped a 7-0 decision to the reigning World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Champions and world-ranked No. 5 team, Argentina. Argentina advances to tomorrow’s Gold Medal game, while the U.S. looks to play No. 9 Mexico at 10 a.m. CT for a spot in the Championship Game at 2 p.m. CT.Â
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Joel Cooley (St. Paul, Minn.) struck out two in his one and two-thirds innings pitched and allowed six runs on four hits, while Weiler fanned three batters and allowed one run on one hit in his two and one-third innings of work. Lynch and Nowaczyk collected the only two hits of the day for the Red, White and Blue.
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Click here for the complete 2019 USA Softball Men’s National Team roster
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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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