CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico — After weather halted Team USA’s game against Mexico midway through the contest on Wednesday evening, the U.S. picked up right where it left off when play resumed Thursday afternoon. With a 3-0 lead through three innings headed into the contest, Team USA rode a solid pitching performance from Lito Diaz to secure the six-inning victory and sit atop the 2025 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-15 Pan American Championship standings.
In the game, the 15U National Team handled business and shut out Mexico, 10-0, using a six-run burst in the bottom of the sixth to enforce the run rule and clinch gold at the event. With the victory, the U.S. also punched its ticket to the 2026 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup, marking the 15U National Team’s first time competing in the event since 2022, when the U.S. captured its second WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup title.
The game started with Team USA on the offensive side of the plate. With bases loaded from Wednesday’s weather-delayed contest, Mexico forced a double play to get out of the third inning unscathed. Gavin Chakar, Team USA’s starter the day prior, tossed an impressive three innings before handing the ball to Diaz who got the nod to continue the match from the mound. The lefty forced a double play and ground out to sit down the first three batters he saw.
The stars and stripes started today’s contest up 3-0 thanks in large part to Macgraw VanWormer’s triple in the bottom of the first inning where he would later score on a wild pitch. Tristin Gaines tacked on an insurance run when he scored on a sacrifice fly from Landon King to make the score 2-0. Designated hitter Louis Lappe capped the game with an RBI knock before the game was postponed.
With momentum shifting and in favor of Team USA, the stars and stripes took advantage of early opportunities in the bottom of the fourth. Catcher Nateo Victorio got on base via a walk and Gaines followed with a single to move him to third. King capitalized with a runner in scoring position and drove Victorio home on a bunt single back to the pitcher to put Team USA up 4-0 through four frames.
With even more run support, Diaz fiercely ripped through Mexico’s lineup in the top of the fifth after he put forth another three-batter inning. This time around he notched two strikeouts and forced a ground out.
The U.S. offense stalled slightly in the bottom of the fifth when Mexico forced three straight outs in an attempt at a comeback. In response to stellar defensive play, Mexico threatened to score in the top of the six after a leadoff single and a hit by a pitch. With pressure rising, Diaz locked in and continued his dominance, striking out three batters to keep Mexico scoreless.
An Anthony Frausto leadoff double and a walk issued to Victorio put two runners on to start the bottom of the sixth. Gaines proceeded to notch his tournament-leading seventh RBI when he drove the two home to make the score 6-0. Runs continued to come in bunches for Team USA, as VanWormer doubled through the left side to score Gaines and King, the latter reaching first on a four-pitch walk. Lappe and Noah Jarolimek capped off the six-run outburst and each registered an RBI knock. The two runs scored completed the run-rule victory in only six innings.
As a team, the stars and stripes led the tournament in nearly every category. Team USA batters hit at a .408 clip with 36 RBIs on 42 hits. Pitchers worked to a 1.35 ERA tune through 26 innings, allowing only five earned runs through four games. The staff also tallied a whopping 7.5 strikeouts per game with 30 total throughout the four-game tournament.
Overall, the 15U National Team program is currently on an 18-game win streak dating back to September 1, 2022, when the U.S. won the 2022 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico. The win qualifies the 15U program for the 2026 WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup where the program will look to secure its third World Championship.
