FROM USA BASEBALL RELEASE
LYNN, Mass. – Chris Elder (Oral Roberts) picked up two hits and Eric Anderson (Missouri) scattered three over five innings as the USA Baseball National Team defeated North Shore, 4-1, Sunday night at Fraser Field.
Elder went 2-for-3 in the win, singling in the fourth and singling again in the sixth during Team USA’s three-run inning. A shot to right, it drove in Josh Elander (Texas Christian) from third and gave the team a 2-0 lead.
Dominic Ficociello (Arkansas) also drove in a run during the inning, helping Team USA to a 4-0 lead after 5 ½ innings. North Shore scored its lone run of the game in the bottom half of the inning.
Anderson allowed a double and walk in his first two batters faced but retired the next nine straight before allowing hits in the fourth and fifth innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked one in five innings of work, being replaced by Ryne Stanek (Arkansas) to start the sixth.
Anderson, a right-hander, picked up the win after starting for the second consecutive day – he was slated to be Team USA’s starter Saturday at Holyoke. However, he never made it to the mound as the game was cancelled after just one pitch.
Stanek recovered from an early North Shore run in the sixth to post 2 2/3 innings of relief. He allowed five hits and struck out six.
Stanek left with runners on second and third and two outs in the eighth, with Team USA bringing in left-hander Matt Boyd (Oregon State) to face left-handed batter Dario Pizzano. With the tying run at the plate, Boyd got Pizzano looking on a 3-2 pitch to get out of the jam.
Marcus Stroman (Duke) was the fourth USA (3-0) pitcher of the night and worked a scoreless ninth for his first save.
Team USA scored its first run of the game in the fifth. Michael Lorenzen (Cal State Fullerton) doubled to start the inning and moved to third on a bunt single by LJ Mazzilli (Connecticut). Lorenzen scored when Tyler Naquin (Texas A&M) reached on a fielder’s choice.
Crayton Bare lasted five innings in a start for North Shore, taking the loss after allowing five hits and a run. He struck out three and walked one.
Team USA makes the short trek to historic Fenway Park for a 12 p.m. ET matchup Monday with the NECBL All-Stars. Check usabaseball.com for a live stats link as well as a full recap and box score after the game.
USA NOTES: Both Naquin and Erich Weiss (Texas) made the start in their first game for the club … Team USA is slated to take batting practice Monday morning at Fenway Park … It is scheduled for a 9 a.m. start … The team was given a tour of Fenway Park midday Sunday and was greeted by Boston General Manager Theo Epstein … The team’s hitters were also able to take batting practice in the tunnel behind the home dugout.
