USA vs Venezuela | XVI Men's Softball World Championship | Svoboda Ballpark - Jun 20, 2019 at 3:15 AM CDT

PRAGUE – Clinching the No. 3 seed in Pool B after defeating Venezuela, 7-4, the USASoftball Men’s National Team collected their fifth victory and improved to 5-2 at the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Men’s Softball World Championship (MSWC). Teams tied up the score twice during the seven-inning game, with Team USA ultimately coming out on top Thursday morning at Svoboda Ballpark. 

"Today was a good win for us," said Head Coach Gregg Leather (Staten Island, N.Y.). "We were able to rest Tony (Mancha) while getting Duane (Weiler) and Joel (Cooley) some needed work. The game felt a little different and didn't have the urgency you might normally see since both teams had clinched a playoff spot, but you always want to enter elimination games on a high note. The offense has been looking better the past few games, and it will have to stay hot tomorrow if we hope to advance. We will draw a tough opponent next game, so we will have to be on top of our game."

Venezuela wasted no time, drawing a leadoff walk and doubling to left field to put two runners on before taking a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly ball. Retired in order in the bottom half of the frame, the U.S. defense went back to work and responded by retiring the Venezuelan side in the top of the second inning.

Matt Palazzo (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) drew a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the second, but Venezuela turned a double play on a groundout from Jeff Nowaczyk (Midland, Mich.) to get the two outs. Sparking a two-out rally were Tyler Dudley (Battle Creek, Mich.) and Kevin Castillo (Long Beach, Calif.) who hit back-to-back singles before a walk to Nick Mullins (Toms River, N.J.) loaded the bases. Gil Saenz (El Paso, Texas) drew a walk on a 3-2 count to produce the first for Team USA, making it a tie ballgame after two innings.

With both teams stranding a runner through the third inning, the U.S. took the lead in the bottom of the fourth frame. Nowaczyk walked and Dudley singled to put two runners on with no outs, while both advanced on a wild pitch an out later. A go-ahead two-run double by Mullins put the U.S. in the lead, 3-1, while a pitching change in the circle by Venezuela closed out the fourth inning via strikeouts.

Cutting their two-run deficit in half in the top of the fifth inning, Venezuela hit a leadoff triple before scoring on an error with relief pitcher Joel Cooley (St. Paul, Minn.) in the circle. With runners on the corners and one out, Cooley issued a strikeout and a groundout to first baseman Palazzo ended the frame. Team USA recovered the two-run difference in the bottom of the same inning with an RBI double from Palazzo to plate pinch runner Marcus Tan (Union City, Calif.). 

Tying the ballgame at 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning was Venezuela, hitting a two-RBI single through to the right field. However, the U.S. answered with three runs to take back the lead for good in the bottom half of the frame. Mullins singled on a bunt before Saenz and Jonathan Lynch (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) were issued a pair of walks to load the bases. Cam Schiller (Prescott, Ariz.) singled up the middle to plate two, while Jenner Christiansen (Hayward, Calif.) hit an infield single to score the seventh and final run for Team USA. Venezuela managed a one-out single in the seventh, but a fly out to Yusef Davis (Long Beach, Calif.) and groundout to Schiller secured the 7-4 win. 

Duane Weiler (Richland, Pa.) struck out three, and allowed two runs on two hits over four and one-third innings of work, while Cooley fanned one batter and surrendered two runs on three hits. Dudley and Mullins were 2-for-2 on the day, with Mullins and Schiller leading the team with two RBI apiece. Team USA awaits the results of Argentina vs. New Zealand to determine their opponent tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. (6:30 a.m. CT) at Svoboda Ballpark.