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USA Softball Jr. Men’s Team Falls – 06/21/2008 1:00 PM
06/21/2008
USA Softball Jr. Men’s Team FallsTeam USA lost its opening round game by a score of 4-2 to Japan at the 8th ISF Junior Men’s World Fast Pitch Championships in White horse, Yukon
Japan scored a run in the top of the first inning without a hit. USA starter B.J. Hunhoff was called for four illegal pitches before being replaced by Jim Hartman. The US countered in the bottom of the first on Nick Cole’s blast over the center field fence.
Japan took the lead with a run in the third inning and added a run in the fifth on three hits with two outs. The USA closed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth as Cole was hit by a pitch and eventually scored on an outfield error.
Japan extended the lead to 4-2 with a six-inning run on a base hit and error on a collision in the USA outfield and another base hit. The USA threatened with two outs in the seventh as Cole was hit by a pitch again and advanced to third by Gentry Mitchell but a popup ended the game.
Hartman allowed eight hits while striking out seven and walking zero. Kojiro Hamada went the distance for Japan allowing three hits while striking out ten, walking three and hitting three USA batters.
Head coach Tim Lyon commented after the game. “It was a tough opening round game. We played well but not well enough to win. We’re looking forward to bouncing back against Denmark on Saturday.”
Courtesy: Holly Krivokapich
usaisfjr
