The rest aren’t going to be this easy. Although, the way Team USA played Friday morning in the opener of the IBAF Junior 18U/AAA World Championships in Seoul, Korea, maybe they will.
In an exhibition of total team baseball, Team USA dominated the Netherlands in every aspect of the game as every player contributed in a big way en route to a 17-0 thrashing in the team‘s opener after their game on Thursday against Australia was postponed due to bad weather. All nine starters registered a hit, eleven different players in total, as Team USA totaled 16 in all, six for extra-bases. Nine different players knocked in at least one run.
The offensive stars:
- Ryan Boldt – 2-for-4, RBI, SB
- Willie Abreu – 1-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI, SB
- Jeremy Martinez – 2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI
- Cavan Biggio – 1-for-5
- Andy McGuire – 1-for-2, SB
- Reece McGuire – 1-for-1, 2B, 2 RBI, SB
- Chris Okey – 1-for-3, 2B, RBI
- Dom Nunez – 3-for-5, 2 RBI, SB
- Christian Arroyo – 3-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI
- Bryson Brigman – 1-for-1, 2 RBI
- Keegan Thompson – 1-for-1, RBI
Team USA drew eight walks and struck out just once. And, in typical Scott Brosius fashion, the team stole five bases. Brosius, the team’s manager for a second straight year, was extremely aggressive last year on the base paths as Team USA swiped a ridiculous 45 bases over nine games.
Garrett Williams, a left-hander out of Shreveport, Louisiana, was the star on the mound as he tossed six scoreless innings, allowing five hits while striking out nine to three walks. Goshen, Kentucky native, Connor Heady, pitched a scoreless seventh to secure the shutout for the US.
Nunez got the scoring started in the top of the second with a single that scored Andy McGuire and the game was still close after four with Team USA leading 3-0. They then went on to score 14 runs over the last three innings, including nine in the seventh, and the rout was on.
Team USA plays host South Korea at 1 am Central Time Saturday, September 1. You can follow the action at Gamechanger.com. Their make-up game against Australia is still TBD.
