USA Softball Men's National Team pick up two more wins at ISF Men's World Cup (2)
June 22, 2007
Prague, CZ
USA blanks Prague Stars for seventhconsecutive win
PRAGUECZ---The USA Softball Men’s National Team coasted to a 10-0 five inningrun rule victory over the Prague Stars (1-4) on Friday morning to remainundefeated at 7-0 in the ISF Men’s World Cup. Three-home runs in just oneinning helped to propel to Red, White and Blue to their fourth victory via therun-rule.
The USA pounded two Prague pitchers for 12hits including three homers in a six-run third inning. Ales Jetmar was thelosing pitcher and worked two innings, allowing six runs and eight hits.Right-hander Petr Bednar replaced Jetmar after the USA hitconsecutive homers (DeLarwell and DeGroat) in the third inning andfinished the game, allowing four runs and four hits.
Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.) opened the third with a solo blast toleft field and catcher Frank DeGroat (Ringwood, N.J.) followed with a solo homer to centerfield before Adam LaLonde (Cheboygan, Mich.) sent a blast over the center field fencelater in the inning for the USA's first grand slam of the WorldCup.
It was the second home run of the game for DeLarwelle who helped putthree runs on the board in the first inning with a solo shot. DeGroat increasedhis home run total to four with his solo home run while LaLonde broke into thehome run club with his first. The three homers in the third inning increasedthe overall USAtotal to 14 in just seven games.
Although it wasn't the first time LaLonde has hit a grand slam in hiscareer, it was the first grand slam for him in his six-year career as a memberof the USA National Team. LaLonde had a pair of singles in two earlier at-bats tofinish off a perfect day. DeLarwelle also had a perfect day offensively going3-for-3 with a single and two home runs.
Cody Thomson (Salt Lake City, Utah) hurled the first three innings for the USA to pick uphis second win in the circle. During his stint in the circle he allowed onlyone hit, one walk and fanned two batters. Left-hander B.J. Hunhoff (Harrisburg, S.D.came in from the bull pen in the fourth inning to finish off the game. In twoinnings of work he did not allow a hit and struck out two.
The U.S. must nowturn its sights towards a showdown with undefeated Venezuela later in the day. Thewinner will secure the top seed going into the page playoffs on Saturday. Thelast time these two teams met up was in October of 2006 at the Men’s PanAmerican Championships in Hermosillo, Mexico where Venezueladismantled the USA8-0, and allowed only one hit. The U.S.went on to finish fourth while Venezuelafinished as the runner-up.
GAME 6 STATS
USA holds off Czech Republic toremain undefeated in ISF Men’s World Cup
HAVLICKUV, BROD---Holding off a last inning rally by the Czech Republic(1-4), the USA Softball Men’s National Team won its sixth consecutivegame on Thursday, 6-4, to remain undefeated in the ISF Men’s World Cup. TheU.S.improved to 6-0 in pool play which concludes on Friday with a double-header.
For the first time in the tournament the U.S. found itself trailing ina game when the Czech’s took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of thesecond inning but the Red, White and Blue came storming back in the top of thefourth inning after a couple is costly defensive miscues.
Frank DeGroat, Jr. (Ringwood N.J.) reached on a fielding errorby the shortstop to lead off the inning and Mo Kandouse (Patterson, N.J.) wasinserted to pinch-run. A trot would be the extent of running Kandouse wouldhave to do as Nate Devine (Merced, Calif.) blasted his second home run of the World Cup toleft field to give the U.S.a 2-1 advantage.
The Czech Republic came back to tiethe game in the bottom of the fourth inning. T. Benda led off the inning with asingle and scored on a single by V. Svoboda coupled with an error by U.S. right fielder Chris Miljavac (St. Joseph, Mo.
The USA regained thelead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning on a solo homer by shortstop OmarMoraga (Agoura Hills, Calif.) and an RBI single by Devine but thepesky Czech’s added a run of their own in the bottom of the sixth to cutthe lead in half.
Two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, which proved to bethe difference in the game, increased the U.S. lead to 6-3. Moragaled off the inning with a double to center field and scored on an RBI single byChris DeLarwelle (Appleton Wis.). With one out in theinning, DeLarwelle stole second, advanced to third on an error by the shortstopand scored on a wild pitch.
With their home town fans behind them, the Czech’s mounted a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning. L. Prochazka led off with a singleand advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. A walk to M. Cermakprompted Head Coach Peter Turner to turn to his bull pen to put a stop to therally.
Sonny Perkins (St. Michael’s, Ariz.came in to relieve starter Travis Price (Santa Ana, Calif.) with thewinning run coming to the plate. D. Mertl greeted Perkins with a single toright field that scored Prochazka but that would be all Perkins and the U.S.defense would allow. A heads-up play by USAfirst baseman Nate Devine (Merced, Calif.) turned a routine out into a double play when hetook the throw from second baseman Blake Miller (Albany, Ga.and laced it to third to pick-off the runner. Perkins wrapped up his first savewith a strikeout to end the game.
Price picked up his third win of the World Cup, hurling 6 1/3 inningswith eight strikeouts. The USAand the Czech Republiceach had eight hits apiece with Moraga and Devinleading the way with three hits apiece for the USA.
The USA willcomplete the round robin portion of the World Cup on Friday with games againstthe Prague Stars and Venezuela.
