FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
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EDMONTON, Alberta – Ryan Weber (RHP; St. Petersburg, Fla.) permitted just seven hits and no earned runs while striking out 10 in eight innings and a balanced offensive attack fueled the USA Baseball 18U National Team to a 5-1 victory today against Australia in the Americans’ opening pool-play game of the International Baseball Federation’s AAA World Junior Championships at Telus Field.
Team USA will continue pool play at 9:05 p.m. (EDT) July 27 against the Netherlands. The Netherlands also captured its initial pool-play contest today with a 14-2 seven-inning, run-rule decision against Russia (0-1).
“Our players came out with great enthusiasm and played with confidence,” Team USA Head Coach Mark Elkins said. “They turned in a solid performance today. It’s always much better to start 1-0 rather than 0-1.”
Weber retired the first nine batters he faced and did not allow a hit until Jason Linger’s two-out single in the fourth inning. He also was directly involved in all three of Team USA’s double plays in the game by either starting or ending the play. Weber, who issued one walk, ended one twin-killing that allowed the USA to escape a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning by covering first base for the relay throw on an infield grounder.
“When runners got on base, I focused on my sinker,” said Weber, also a member of the 2007 USA Baseball 18U Team that competed in the COPABE Pan Am Championships in Ixtapa, Mexico. “I was able to get ground balls and get out of innings. I had control of all my pitches today. Having competed internationally in Mexico last year, and now being in Canada this year, it’s kind of like coming ‘home.’ It takes the pressure off knowing that you have previously been in this situation.”
The only run for Australia (0-1) off Weber was unearned. A two-base USA fielding error in the eighth inning followed by an RBI double ended the shutout. The USA’s final double play left a runner stranded on third base.
“Ryan threw extremely well,” Elkins said. “He had command of three pitches (curve, sinker, fast ball). Any time a pitcher can locate three pitches like Ryan did today hitters are going to be in for trouble. He also showed that he can field his position, too. Our double plays came at crucial points in the game.”
Austin Maddox (RHP; Jacksonville, Fla.) pitched the ninth. He allowed a pair of hits but recorded three strikeouts.
Team USA tallied a pair of runs in the second and fifth innings to take a 4-0 lead. Donavan Tate (OF; Cartersville, Ga.) and David Nick (INF; Cypress, Calif.), each of whom had two hits, notched back-to-back RBI singles in the second inning. In the fifth, Jeff Malm (INF; Las Vegas, Nev.) drove home a run with a sacrifice fly and Harold Martinez (INF; Miami, Fla.), a third Team USA player with two hits, added a run-scoring double.
The Americans added a final run in the seventh inning. Nolan Fontana (INF; Winter Garden, Fla.) led off with a double to right field, moved to third on Team USA’s third sacrifice bunt of the game, and scored on a wild pitch.
