July 26, 2007

From Long Beach State Athletics

ROME, Ga.-- Team USA (18-7) scored eight runs in the second inning to cruise past visiting China (1-3) and win the five-game series, 16-0 in seven innings, on Thursday evening. The series finale is in Ft. Mill, SC tomorrow night.

American winner, Ryan Berry (1-2) gave up just one infield hit through the first five and four total, pitching a complete seven-inning game. Berry struck out seven and walked none. Two of the hits given up were on the infield, with two also coming in the seventh inning, after he pitched to just three over the minimum.

Tommy Medica (Santa Clara) went 3-for-5 with a three-run double, while Brett Wallace (Arizona State) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Logan Forsythe (Arkansas) reached base safely all four plate appearances, going

1-for-1 with two walks and a hit by pitch, driving in the first of what would be a long night for the Chinese.

Team USA's rally in the second, off of two home runs, gave them a 9-0 lead. A three-run double by Medica was sandwiched between a solo home run by Jordy Mercer (Oklahoma State) and an RBI single from Wallace to lead 6-0. Pedro Alvarez (Vanderbilt) then followed with a three-run home run to deep right center give Team USA a 9-0 advantage.

Forsythe's two-out single in the first gave the Americans a 1-0 lead. Pei Wang lasted just those first two innings, giving up nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits.

TEAM NOTES

RHP Lance Lynn (Ole Miss) has left the team due to a nagging groin injury... Lynn finished the summer 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA over a team-best 25.0 innings... it was the second game of the series that was ended after seven innings, due to a 10-run advantage after seven innings... Roger Kieschnick's (Texas Tech) grand slam in the seventh, his only at-bat of the game, gave the Americans a 16-0 lead, and a summer-best 16 runs...the three homers were also a summer-best.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

The series finale will be played in Ft. Mill, SC Friday night, after the Americans took the first two games in Mobile, AL, and the Chinese won a one-run decision in Birmingham last night.... the nine-game American trip will continue with the Netherlands (three games in two days) on Saturday and Sunday and Russia on Monday (one game) in North Carolina... the team closes out their schedule at the World Port Tournament in the Netherlands starting on August 2.