CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Nick Madrigal collected two hits including a solo home run, while Seth Beer drove in two runs and Tyler Holton threw four scoreless innings as the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team clinched the series victory over Cuba with a 5-0 win on Independence Day in the third game of the sixth USA vs. Cuba Friendship Series from BB&T Ballpark. The U.S. holds a 3-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
The United States jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning as Beer ripped a two-out, two-run double to the right-center field gap to bring home Travis Swaggerty and Grant Koch.
The U.S. added three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 5-0 lead. Madrigal blasted the first pitch of the frame deep over the left field wall, followed by Steele Walker scoring on a wild pitch and Braden Shewmake hitting a RBI-single through the left side to plate Koch for the second time in the game.
Starting pitcher Holton earned his second win of the summer throwing 4.0 shutout innings scattering three hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
The U.S. team ended the game with five runs on nine hits with two errors, while Cuba finished with three hits and no errors.
The United States and Cuba will continue the sixth USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series on Thursday for Game Four of the five-game series at Bill Coleman Field from the USA Baseball National Training Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
The series is sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
