Boom Goes Boom with Three Run Homer to Deep Right Field in 6th
From USA Softball:
USA 8, Venezuela 5
The USA Softball U-18 Men’s National Team (MNT) kicked off Opening Round of the 2023 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup with an 8-5 win over Venezuela. Three U.S. batters posted a multi-hit performance at the plate including Wylie Baumer, Braden DuCharme and Brody Von Berge who each went 2-for-4 on the day. The U.S. pitching staff of Cody Gibbons, Karson Martin and Kyle Miller took care of business in the circle with a combined 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs allowed.
Venezuela got off to an early lead after a pair of singles put Venezuela ahead in the top of the first, 1-0, while singles in the second and third innings strengthened the Venezuela lead, 3-0. Drawing a lead-off walk in the bottom of the third, Logan Boom made his way around the bases to pressure the Venezuela defense into an error that allowed him to speed home, putting the first U.S. run on the board and narrowing the Venezuela lead, 3-1. The top of the fourth saw another Venezuela run cross the plate following an error, an intentional walk and a pitching violation, putting Venezuela ahead, 4-1, while Brennan DuCharme relit the spark for the U.S. with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth, tightening the Venezuela lead, 3-4. A triple, another intentional walk and a passed ball allowed Venezuela to plate one in the top of the sixth, before the U.S. put five additional runs on the board to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by an RBI-single from Manny Mendham and a three-run long shot from Boom. Braden DuCharme kept the momentum going with a single to right field, followed by a walk from Gibbons that set the stage for a single from Wylie Baumer to plate the final U.S. run of the game, extending the U.S. lead, 8-5. Kyle Miller held strong in the circle in the top of the seventh to seal the victory for the Eagles.