Game 11 – USA 9, Japan 5

In a clash of the tournament’s unbeaten teams, Team USA emerged victorious with a 9-5 win over Japan, solidifying their position as the sole undefeated squad with a perfect 4-0 record. The high-stakes matchup lived up to its billing, featuring offensive fireworks and stellar individual performances.

Prior to this showdown, neither team had conceded a single run in the tournament. However, the offensive floodgates opened early, with USA scoring an impressive 5 runs in the first two innings, while Japan answered back with 4 of their own. This early explosion set the tone for a game that would showcase the offensive prowess of both sides.

The top of the batting order proved crucial for both teams. Japan’s first three batters – Hamamoto, Morita, and Kataoka – combined for 7 of their team’s 11 hits. Not to be outdone, USA’s leadoff trio of Lewis, Ochoa, and Milheim matched that output with 7 of their team’s 12 hits.

Lewis had a particularly outstanding game for Team USA, going 3-for-3 with 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored, including a home run. His performance was complemented by Lynch, who also homered and drove in 2 runs. Notably, this was Lynch‘s third home run of the tournament, and he’s currently sporting an eye-popping .667 batting average, slugging 1.417, and boasting an OPS of 2.109. On the pitching side, Diaz went the distance for USA, striking out an impressive 15 batters over 7 innings.

For Japan, Morita led the charge with a 3-for-4 day at the plate, driving in 3 runs. Yasumi also had a strong showing, collecting 3 hits in 4 at-bats. Despite the loss, Japan’s offense showed resilience against a USA pitching staff that had been dominant in previous games.

Looking ahead, Team USA has positioned themselves as the tournament favorites. Their final round-robin game on Friday against the winless South Africa (0-4) gives them a prime opportunity to enter the playoff round with an unblemished record.

Meanwhile, Japan (now 2-1) faces a crucial matchup against Guatemala (also 2-1) on Friday. This game takes on added significance as the winner will likely secure the second spot in the standings, setting up a probable rematch with USA in the 1st vs. 2nd playoff game. Both teams will be eager to bounce back and claim that coveted position in the tournament’s knockout stage.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Team USA to see if they can maintain their perfect record and convert it into a championship. At the same time, Japan and Guatemala’s upcoming clash promises to be a tense affair with significant implications for the final tournament standings.

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Behind ?? ?'? from Diaz and ?? U.S. home runs, the #USMNT claims its ??????-??????????? win of the @WBSC #SoftballWorldCupM Group C Event ?

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— USA Softball Men’s National Team (@USASoftballMNT) September 20, 2024

Box Score

Japan

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
HAMAMOTO Tei RF	3	3	2	0	1	1
MORITA Yusuke DP	4	1	3	3	0	0
KATAOKA Taiyo C	4	0	2	1	0	1
MASAKI Kaito 3B	4	0	0	0	0	3
TORIYAMA Kazuya 1B	2	0	1	1	2	1
YASUMI Kotaro 2B	4	0	3	0	0	1
SATO Koki LF	3	0	0	0	0	2
SAKURABA Yusuke PH	1	0	0	0	0	1
KUROIWA Seii CF	2	1	0	0	0	1
NISHIDA Kanta PH	1	0	0	0	0	1
OKAWA Ryuji SS	3	0	0	0	0	3
Totals	31	5	11	5	3	15

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
NAGAI Fuga (L)	6.0	12	9	7	4	13	8.17
Totals	6.0	12	9	7	4	13	8.17

USA

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
LEWIS Jeffrey Michael DP	3	3	3	3	0	0
OCHOA Erick 1B	3	2	2	0	1	1
MILHEIM Blaine Robert 3B	4	1	2	1	0	2
SCHILLER Cameron John SS	4	0	1	2	0	2
LYNCH Jonathan Michael LF	3	1	2	2	1	1
KIMLINGER Frank Matthew CF	2	0	0	0	0	2
DAVIS JR Yusef Lateef CF	2	0	0	0	0	1
JOHNSON Tyler James RF	4	1	1	0	0	3
MULLINS Nicholas Ryan C	1	1	1	0	2	0
SHAW Zachary 2B	3	0	0	0	0	1
Totals	29	9	12	8	4	13

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	ERA
DIAZ Marco (W)	7.0	11	5	4	3	15	1.56
Totals	7.0	11	5	4	3	15	1.56