PARANA, Argentina – The USA Softball Junior Men’s National Team picked up their second straight run-rule victory in pool play of the International Softball Federation (ISF) World Championship on +Saturday the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America and USA Softball announced +today. One day after defeating Denmark 8-1, USA topped Singapore 16-1 in three innings.
Singapore jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning but the first seven USA batters crossed the plate in the bottom half of the inning to give them a 7-1 advantage heading into the second.
Zach Lach (Frankenuth, Mich.) got his first start and win in the circle for Team USA going the full three innings. Lach gave up just one run on three hits and struck out three Singapore batters. After a three up, three down inning for the USA fielders in the top of the second, the bats picked back up where they had left the previous inning. Dylan Elmer (Machesney Park, Ill.) led off the bottom of the second with a single to right. And an error on the right fielder brought Elmer around to score making it USA 8, Singapore 1. Five hits, a walk and four runs later the Singapore defenders were finally able to record the third out of the half inning and USA held a 12-1 lead heading to the third.
Singapore managed their third hit of the game in the top of the third but could not put any additional runs on the board.
Entering the bottom of the third inning, USA needed four runs to complete their second straight run rule. Dakota Wells (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) led off the USA at-bat with a single to right field. Another fielding error on the defender sent the ball rolling to the fence and Wells came around to score. A hit and an error in the next two at-bats put runners at first and second for Nicolas Serrato (Corona, Pa.). Surrato came through with his second double of the game scoring both runners and putting the Americans within one run of ending the contest.
Two batters later, Brent Meshke (Lake Crystal, Minn.) completed the effort with an RBI double that scored Surrato and secured the three inning, run-rule victory for Team USA.
“We played well on both sides +today,” said USA Head Coach Tim Lyon. “Zach pitched a good game from the circle and we had some real timely hitting. It’s always helpful when you’re able to get a big lead in the first inning. Our guys did a great job of staying in the game even after we had built a significant lead.”
The USA Junior Men will return to action for their third pool-play game at the ISF IX Junior Men’s World Championships on Sunday, November 4 when they face India at 3:00 p.m. (CT). Please visit www.USAsoftball.com to follow live stats and see photos from all of USA’s games at the ISF World Championship.