From USA Softball via 
PRAGUE—Venezuelahanded the USA Softball Men’s National Team
its first defeat at the ISF Men’sWorld Cup 6-5 Saturday morning.
The game was the last in the round robin for the USA which finished
7-1.
The USA fell behind 6-1 before storming back to close the gap
to6-4 with three runs on a three-run home run over the center
field fence bycatcher Frank DeGroat (Ringwood, N.J.) in the sixth
inning. It was a teamleading fifth home run of the tournament
for DeGroat.
The USA addedanother run in the bottom of the seventh on a solo
homer to right center fieldby shortstop Omar Moraga (Agoura Hills
Calif.) but the come back wouldfall short.
Sonny Perkins (St Michael’s, Ariz.) took the loss for the USA
afterlasting only one inning. Venezuelajumped on Perkins early,
scoring four runs on a pair of hits in the first. TravisPrice
(Santa Ana, Calif.) replaced Perkins in the secondinning and
pitched the remainder of the game, allowing a pair of runs on
atwo-run homer by Jose Mannilo in the fourth inning. Price allowed
fourhits and fanned eight.
Chris DeLarwelle (Appleton, Wis.) put the USA on the board in
the fourthinning with a lead off home run over the right field
fence.
The USA had sevenhits off the two Venezuelapitchers with Larry
Escakona picking up the win after going five innings whileJohn
Garcia hurled the last two innings to pick up the save.