Story by Steve Embree, USA Softball
WHITEHORSE, Yukon, Canada – Playing in the consolation bracket of the International Softball Federation (ISF) Junior Men’s World Championship, the USA Softball Junior Men’s National Team defeated Czech Republic 12-2 on Saturday to earn a spot in the consolation finals the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball announced today. A win in Sunday’s final would secure a No. 5 finish in the World Championship for Team USA.
Phillip Zimmerman (New Holland, Pa.) earned his fourth win on Saturday as he went six full innings in the circle allowing just two runs on two hits and striking out nine Czech Republic batters. Both runs were unearned. Zane Chason (Alma, Ga.) entered in the seventh frame to close out the game for the Americans. He did so by retiring the first three batters he faced, two by strikeout.
A plethora of USA batters recorded a hit in the game but Tristen Sensenig (Denver, Pa.) lead the way going three-for-four with an RBI and a run scored. Cody Valeros (Stockton, Calif.) also notched a multi-hit game with an RBI and two runs scored on two singles. In all nine Team USA batters recorded a hit in the game.
The first run of the game came early when Bryce DuCharme (Hudson, Wis.) scored on a Tyler Bouley (Champlin, Minn.) single in the first but then the scoring stalled until the fourth inning. Leading just 1-0 in the fourth, Team USA added three runs on four hits in their at-bat. Czech Republic got one run back in the bottom half of the inning to make the score 4-1 entering the fifth.
USA scored a fifth run in the top of the fifth inning when DuCharme crossed the plate on a wild pitch. In the sixth, the Americans added three more runs on two hits and an error to take a commanding 8-1 lead.
Needing just three outs to earn a run rule victory, the USA allowed a second Czech Republic run in the bottom of the sixth to send the game to the seventh and final inning. Despite their failed attempt at a run rule, the USA bats stayed hot in the seventh as they added an additional four runs on four hits to push the score to 12-2. Chason came on in the bottom of the seventh and recorded his three outs as the USA Junior Men earned the win and a spot in the consolation bracket finals of the ISF World Championship.
Team USA will face Mexico at 2:00 p.m. (PST) on Thursday. In their previous matchup with Mexico on Wednesday, the USA Juniors came away with a 7-6 victory. Visit www.USAsoftball.com to follow live stats, streaming and see photos from all of USA’s games at the ISF World Championship.