June2007

USA Softball Men's National Team advances to the finals and finishes second at ISF Men's World Cup

June 25, 2007

Prague, CZ

USA Men finish second at ISF Men’sWorld Cup of Softball

 

Prague, CZ---The USA Softball Men’s National Team finished secondat the 2007 ISF Men’s World Cup of Softball on Sunday after falling toJapan, 2-0, in the championship game. The U.S.rebounded from an opening round loss to Japanto defeat Venezuelaand earn a rematch in the championship game.

 

Japanpicked up the only run it would need in the bottom of the first inning when theU.S.defense faltered. Suzuki reached to lead off the inning on an error by U.S. third baseman Gregg Cascaes (Apple Valley, Minn.) andmoved to second and third on back-to-back sacrifices by Yokohama and Ishimura. Japan continued to execute thefundamentals of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Suzuki.

 

The U.S.recorded its only hit of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Adam LaLonde(Cheboygan, Mich.led off the inning with a single to left field but the U.S. was not able to bring a runacross.

 

An insurance run was added by Japan in the bottom of the sixthinning for a 2-0 lead.

 

In the top of the seventh the U.S. mounted a comeback that wouldfall short. Omar Moraga (Agoura Hills, Calif.) reached after being hit by a pitch to lead offthe inning and moved to second when Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.reached on a throwing error by the third baseman. But the comeback was haltedwhen Frank DeGroat, Jr. (Ringwood, N.J.) struck out and Nate Devine (MercedCalif.grounded into a double-play back to the pitcher to end the game.

 

The U.S. finishedthe game with just one hit and left three runners stranded while Japancollected two runs off eight hits and left five runners on base.

 

The USA will have achance to redeem itself in less than a month when it faces off with Japan, Venezuelaand Argentina in theinaugural KFC American Challenge Series, July 13-15, in Oklahoma City at the ASA Hall of FameComplex.

 

The American Challenge Series is being hosted in conjunction with the2007 KFC World Cup of Softball. Anyone holding a ticket for the KFC World Cupof Softball will be admitted for free to the KFC American Challenge Series. 

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USA Men rebound to advanceto championship game

 

Prague, CZ---The USA Softball Men’s National Team turned thingsaround in the bronze medal game at the ISF Men’s World Cup by defeatingVenezuela 5-2 to earn a spot in the championship game against Japan. A solidpitching performance by USAstarter Travis Price (Santa Ana, Calif.) coupled with some timely hitting put the U.S.back on track for the title.

 

After a scoreless first inning, Venezuelatook a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Coronel was hit by apitch, moved to third on a single by Floresand scored on a groundout by Guererro.

 

The U.S.responded in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 lead. Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.led off the inning with a solo home run to tie the game at 1-1. With one out,Nate Devine (Merced, Calif.) got the offense going again with asingle to right field. After a strikeout by Blake Miller (AlbanyGa.), Devine moved into scoring position whenGregg Cascaes (Apple Valley Minn.) was hit by a pitch but it wasan error by the Venezuelan defense that proved to be the difference. It lookedlike the runners would be stranded on a fielder’s choice by Lucas Goring(St. Paul, Minn.) but the second baseman muffed the throw from the shortstopand allowed Devine to score the go ahead run.

 

Venezuelatied the game in the top of the third with help from Price who hit threebatters in the inning. A lead off double by Linares put the tying run on base and threehit batters in the inning allowed him to come around and scored without anotherball being put into play.

 

In the bottom of the fifth inning the U.S. was the beneficiary of abatter being hit by a pitch. Chris Miljavac (St. Joseph, Mo.led off the inning and was hit by a pitch. The next two U.S. batters were unable to movehim into scoring position after being struck out so Miljavac put himself inscoring position by stealing second base. After a walk to Frank DeGroat, Jr. (Ringwood, N.J.),Devine collected his second hit of the game to score Miljavac and give the Red,White and Blue a 3-2 advantage.

 

The U.S. managed tohold Venezuelascoreless in the top of the sixth inning and tack on two more insurance runs inthe bottom of the sixth. With two runners on base, Miljavac laced a triple toleft field that drove in the final two runs of the game to secure a 5-2 U.S.victory.

 

Price picked up the win in the circle after allowing two runs on fivehits and being responsible for five batters being hit by a pitch.

 

With the win the U.S.advances to face Japanin the championship finals to decide the inaugural champion of the ISFMen’s World Cup. The two teams have split their previous two match-ups atthe World Cup with the U.S.winning in pool play and Japanwinning in the opening game of the playoffs.

 
STATS GAME 10

STATS GAME 11



Brian McCall
bmccall@softball.org

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