ECUADOR – Four home runs and a 10-strikeout, one-hit effort from three U.S. pitchers gave the 14U National Team a 15-0, mercy-rule victory over Nicaragua at the Pan Am Championships at La California Stadium.

Every U.S. starter had at least one hit as Grayson Ivey, Cameron Miller, James Ziegler and Jesse Kuet all homered to punctuate a 14-hit morning for the U.S. Ziegler, Chris Rivera and J.P. Crawford all had two hits

Team USA got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first. Crawford led off with a ground-rule double to left-center, stole third and advanced home after the catcher’s throw sailed into left field for a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Mondou singled through the right side and Ivey followed by hitting the first U.S. home run; an opposite field shot to right-center to put them up 3-0.

A nine-run, nine-hit barrage in the second inning put the game away put the for the U.S, as three home runs in the frame put the game out of reach. Two, three-run shots by Miller and Ziegler, and a two-run homer by Kuet did most of the damage. Starting pitcher Alex Martinez also added an RBI single in the frame to give the 14U squad a 12-0 lead.

Two runs in the third and a run in the fourth gave the Stars and Stripes the victory after 3 1/2 innings. In the third, Jordan Kron reached on an error, advanced to second on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch. Jake Jarvis doubled and advanced on a walk and an error before scoring on another Nicaragua wild pitch to make it a 14-0 lead.

The U.S. wrapped up the victory with an RBI fielder’s choice in the fourth. After the first three batters of the inning reached, Mondou grounded a ball to second that scored Ryan Kirby for the winning run.

Martinez earned the win for the United States, throwing two innings and striking out all seven batters he faced. Pedro Mendoza took the loss for Nicaragua, allowing nine earned runs in one-plus innings.

The 14U Team will be off tomorrow before taking on Panama, Monday at La California Stadium in Portoviejo.

Photo: Assistant Coaches Brett Ratcliffe, left, and Tanner Vesely. (by Andrew Norden)

Source: USA Baseball

Tags: USA Baseball