Team USA 12U baseball just beat New Zealand by 42 runs

Team USA 12U baseball destroyed a record by defeating New Zealand 43-1 over the weekend at the World Baseball Softball Confederation cup.

The Team USA 12U baseball team played against New Zealand over the weekend was as if they turned on Create a Player, cranked all the attributes up to 99, and then repeated it until they had a full lineup of perfect players. Start game. Score runs. Don’t stop.

Team USA won 43-1 on Saturday (Friday in United States time — the game took place in Taiwan, which is 12 hours ahead of the east coast), absolutely smashing the previous 12U record of 29 runs, which was set in the World Cup Qualifiers gold-medal game against Venezuela in May.

The team started its World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) game “slow” in the first inning with “only” three runs before bursting out for 11 in the second inning. There were two home runs in the inning, which were the first home runs hit of the tournament, according to usabaseball.com.

The third inning got no better for New Zealand — Team USA put up 20 runs, five of which came off two home runs by Bryant Ju, the second of which was a grand slam.

After nine more runs in the top of the fourth inning, New Zealand scored their sole run of the game in the bottom half. The game was ended by mercy rule after this.

Ju led the team with seven RBIs while Gavin Gomez and  Leyland Henry had five apiece, according to usabaseball.

 

Fair or foul? Team USA U12 player called out for missing home plate on grand slam

Team USA U12 won a comeback 25-24 game against Venezuela over the weekend, making up for a questionable call after a grand slam.

Let this be a warning to all baseball players: If you hit a dinger, make sure you touch home plate. And make sure everyone can see that you did it.

Team USA youth infielder Greyson Wuis hit a grand slam in the U12 World Cup Qualifier on Saturday but was ruled out after opposing team Venezuela appealed that he did not touch home plate. On replay, which was tweeted out by the USA Baseball 12U account, Wuis was certainly on the far side of the plate, but it looks like he may have gotten his cleat down as teammates celebrated around him:

We’ll let you be the judge.

A couple thoughts, though:

First off, 18-16 in the bottom of the third feels like an absolutely absurd score. The future of baseball offense is bright.

Second, as someone who never hit a grand slam at any level, let alone for Team USA at the age of 12, I personally think it’s lame for an opposing coach to appeal whether the hitter’s toe was on the plate or not. But I suppose that’s why I’m not a coach.

Anyway, going by highlights from the twitter account, this game was electric. Team USA took the lead before Venezuela tied it 20-20 in the top of the fifth; Ryder Serna hit a home run to regain the lead. In the top of the sixth, Venezuela took a 24-22 lead, setting up a walk-off moment for the United States:

Funny enough, you can see the third-base coach backing players off the plate – potentially to make sure the hitter had room — and then Boston Targac (heck of a name for a Team USA player) made sure to jump directly in the middle of the plate.

No appeal necessary there. Team USA took home the 25-24 victory. The States hit eight home runs in the game.

On Sunday, USA beat Cuba 14-4.

Qualifying games take place each day through May 25, and then the semifinals are May 27 and championship on May 28.