{"id":40047,"date":"2022-04-26T15:54:04","date_gmt":"2022-04-26T22:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/?p=40047"},"modified":"2022-04-26T15:58:42","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T22:58:42","slug":"mens-national-team-downs-no-10-puerto-rico-in-19-9-run-rule-victory-on-day-3-of-2022-pan-american-qualifier-at-parana-arg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fastpitchwest.com\/?p=40047","title":{"rendered":"USA Men’s National Team downs Puerto Rico in 19-9 run-rule victory on Day 3 of 2022 Pan American Qualifier at Parana ARG"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 26, 2022, 2:59 p.m. (ET)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PARAN\u00c1, Argentina \u2013\u2013 The bats were on fire today as the USA Softball Men\u2019s National Team (MNT) downed No. 10 Puerto Rico in a four-inning 19-9 run-rule victory to remain undefeated at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Men\u2019s Pan American Championship in Paran\u00e1, Argentina. The U.S. offense combined for 15 hits in the win with nine U.S. batters recording a hit while the duo of Joel Cooley (St. Paul, Minn.) and Cody Gibbons (St. Paul, Minn.) took control in the circle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zac Shaw (Odessa, Mo.) and Yusef Davis (Long Beach, Calif.) led\u00a0Team USA\u00a0at the plate with three hits\u00a0apiece<\/strong>\u00a0followed by Matthew Ratliff (American Fork, Utah) and Nick Mullins (Toms River, N.J.) with two. Cooley got the start in the circle for the U.S. and managed to keep the Puerto Rico offense scoreless through three innings before handing over pitching duties to Gibbons who helped seal the win for the U.S.in the bottom of the fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Team USA wasted no time in getting on the board in the top of the first as Mullins sent a leadoff double to right field followed by three-straight walks and a hit-by-pitch to put the Eagles on top, 2-0. Taking advantage of another walk with the bases loaded, the U.S.added another run to its lead before sending four-straight singles through the infield to put them on top, 8-0. A ground out from Cameron Schiller (Prescott, Ariz.) would record the first out of the inning but Erick Ochoa (Imperial, Calif.) would re-spark the flame with a sac-fly to score one. Jonathan Lynch (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) followed with a single to tack on another run before a fly out ended the at-bat with Team USA leading 10-0. The Puerto Rico offense managed to put two runners on in the bottom of the frame with a two-out walk and a single through the right side, but a strikeout from Cooley would send the U.S. back to the plate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Red, White and Blue added two more to its lead in the top of the second after Shaw took a pitch to the elbow to put a runner on with one out followed by singles from Davis and Schiller to give the U.S. a 12-0 lead. Two more batters would reach base for Puerto Rico in the bottom of the inning, but Cooley and the U.S. defense escaped the threat without any damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A leadoff triple from Ratliff would jumpstart the top of third followed by a hit-by-pitch and a pair of singles from Shaw and Blaine Milheim (Grand Rapids, Mich.) to push two more runs across for Team USA. The scoring continued in the top of the fourth after three walks and a single from Ratliff loaded the bases for Dusten Rutt (Ephrata, Penn.) who forced a walk to allow another run to score. Shaw and Davis followed suit with their third hit of the day to plate two before another walk and a fielder\u2019s choice extended the U.S. lead, 19-0.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gibbons took over pitching duties in the bottom of the fourth with the Puerto Rico offense coming alive for a nine-run inning. A leadoff walk would start the rally for Puerto Rico followed by four singles and a string of walks, but the rookie pitcher buckled down with two strikeouts and a fielder\u2019s choice to seal the 19-9 run-rule win for Team USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Red, White and Blue is back in action tomorrow at 3 p.m. ART against No. 6 Canada followed by the conclusion of the Argentina matchup at 6 p.m. ART. Live stats and streaming with be available through USASoftball.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening Round will conclude on tomorrow, April 27 with the top three finishers from each group advancing to the Playoff Round. The final two countries at the top of the leader board will then go head-to-head in the Men\u2019s Pan American Championship Final on Saturday, April 30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Line Score<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
<\/th>1<\/th>2<\/th>3<\/th>4<\/th>5<\/th>6<\/th>7<\/th>R<\/th>H<\/th>E<\/th><\/tr>
USMN<\/td>10<\/td>2<\/td>2<\/td>5<\/td>X<\/td>X<\/td>X<\/td>19<\/td>15<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr>
PRTC<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td>0<\/td>7<\/td>X<\/td>X<\/td>X<\/td>7<\/td>7<\/td>0<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Team USA takes the W over Puerto Rico ? pic.twitter.com\/FCogC1zdge<\/a><\/p>— USA Softball Men\u2019s National Team (@USASoftballMNT) April 26, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote>