USA Men push record to 4-0 with easy win over Halcones Tenerife
June 20, 2007
Prague, CZ
USA Men push record to 4-0with easy win over Halcones Tenerife
PRAGUE, CZ – The USA Softball Men’s National Team won itsfourth game in a row and second run-rule in the ISF Men’s World Cup,routing Halcones Tenerife of Spain, 21-2, in five innings Wednesday morning.It was the third loss in as many games for Halcones Tenerife.
Left-hander B.J. Hunhoff (Harrisburg, SD), the youngest player on the USA team at just 18, made his firststart in the pitching circle and allowed just two runs on three hits to collecthis first win. He gave up a solo homer in the second inning to Oropeza Merentesover the right center field fence with one out and an RBI single in the thirdinning by Pena Garcia, scoring Arteaga Matei who had walked to open the inningand went to second on a wild pitch. Hunhoff fanned five batters and walked onlyone.
The USA scored once in the second inning on a solo homer by catcherFrank DeGroat, Jr., (Ringwood, N.J.) off losing pitcher Escalona Zambrano, whowas rocked for 18 hits, including 11 hits in a 14-run fifth inning.
The homer was DeGroat’s third of the World Cup and leads the USAteam. DeGroat’s homer was the first of three launched by the USA inthe game. Omara Moraga (Agoura Hills, Calif.) hit a solo homer and Tim Hunt (LaHabraCalif.) alsocontributed a two-run round-tripper in the 14-run fifth inning.
Daryn Miller (Creve Coeur, Ill.) had three singles in five trips to the plate, drivingin three runs, while Blake Miller (Albany Ga.) drove in five runs with adouble and two singles in five at-bats. Hunt also had a pair of singles to goalong with his homer to lead the USA offensive attack.
The Red, White and Blue will look to keep their unbeaten streak aliveas they take on Santa Isabel Zaragoza of Spain later today.
Brian McCall
bmccall@softball.org
