XXV 18U Baseball World Championship 2012

30/08/2012 - 08/09/2012

#U18WorldCup  

Hosted by:   KOR


USA wins XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship

08/09/2012

Seoul (Korea). The United States have won the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship for the first time since 1999, when they beat host Chinese Taipei in the finals. At Mokdong Stadium on Saturday evening in Seoul, Korea they downed Canada 6-2 in the Gold Medal Game. Led by a combined four RBI of Jeremy Martinez and Reese McGuire Team USA decided the showdown against their neighbors from the north.

Seoul (Korea). The United States have won the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship for the first time since 1999, when they beat host Chinese Taipei in the finals. At Mokdong Stadium on Saturday evening in Seoul, Korea they downed Canada 6-2 in the Gold Medal Game. Led by a combined four RBI of Jeremy Martinez and Reese McGuire Team USA decided the showdown against their neighbors from the north.

A three-run bottom of the third inning turned out to be crucial for the outcome of the game. Garrett Williams and Ryan Boldt led off the frame with a walk and a bunt single. A sac bunt by Dominic Nunez moved them up. Jeremy Martinez stepped to the plate and singled to right field. Both Boldt and Williams scored, while Martinez got to third, when the throw from the outfield went past the catcher to the backstop. After Reese McGuire grounded out to second, Christopher Okey came through with a RBI single to cap the rally, giving Team USA a 4-1 lead.

Canada chipped one run off the gap when Christopher Shaw drove in Josh Nayor from third in the fifth. But the US squad added two insurance runs in the seventh to seal the deal. With one out, and runners on second and third, Reese McGuire smacked a ball straight back to Canada’s reliever Ryan Kellogg. The ball deflected from his glove and past a diving shortstop. Alert base running by Martinez and Boldt brought two runs on the board. A hustling McGuire ended up on second with an infield double.

In the second inning both teams had exchanged runs. Canada struck first with a RBI groundout by Gareth Morgan. The US team tied the game in the bottom half of the frame, when McGuire got awarded home plate after an obstruction call at third base.

Ian Clarkin, Ryan Olson and Keegan Thompson never lost control of the game on the mound. Clarkin pitched six solid innings, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks. Olson and Thompson, who had pitched a complete game shutout against Cuba at the IBAF 16U Baseball World Championship last summer in Lagos de Moreno, Mexico, closed it out, pitching around a pair of walks.

Cal Quantrill ended up with the loss. He issued four hits, four runs (2 ER) and a walk in 2 1/3 innings, striking out two. While Kellogg gave up two runs, the other relievers Travis Seabrooke, Brock Dykxhoorn and Dayton Dawe kept Canada in the game. But in the end it didn’t matter, as the US defense played flawlessly.

Earlier on the day Korea defeated Japan 3-0 behind strong pitching of Geon Wook Lee and a homerun of Dae Young Yoon to finish in fifth place. Chinese Taipei won the Bronze Medal Game against Colombia by a score of 4-1 thanks to Jen Ho Tseng and his 12 strikeouts in a complete game.

Final Standings

1) USA
2) Canada
3) Chinese Taipei
4) Colombia
5) Korea
6) Japan
7) Panama
8) Venezuela
9) Australia
10) Italy
11) Netherlands
12) Czech Republic

Individual Awards

Most Valuable Player: Christian Arroyo (USA)
Leading Hitter: Young Jin Young (KOR)
Pitcher Best ERA: Garrett Williams (USA)
Pitcher Best Win/Loss Average: Su Min Lee (KOR)
Most Runs Batted In: Christian Arroyo (USA)
Most Home Runs: Mitchell Triolo (CAN)
Most Stolen Bases: Ryan Boldt (USA)
Most Runs Scored: Ryan Boldt (USA)
Outstanding Defensive Player: Tzu Wei Lin (TPE)

All Star Team

Best Starting Pitcher: Shintaro Fujinami (JPN)
Best Relief Pitcher: Jen Ho Tseng (TPE)
Catcher: Tomoya Mori (JPN)
First Baseman: Chih Chieh Su (TPE)
Second Baseman: Kyle Hann (CAN)
Third Baseman: Jesse Hodges (CAN)
Shortstop: Christian Arroyo (USA)
Outfielder: Jun Suk Song (KOR)
Outfielder: Elliot Hargreaves (CAN)
Outfielder: Cristian Cano (COL)
Designated Hitter: Jeremy Martinez (USA)