Box Score | Play-by-Play | Cumulative Stats
Cary, North Carolina – Team USA and Chinese Taipei were locked in a pitcher’s duel for the first few innings, but Team USA came back to win the rain-shortened game, 3-2, on Sunday, June 30, at the National Training Complex.
What actually happened
- After three scoreless innings, Team USA (2-0) took the lead in the top of the fourth inning by scoring three runs on two hits. Marek Houston (Wake Forest) singled to center field to score the first run of the game, followed by Max Bellew (Texas) with a two-run single to center field to put Team USA up 3-0.
- Chinese Taipei (0-2) hit small ball to quickly fight back and get one run back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Chiu Chun started the inning with a single and advanced to third base on a bunt single and a sacrifice bunt. Huang Bo-Lui scored his team with a sacrifice fly to deep left-center field to make the score 3-1, with Team USA leading after the fourth inning.
- In the bottom of the fifth inning, Chun nearly tied the game for Chinese Taipei with a timely hit to left field, but a great relay by Nolan Shubert (Oklahoma State University), Dean Curley (University of Tennessee), and Caden Bodine (Coastal Carolina University) got the tying runner out at home plate, and the team finished the inning with a 3-2 lead.
- The game was stopped due to lightning before the top of the sixth inning and eventually called off due to weather.
Notable Stats
- Ben Jacobs (Arizona State) struck out seven in 4.1 innings to earn the win in the shortened game.
- Shubert reached base on a single and a walk, giving him seven bases in eight at-bats in the series.
- Chiu had two singles and was the only multi-hit batter in the game.
- Bodine and Houston were stopped from stealing bases in the bottom of the second inning, marking just the second time during the series that Team USA had been stopped from stealing bases.
On deck
Team USA will play one more game on Monday, July 1 at 6:35 p.m. at Coleman Field at the National Training Complex in Cary, North Carolina, before traveling to Greensboro, North Carolina to continue the 21st USA vs. Chinese Taipei International Friendship Series, sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
