Lima, Peru – The USA Softball Men’s National Team fell behind early against Argentina Sunday at the Campo de Softball, Complejo Deportivo Villa Maria del Triunfo, eventually dropping a 3-0 decision to the reigning World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Champions. The U.S. moves to a 2-1 record at the 2019 Pan American Games and is set to face Peru tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT.

Click here to view the Pan American Games schedule for the U.S. Men’s National Team

“Argentina is a tough opponent with a deep pitching staff,” said Head Coach Gregg Leather (Staten Island, N.Y.). “I thought our pitchers did a great job working out of some jams and gave us every opportunity to win that game. We wasted a lot of early opportunities to score and once (Huemul Ezequiel) Mata came into the game, we didn’t have many chances to score. We are still in a good spot where we control our own destiny for double life, but we will have to start taking more advantage of scoring opportunities.”

Of the five hits U.S. had against Argentina, Erick Ochoa (Imperial, Calif.) collected one in the top of the first inning after legging out a double with one out. A walk to Matt Palazzo (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) placed two runners on but Jeff Nowaczyk (Midland, Mich.) grounded into a fielder’s choice double play to end any chance of scoring. Argentina’s first hit of the game scored on a solo shot past the right field fence for an early 1-0 lead. 

Cam Schiller (Prescott, Ariz.) and Matt Ratliff (American Fork, Utah) kicked off the top of the second with back-to-back singles and while a sacrifice bunt moved the runners a base, Argentina’s pitching change to Potolicchio stranded them on a pair of strikeouts. Despite a leadoff single from Argentina in the bottom half of the frame, U.S. starting pitcher Joel Cooley (St. Paul, Minn.) and the defense retired the next three batters on a fly out, groundout, and strikeout to close out the second.

Jonathan Lynch (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) and Ochoa quickly got on base to start the top of the third inning after an error and single, but the U.S. fell victim to three straight strikeouts to force a zero on the scoreboard. The U.S. defense put a stop to Argentina’s chances of scoring additional runs in the bottom half of the frame, stranding a pair after a groundout and double play led by Schiller.

Matt Ratliff (American Fork, Utah) led off the fourth inning with a single to center field but another two strikeouts and fly out kept the MNT off the board. 

Both sides continued to work at the plate and defensively, but no hits came from either side until the bottom of the fifth frame when Argentina extended their lead to 3-0. Loading the bases following two-straight singles and a walk, Duane Weiler (Richland, Pa.) entered in relief for Cooley before a one-out single up the middle drove home two. Weiler followed with a strikeout before inducing a fly out to Yusef Davis (Long Beach, Calif.) in centerfield to close out the fifth inning. 

After the U.S. side was retired in the sixth inning, the defense kept did their part to bring back the offense back to the plate. Highlighting the half-inning was catcher Nick Mullins (Toms River, N.J.) who made back-to-back throws to second to catch runners stealing for the final two outs. Down to their last at-bat, Davis managed a two-out walk but a strikeout shut down the Red, White and Blue and handed them their first loss of the 2019 Pan American Games.

The Men’s National Team totaled five hits, with Ochoa and Ratliff totaling two apiece. Cooley tossed four innings, allowing three runs on six hits and striking out two batters. Weiler allowed two hits, issued one strikeout and one walk in his two innings of relief.

The U.S. is back in action tomorrow, Monday, July 29 at 4 p.m. CT against Peru for Game 4 of the 2019 Pan American Games.

Click here for the complete 2019 USA Softball Men’s National Team roster

Held every four years, the U.S. has earned seven silver medals dating from 1979-2003, while falling just shy of the podium with a fourth-place finish at the 2015 Toronto Pan American Games. Of the 15 athletes named to the Pan American Games roster, Kevin Castillo (Long Beach, Calif.), Mancha, Nick Mullins (Toms River, N.J.), Palazzo and Tan return from the 2015 Pan American Games squad. The U.S. team is led by Head Coach Leather, along with assistant coaches Ron Guzman (Salinas, Calif.), Greg Hicks (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Gerald Muizelaar (Grand Forks, N.D.). Leather and Hicks served as assistant coaches at the 2015 Pan American Games, while Muizelaar competed for the Red, White and Blue.