Venezuela hangs on to hand USA Softball Men's National Team its first defeat
June 23, 2007
Prague, CZ
Venezuela hangs on to hand USA firstdefeat
PRAGUE---Venezuelahanded the USA Softball Men's National Team its first defeat at the ISF Men’sWorld Cup 6-5 Saturday morning. The game was the last in the round robinfor the USAwhich finished 7-1.
The USA fell behind 6-1 before storming back to close the gap to6-4 with three runs on a three-run home run over the center field fence bycatcher Frank DeGroat (Ringwood, N.J.) in the sixth inning. It was a teamleading fifth home run of the tournament for DeGroat.
The USA addedanother run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo homer to right center fieldby shortstop Omar Moraga (Agoura Hills Calif.) but the come back wouldfall short.
Sonny Perkins (St Michael's, Ariz.) took the loss for the USA afterlasting only one inning. Venezuelajumped on Perkins early, scoring four runs on a pair of hits in the first. TravisPrice (Santa Ana, Calif.) replaced Perkins in the secondinning and pitched the remainder of the game, allowing a pair of runs on atwo-run homer by Jose Mannilo in the fourth inning. Price allowed fourhits and fanned eight.
Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.) put the USA on the board in the fourthinning with a lead off home run over the right field fence.
The USA had sevenhits off the two Venezuelapitchers with Larry Escakona picking up the win after going five innings whileJohn Garcia hurled the last two innings to pick up the save.
