TAINAN, Taiwan – Starting pitcher Barret Schell hurled three shutout frames and launched a two-run home run as Team USA defeated Czechia, 6-0, and notched back-to-back wins in the 2025 World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) U-12 Baseball World Cup Saturday morning at Asia Pacific International Baseball Stadium.
Team USA wasted no time in putting consistent pressure on Czechia’s defense, as the red, white, and blue scored at least one run in each of the first three frames. A mix of base hits, heads-up base running, and defensive miscues allowed the U.S. to score one run in the first and plate a pair in the second. Base hits by Jaxon Spray, Radner Roth, and AJ Elliot, in addition to a two-run jack by Schell resulted in a three-run third inning and finalized the extent of Team USA’s damage with the bats.
Schell stole the show on a damp Saturday morning in Taiwan, as he began his day on the bump and ended it with a bang at the plate. Working around some traffic on the base paths early, Schell kept his poise on the mound and escaped the first two innings unscathed. Jameson Wilhite entered in the fourth and delivered a three up, three down performance from the jump. He dominated during his two-inning showing, striking out four while throwing only 21 pitches on the day. Mason Bitzenhofer tossed a clean sixth inning and preserved the shutout for Team USA.
Roth and Spray each went a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, highlighted by a stand-up double off the bat of Roth in the second inning. Schell went 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBIs while McGee accounted for two of the team’s four ribbies. Hatch picked up a hit, swiped a bag, and scored two runs in today’s win. Schell pitched 3.0 shutout innings with four strikeouts while Wilhite also fanned four in 2.0 innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After Kai Sapp reached first base on a hit-by-pitch, Spray delivered a two-out base knock up the middle to give the United States an early 1-0 lead.
- The bats got right back to work in the second inning after Roth led off with a hard-hit double down the left field line to land in scoring position. A bunt-single laid down by Nolan Hatch and a series of defensive blunders came back to bite Czechia, as both Roth and Hatch came around to score and put Team USA up by three.
- The offense kept rolling in the third, as Spray notched his second base hit of the game and later scored on Schell’s two-run blast, making it 5-0.
- Later in the third, Russell McGee produced an RBI groundout to drive in Hatch–who reached on a hit-by-pitch–and cement a 6-0 U.S. victory.
NOTABLES
- With the win, the 12U National Team is now 11-0 in its last 11 games of international competition, a streak dating back to 2023.
- The United States is now 2-0 all-time against Czechia at the 12-and-under level.
- Team USA’s pitching staff threw for a 78.5% strike percentage over the six-inning contest, as 55 of the team’s 70 pitches were strikes.
- As of Saturday afternoon, The United States’ arms ranks atop the leaderboard in total strikeouts with 14.
- Five players tallied base knocks in today’s win.
- Four players for the U.S. are currently hitting .400 or better through the first two days of competition (min. three at-bats).
QUOTABLES
- “When your pitchers throw first-pitch strikes and when you have the best defense behind you, great things happen,” said pitching coach Wes Brooks. “Overall, it was a great day of baseball; I like where we’re at and we feel good going into tomorrow.”
- “I felt great today and got a good barrel,” Schell said. “Even though it’s been a hot couple of days, we’re adjusting to the environment and playing great as a team.”
ON DECK
Team USA will play its third pool play contest tomorrow morning against another Group B foe in South Africa (0-1) at Asia Pacific International Baseball Stadium Field 2. First pitch is slated for 10:30 a.m. local/10:30 p.m. ET (July 26).
SOCIAL MEDIA
To follow along with all the action with the 12U National Team, be sure to follow @USABaseball12U on X and @USABaseball on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.
