Team USA defeats Bahamas 8-1

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FROM USA BASEBALL RELEASE

(PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia) – Asher Wojciechowski (The Citadel) struck out nine batters in seven innings and Team USA beat Bahamas, 8-1, at the 2009 Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline World Baseball Challenge at Prince George Citizen Field.

Kolten Wong (Hawaii) hit a double down the right field line to score Tyler Holt (Florida State) in the first inning and Matt Newman (Arizona State) stole home in the second for a 2-0, Team USA lead.

The U.S. (15-5; 2-1) plated a pair of runs in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout by Rick Hague (Rice) and a wild pitch by Bahamas pitcher Desmond Russell.  Team USA scored four more runs in the eighth inning to cap its scoring when Blake Forsythe (Tennessee) and Hague both hit a sacrifice fly and Holt hit an RBI double to left centerfield.

The Bahamas scored its lone run of the game in the third inning when Raymond Grant hit an RBI single to score Ali Knowles from third base.

USA starting pitcher Wojciechowski (2-1) pitched seven innings for the U.S., giving up one run and striking out nine batters for the win.  Gerrit Cole (UCLA) pitched one inning of relief in the eighth, striking out the side, before Chad Bettis (Texas Tech) closed the game with three strikeouts of his own.

Russell (0-1) pitched all nine innings for the Bahamas, striking out three and walking eight.

Game four of the 2009 World Baseball Challenge for the U.S. will be against the Prince George Axemen, Wednesday, July 22, at 7:00 PM (10:00 PM ET).  Sonny Gray (2-1) (Vanderbilt) will take the mound for Team USA.