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The USA Jr. Men played tough against many of the top finishing teams in the tournament, losing a number of one-run ballgames. Their low point was the 12-2 loss to 9th place South Africa. The high points were the a 7-6 extra inning win over Mexico (which came at the end of a day that saw them lose a tough 7am game to New Zealand, 3-2, and and another to Argentina, 5-4) and a hard fought 1-0 loss in 8 innings to Team Canada in the final game of the round robin portion of the tournament. In that final game, USA Jr. Men’s pitcher BJ Hunhoff shut out the silver medalists through regulation, striking out 9 and surrending but 2 hits.
USA Jr. Men against the top finishers:
Austrailia, gold medalists: USA lost 9-0
Canada, silver medalists: USA lost 1-0 in 8 innings
Japan, bronze medalists, USA lost 4-2
New Zealand, 4th place: USA lost 3-2
Argentina, 5th place, USA lost, 5-4
Venezuela, 6th place, USA won, 12-4
Mexico, 7th place: USA won 7-6