CANADA – Blake Swihart registered three hits and four RBIs to lead USA Baseball 18U National Team over Venezuela 14-7 Tuesday. USA scored in all but two innings to improve to 4-0 in Pool A at the 2010 IBAF World Junior “AAA” (18U) Baseball Championships.

Tuesday’s contest was marred by sloppy play featuring a combined 16 walks, four hit batsman, 10 pitchers, seven errors, 21 men left on base, 21 runs and 21 hits over three hours and 53 minutes.

Ricardo Jacquez earned the win throwing two innings in relief. Starter Henry Owens tossed 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs, three earned, on seven hits.

John Hochstatter and Lance McCullers combined to throw 2 2/3 shutout innings of relief. McCullers fanned the side in the ninth to cap the victory.

The U.S. mashed 13 hits and scored 14 runs despite leaving 11 runners on base. Swihart belted a solo home run, his second in as many days, and added a two-RBI double to pace the USA attack. Francisco Lindor (pictured) notched three hits and Nicky Delmonico ripped a two-run home run.

TAIWAN POUNDS ITALY
Lin Chih Hsien and Tsai Chih Yu both collected three RBIs apiece to lead Chinese Taipei to a 13-4 win over Italy. With the win, the Taiwanese moved into sole possession of second place in Pool A with a 3-1 record.

Lin and Tsai drove in one and two runs, respectively, in a four-run first as the Asian squad built a quick lead. The duo plated three more scores in the second to help put Italy in an early eight-run hole, and Taiwan settled the outcome with five runs in the eighth highlighted by two-run hits off the bats of Ou Yao-Tsung and LIinTzu Wei.

Davide Benetti and Mattia Mercuri paced the Italian squad with three hits apiece.

Chen Hung Yi scattered three runs and five hits over six innings to earn the win.

AUSTRALIA 16, FRANCE 1
Jacob Younis drove in six runs with three extra-base hits and Australia scored in all but one innings to claim a lopsided victory against France. Jason Kilby (1-0) threw one-run ball over five frames with five strikeouts to get the win.

Jordan McDonald tallied two of the Aussies’ 10 extra-base hits and Sam Morris added three RBIs on a pair of singles. Australia collected a whopping 19 hits and stranded 11 runners in just six innings.

POOL A SCHEDULE/RESULTS:
7/23 – Australia 9, Venezuela 0 (forfeit)
7/24 – Chinese Taipei 11, France 1
7/24 – Italy 6, Venezuela 5 (11)
7/24 – USA 4, Australia 2
7/25 – Venezuela 8, France 2
7/25 – Chinese Taipei 13, Australia 11
7/25 – USA 10, Italy 0
7/26 – Italy 14, France 8
7/26 – USA 10, Chinese Taipei 0
7/27 – Australia 16, France 1
7/27 – Chinese Taipei 13, Italy 4
7/27 – USA 14, Venezuela 7
7/28 – Italy (2-2) vs. Australia (2-2)
7/28 – USA (4-0) vs. France (0-4)
7/28 – Venezuela (1-3) vs. Chinese Taipei (3-1)

Photo courtesy of USA Baseball

Tags: WJBC