DeMers, Haseley, Garcia combine for perfect outing
MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Joe DeMers, Adam Haseley and Kiko Garcia combined to throw a perfect game as the USA Baseball 14U National Team defeated Brazil, 6-0, to capture the Bronze medal at the COPABE Pan Am 'A' 14U Championships Saturday at Dennis Martinez Stadium.
The perfect game is the second in Team USA 14U history, following Jimmy Wallace's in 2008 against Guatemala. It was also the fourth no-hitter in Team USA history, and the second in Nicaragua.
DeMers started and worked 6 1/3 perfect innings, throwing just 70 pitches to record 19 outs, 10 of which were strikeouts. The 10 strikeouts ties Matt Crownover (2007) for the most in a single game.
Haseley came on with one out in the seventh and induced a 4-3 putout. He then gave way to Garcia, who threw three pitches and got the final out of the game on another 4-3 out.
For Garcia and Haseley, it was their second no-hitter of the week as the duo combined to throw a three-inning no-hitter against Honduras on Thursday.
DeMers got the win and ended the tournament having thrown 10 1/3 innings in two appearances. He posted an earned run average of 0.68 and allowed just one hit as opponents batted .030 against him.
He threw 13 strikeouts in his two combined appearances.
Haseley and Garcia, meanwhile, combined to throw six innings, allowing no hits with nine strikeouts.
Team USA managed just five hits against Brazil Saturday, but that was enough to support the perfect game and get the squad the Bronze medal.
The Americans were led by Jesse Kuet, who had two of the team's five hits.
Team USA scored its first run of the game in the bottom half of the third. Kuet narrowly reached on a two-out dribbler to third, and moved to second on a balk with Blake Wiggins at the plate. Wiggins then walked on a 3-2 pitch.
Three pitchers later, both Wiggins and Kuet moved up two bases when Brazil catcher Leonardo Yorozuy threw an errant pickoff attempt to first down the right field line, giving The Americans a 1-0 advantage. Brazil pitcher Luiz Pego, however, was able to minimize the damage and force Team USA to strand Wiggins at third to end the inning.
Team USA added to the lead with two runs in the fourth on a double steal. Luke Alexander took third and scored on an errant throw by Yorozuy, while Kyle Marsh, who had been at first, stole second, then advanced two bases on the throw to make it 3-0.
The Americans scored their third run of the fourth and fourth run of the game when Joe DeMers, who had walked with one out, scored on a wild pitch out of the hand of reliever Marcelo Matsumoto.
Luke Alexander posted Team USA's third hit of the game and first out of the infield in the fifth when he singled up the middle with two outs, driving in Wiggins from third. That made it 5-0 in favor of The Americans.
DeMers added to his special Saturday by hitting a solo home run in the sixth to make it 6-0, Team USA. The round-tripper was his third of the tournament and Team USA's 11th.
Pego took the loss after allowing three runs and a hit in 3 1/3 innings. He walked five and struck out four.
Team USA ended the championships with a 4-2 record, while Brazil will go home with a 3-3 mark over its six games. Wiggins was the lone Team USA player on the all-tournament team. He batted .636 (7-for-11) with three home runs and six RBIs.
Fans can view final statistics and standings for the tournament at beisbolnica.com.
NOTES: Isaiah Deutsch became the third Team USA player to bat in the leadoff spot, joining Luke Alexander (once) and Blake Wiggins (four times) ... Wiggins batted in the third spot of the lineup for the second consecutive game ... Deutsch had batted ninth in his two starts leading up to the game ... Team USA wore its all white uniforms for the third time in six games ... Brazil, meanwhile, was decked out in all blue with yellow numbers ... Joe DeMers recorded three outs on three pitches in the second, getting a fly out to center, a foul fly to first and a 1-3 putout ... Alexander, Wiggins, DeMers, Jesse Kuet and Ryan Johnson started all six games for Team USA ... U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua, Robert Callahan, was in attendance at the game.
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