Guatemala 10-3 United States: Morales throws 13 strikeouts for second Guatemala victory

Diego Morales starred once more for Guatemala after forcing 13 strikeouts in Guatemala’s 10-3 victory over the United States on Monday at the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup in Palmerston North.

Morales pitched seven innings allowing 5 hits and 3 runs to claim the victory, while Joshua Eurich pitched for thecomplete inning for USA (8 H, 6 R, 5 SO).

In the top of the first inning, Guatemala took a 4-0 lead highlighted by a 2-run double by Alejandro Rojas to the left field to score Juan Medina and Jonathan Cajina. Morales bagged the fourth run for Guatemala on a fielder's choice.

Guatemala rallied again in the second with four more runs and double up their lead to 8-0. Gonzalez scored courtesy of a triple from Medina, and later he scored on an illegal pitch. Diego Morales tripled in Cajina with the seventh run for Guatemala, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Alejandro Rojas to the right.

USA got on the board in the bottom of the third, with a pair of bases-loaded walk by Chase Thompson and Matther Armitage to cut the lead to six runs at 8-2. In the bottom of the sixth Eli Rivas went the distance with a deep fly ball over the right field fence to make it 8-3.

But in the top of the seventh, an RBI triple by Jose Galvez-Sobral and an RBI single off the bat of Juan Melga secured the game for the Central American team. Morales closed the game wit three strikeouts in the seventh to seal the 10-3 win.