Fastpitch West

It's All About the Game

You are here: Home / ASA / USA, Mexico square off in must-win game for both at Pan-Ams – 7pm EDT/4pm PDT

USA, Mexico square off in must-win game for both at Pan-Ams – 7pm EDT/4pm PDT

by

Click logo for official webpage
Click logo for official webpage
The USA (1-3) and Mexico (2-2) square off at 7pmn EDT, 4pm on the West Coast, in the last round robin game of the 2015 Pan-Ams, in a “must-win” for both. The winner will advance as the #4 seed to the medal round tomorrow, the loser is eliminated. A win by the United States would leave both teams with 2-3 records, but the USA advancing based on the head to head play. Last month in the 2015 WBSC World Championship at Saskatoon, the USA and Japan both finished with 4-3 records, but it was Japan advancing to the championship bracket based on a head-to-head win over the United States. Today, both teams control their own destiny.

Mexico has played well at Toronto, upsetting #2 seed Argentina, while the USA has struggled to score runs since its 10-0 rout of the winless Dominican Republic in their opener. The scores in the three straight losses have been respectable, 3-2 in 8 innings vs. Canada and 3-1 losses to both Venezuela and Argentina, but the strikeouts and lack of offense have been their downfall, with 16, 12 and 16 in the three losses.
According to the official Pan-Ams website, Gerald Muizelaar will start for the USA and Jose Naranjo for Mexico.

The USA won both games against Mexico at the WBSC, by scores of 7-0 and 4-3. Tony Mancha was the winner in both. A Nick Mullins home run was the game winning hit in the WBSC consolation final.