USA win U-18 Men’s Softball Pan Am Championship, qualify for World Cup with Venezuela, Canada, Argentina
The US team posted a 5-1 record across the six-team tournament to win the country’s first U-18 men’s softball medal in over 35 years.
The top four Americas teams in the WBSC Men’s Softball World Rankings - Argentina, Canada, USA, Venezuela - secured their place in the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup - to be held in Hermosillo, Mexico, from 11 to 19 November - by finishing in the top four at the Pan Am Championship in Sincelejo, Colombia.
World No. 5 USA defeated No. 8 Venezuela in the final , while Canada overcame Argentina in the bronze medal game.
After the round robin, USA and Venezuela tied in first place with a 4-1 record and moved to the final game. Argentina and Canada posted a 3-2 record and qualified for the bronze medal game. The four teams booked this way their ticket to the World Cup.
In the final, USA beat Venezuela, 6-1, to finish on top of the podium. The U.S. combined for seven hits in the gold medal victory – three of which came in the bottom of the first inning – with Logan Boom tallying the only multi-hit performance at the plate with two base hits.
Getting the start in the circle for the champions was Cody Gibbons who limited the Venezuela offence to three hits through seven innings while tossing his way to a career-high 15 strikeouts. Gibbons was named the MVP of the tournament.
In the game for the bronze medal, Canada came out victorious from a pitching duel against Argentina with a 1-0, eight inning win. Cohen Christner went the distance for Canada.
The hosts Colombia beat Peru 9-7 in the fifth-place playoff.
USA, Venezuela, Canada and Argentina will play the WBSC U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico, from 11 to 19 November. They join No. 2 Australia, No. 3 Japan, No. 6 Czechia, No. 7 New Zealand, No. 10 Mexico (hosts), No. 12 Singapore and No. 17 Israel in the competition, with one wild card still to be awarded.
The tournament will be played at Mundialistas Hermosillenses Stadium and Fernando M. Ortiz Field.
