DURHAM, N.C. – The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team scored five runs in the seventh inning Thursday and cruised to an 8-0 win over Cuba to clinch the 8th Annual USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Team USA has won the first three games of the five-game series, which will finish Friday and Saturday.
The Collegiate National Team has won five straight USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series and six of eight overall.
Team USA hit a single, double, and triple in the five-run seventh and benefited from a two-run error on a sac bunt by Nick Loftin (Baylor). Spencer Torkelson (Arizona State) doubled to start the inning, Colton Cowser (Sam Houston State) drove him home with a single before Loftin’s bunt, and Patrick Bailey (NC State) lined a triple to the wall in center field. Austin Martin (Vanderbilt) followed with a ground out to score Bailey and give USA a commanding 7-0 lead.
Nick Frasso (Loyola Marymount) started and faced the minimum through his scheduled four innings. Frasso allowed only two hits, with both baserunners being wiped away by double plays, to pick up the win.
“(The pitchers) are attacking the zone,” said head coach Dan McDonnell (Louisville). “With our defense, the pitchers are throwing strikes and letting them make plays.”
The defense played error-free for the second time in three games and is fielding at a .992 clip.
“(The defense) is making a lot of nice plays,” said McDonnell. “I’m impressed with some of the plays we’re making. The defense is going to help us.”
Team USA’s bullpen used its defense to allow only one hit in five innings of work, led by three scoreless innings from Jeff Criswell (Michigan) in the sixth, seventh, and eighth. Andrew Abbott (Virginia) used Team USA’s third double play ball to face the minimum in the fifth and Burl Carraway (Dallas Baptist) closed the game with an easy scoreless ninth.
The Collegiate National Team continues the 8th Annual USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series at 6:05 p.m. ET on Friday at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina.
Key Moments
• Austin Martin (Vanderbilt) and Luke Waddell (Georgia Tech) both singled to start the game, before Spencer Torkelson (Arizona State) grounded out to drive in the first run of the game.
• Alike Williams (Arizona State) grounded into a double play with the bases loaded in the second, scoring a run to give Team USA a 2-0 lead. Heston Kjerstad (Arkansas) walked, Nick Loftin (Baylor) singled, and Patrick Bailey (NC State) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
• Colton Cowser (Sam Houston State) singled home Spencer Torkelson (Arizona State), who had doubled to the wall, to make it 3-0 Team USA in the sixth.
• Nick Loftin (Baylor) put down a perfect sacrifice bunt that turned into a two-run error when Cuba’s pitcher threw the ball down the right field line.
• Patrick Bailey (NC State) tripled home Loftin six pitches later to extend the lead to 6-0.
Notable Information
• Team USA turned double plays in three of the first five innings.
• Team USA is 22-15 all-time against Cuba in the USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series.
• Team USA has won six of eight USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series.
• Team USA has won five straight USA vs. Cuba International Friendship Series.
• Violinist Tyler Butler-Figueroa played the national anthem.
• There was a 30-minute lightning delay in the bottom of the fifth inning.
• Reid Detmers (Louisville) is scheduled to start Game 4.
On Deck
• Friday vs. Cuba (6 p.m.; Cary, N.C.)
• Saturday vs. Cuba (6:05 p.m.; Durham, N.C.)
• Sunday flight to Taiwan
