Team USA shuts out Fayetteville

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
(FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.) – Mike Leake’s two-run, pinch-hit single in the top of the eighth inning gave the USA Baseball National Trials Team the insurance it needed in a 3-0 victory over the Fayetteville SwampDogs of the Coastal Plain League in Friday night’s action at J.P. Riddle Park.

With the bases loaded, one out and the National Trials Team leading 1-0, Leake (Arizona State; Fallbrook, Calif.) ripped the first pitch he saw from SwampDog reliever Jeff Ibarra through the right side of the infield. That plated Christian Colon (Cal State Fullerton; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), who led off the inning with a walk, and Kentrail Davis (Tennessee; Theodore, Ala.), who followed with a walk.

Pitching dominated the game, though, for both teams. Three U.S. pitchers combined on a one-hit shutout. Starter Tyler Lyons (Oklahoma State; Lubbock, Texas) worked 4.0 perfect innings in a predetermined length start; he had tallied six strikeouts.

Justin Marks (Louisville; Owensboro, Ky.) scattered a hit and two walks with four strikeouts over 3.0 scoreless innings. Kendal Volz (Baylor; Bulverde, Texas) earned the save, walking one with four strikeouts in 2.0 scoreless innings.

The National Trials Team made use of a Fayetteville error to grab an early 1-0 lead in the first. Matt den Dekker (Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) reached on an error to start the inning. He moved to second on a Colon groundout, stole third and scored on Davis’ RBI single to right.

Fayetteville broke up the U.S. staff’s perfect-game bid with one out in the sixth when Nick Fleece walked. Carter Jurica followed with a single to center. That was the only hit of the night for the SwampDogs. Dustin Johnson walked in sixth and ninth innings for the only other Fayetteville base runners of the evening.

Colon and Davis both had two-hit games.

The National Trials Team travels to Columbia, S.C., Saturday and will play the first of two Blue-White intrasquad games. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT at Capital City Stadium.