USA Softball

USA Men rebound

June 25, 2007

USA Men rebound to advance to championship game

Prague, CZ---The USA Softball Men’s National Team turned things around in the bronze medal game at the ISF Men’s World Cup by defeating Venezuela 5-2 to earn a spot in the championship game against Japan. A solid pitching performance by USA starter 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, Venezuela took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Coronel was hit by a pitch, moved to third on a single by Flores and 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 a single to right field. After a strikeout by Blake Miller (Albany, Ga.), Devine moved into scoring position when Gregg Cascaes (Apple Valley, Minn.) was hit by a pitch but it was an error by the Venezuelan defense that proved to be the difference. It looked like 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 shortstop and allowed Devine to score the go ahead run.

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

In the bottom of the fifth inning the U.S. was the beneficiary of a batter 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 move him into scoring position after being struck out so Miljavac put himself in scoring 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 to hold Venezuela scoreless in the top of the sixth inning and tack on two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. With two runners on base, Miljavac laced a triple to left 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 five hits and being responsible for five batters being hit by a pitch.

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

USA Men finish second

June 25, 2007

USA Men finish second at ISF World Cup of Softball

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

Japan picked up the only run it would need in the bottom of the first inning when the U.S. defense faltered. Suzuki reached to lead off the inning on an error by U.S. third baseman Gregg Cascaes (Apple Valley, Minn.) and moved to second and third on back-to-back sacrifices by Yokohama and Ishimura. Japan continued to execute the fundamentals 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 run across.

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

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

The U.S. finished the game with just one hit and left three runners stranded while Japan collected two runs off eight hits and left five runners on base.

The USA will have a chance to redeem itself in less than a month when it faces off with Japan, Venezuela and Argentina in the inaugural KFC American Challenge Series, July 13-15, in Oklahoma City at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex.

The American Challenge Series is being hosted in conjunction with the 2007 KFC World Cup of Softball. Anyone holding a ticket for the KFC World Cup of Softball will be admitted for free to the KFC American Challenge Series.

World Championship Headquarters

June 24, 2007

Japan run

June 24, 2007

Japan run-rules USA Men, 12-2, in opening game of playoffs at Men’s World Cup

PRAGUE, CZ---Japan advanced to the championship game of the ISF World Cup with a resounding 12-2 five inning win over the USA Men’s National Team on Saturday evening before a crowd of more than 1,200 people.

Japan, which had lost earlier to the United States in round robin, rocked two USA pitchers for 12 runs and 11 hits, including five infield singles, to advance to Sunday’s championship round.

The USA, meanwhile, collected only five hits off two Japanese pitchers and will face Venezuela Sunday at 2 p.m. with the winner advancing to face Japan in the championship final. Venezuela (8-1) shutout DeMo EHS (5-4) of the Netherlands, 8-0 in the earlier playoff game to advance.

Japan pounded USA pitchers Travis Price (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Sonny Perkins (St. Michael’s, Ariz.) for 11 hits. Price hurled the first three innings, allowing seven runs and seven hits in the third inning. Perkins entered the game in the fourth inning and allowed five runs on four hits.

The seven run Japan third included a solo homer by shortstop Ryuji Hazeyama. Left fielder Kiensakus Nishio also had a single in the inning and scored a run.

Japan used two pitchers to limit the USA to a run in the third inning on an RBI single by catcher Frank DeGroat (Ringwood, N.J.) and a solo homer to right center by Chris Miljavac (St. Joseph, Mo.) in the fifth inning.

Miljavac, who had a single in the third inning and was the only USA player with at least two hits, hit his first homer of the World Cup off Japan hurler Tatsuya Hamaguchi, who entered the game for starter Kazutaka Murasato in the fifth inning. Murasato hurled the first four innings allowing one run on four hits. Hamaguchi hurled the last inning and surrendered one hit and the second USA run.

USA over Argentina

June 24, 2007

USA first defeat

June 23, 2007

Venezuela hangs on to hand USA first defeat

PRAGUE---Venezuela handed the USA Softball Men's National Team its first defeat at the ISF Men’s World Cup 6-5Saturday morning. The game was the last in the round robin for the USA, which finished 7-1.

The USA fell behind 6-1before storming back to close the gap to 6-4with three runs on a three-run home run over the center field fence by catcher Frank DeGroat (Ringwood, N.J.) in thesixth inning. It was a team leading fifth home run of the tournament for DeGroat.

The USA added another run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo homer to right center field by shortstop Omar Moraga (Agoura Hills, Calif.) but the come back would fall short.

Sonny Perkins (St Michael's, Ariz.)took the loss for the USA after lasting only one inning. Venezuela jumped on Perkins early, scoring four runs on a pair of hits in the first. Travis Price (Santa Ana, Calif.) replaced Perkins in the second inning and pitched the remainder of the game, allowing a pair of runs on a two-run homer byJose Mannilo in the fourth inning. Price allowed four hits and fanned eight.

Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.) put the USA on the board in the fourth inning with a lead off home run over the right field fence.

USA captures top seed

June 23, 2007

USA captures top seed entering the playoffs at the ISF Men’s World Cup

PRAGUE, CZ -- Despite losing to Venezuela, 6-5, in its last game in the round robin, the USA Men's National Team has earned the No. 1 seed entering the playoffs at the ISF Men’s World Cup.

The USA, Japanand Venezuela all finished with 7-1 records in the round-robin, but the USA had the fewest runs scored against them (7) while Japan had nine and Venezuela 12.

DeMo EHS of the Netherlands earned the fourth and final spot in the playoffs with a 5-3 record and is scheduled to play Venezuela on Saturday in the opening round while the USA faces off with Japan at 1 p.m. CST on Saturday.

Japan defeated Venezuela 7-5 earlier today to complete its round-robin play. The Page playoffs will conclude on Sunday (June 24th).

World Championship Headquarters

June 23, 2007

USA works extra innings for 5-1 win over Canada

ENSCHED, Netherlands – The United States had to work a through an extra inning but it was worth it as the USA Junior team put up a 5-1 win over Canada Saturday afternoon at the Junior Women’s World Championships, winning in eight innings.

Canada struck first, scoring a run in the second inning on consecutive hits, but the USA responded in the fifth inning. Monica Harrison (Garden Grove, Calif.) led off the inning with a single and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Rosey Neill (Laguna Hills, Calif.). Neena Bryant (Placentia, Calif.) then drove Harrison in with a single to right-center field to tie up the game.

That’s the way the game would stand until the end of the seventh, forcing the International Tiebreaker Rule. Katie Schroeder (Yorba Linda, Calif.) started the inning on second base, pinch running for Bryant. Brittany Lastrapes (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Alissa Haber (Newark, Calif.) both reached on infield singles to load the bases before Ashley Hansen (Chandler, Ariz.) drew a four-pitch walk to give the USA a 2-1 lead. Lastrapes eventually scored on a wild pitch before Harrison came through again, this time with a two-RBI double to make it 5-1.

“On the first one, Coach told us to look for a first-pitch strike to drive because she was coming in with good pitches then and I just put it back up the middle,” Harrison said. “On the second one, I was just thinking about getting a base hit so we could get some more insurance runs.”

Canada threatened in the bottom of the eighth, putting two on with none out, but Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) got two infield fly pop ups and a ground out to end the game. Brignac went 7.2 innings, allowing one earned run on four hits while walking one and striking out nine for a 2-0 record. Donna Kerr (San Diego, Calif.) pitched 1/3 of an inning in the fifth inning, issuing a pair of walks, before Brignac was brought back into the game.

At the plate, Harrison led the way with two hits and two RBI. Lastrapes, Haber and Bryant had the other three hits.

“It’s good to play a game like this in pool play as it helps us get ready for the medal round,” said head coach Jay Miller. “Obviously I’d like to win every game by 10 runs, but I thought we hung in there and played good defense. We gave up a run, but we fought back and had better execution and timely hits today.”

USA Men blank Prague

June 22, 2007

USA Men blank Prague Stars for seventh consecutive win

PRAGUE, CZ---The USA Softball Men’s National Team coasted to a 10-0 five inning run rule victory over the Prague Stars (1-4) on Friday morning to remain undefeated at 7-0 in the ISF Men’s World Cup. Three-home runs in just one inning helped to propel to Red, White and Blue to their fourth victory via the run-rule.

The USA pounded two Prague pitchers for 12 hits including three homers ina six-run third inning. Ales Jetmar was the losing pitcher and worked two innings, allowingsix runs and eight hits. Right-handerPetr Bednar replaced Jetmar after the USA hit consecutive homers (DeLarwell and DeGroat)in the third inning and finished the game, allowing four runs and four hits.

Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.) opened thethird with a solo blast to leftfield and catcher Frank DeGroat(Ringwood,N.J.) followed witha solo homer tocenter field before Adam LaLonde (Cheboygan, Mich.)sent a blast over the center field fence later in the inningfor the USA's first grand slam of the World Cup.

It was the second home run of the game for DeLarwelle who helped put three runs on the board in the first inning with a solo shot. DeGroat increased his home run total to four with his solo home run while LaLonde broke into the home run club with his first. The three homers in the third inning increased the overall USA total to 14 in just seven games.

Although it wasn't the first time LaLonde has hit a grand slam in his career, it was the first grand slam for him in his six-year career as a member of the USA National Team. LaLonde had a pair of singles in two earlier at-bats to finish off a perfect day. DeLarwelle also had a perfect day offensively going 3-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 up his second win in the circle. During his stint in the circle he allowed only one 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 two innings of work he did not allow a hit and struck out two.

World Championship Headquarters

June 22, 2007