July 9, 2008

(Haarlem, The Netherlands) - San Francisco's Ryan Lipkin (Vacaville, CA) doubled in the seventh inning as Team USA earned a 10-inning 2-1 win over The Netherlands National Team in their last game of pool play. Team USA clinched the top seed going into the tournament portion of the Haarlem Baseball Week, and improved to 11-0 on the season. USF Head Coach Nino Giarratano is an assistant coach for team USA this summer.

In four games during Haarlem Baseball Week, Team USA is 4-0, having captured victories over Japan, July 5 (5-2), Cuba, July 6 (1-0), and Netherlands Antilles, July 8 (11-0) before today's win. The win over Cuba was the first for Team USA since 2000.

Josh Fellhauer's (Cal State Fullerton; Ranch Cucamonga, CA) RBI fielder's choice snapped a 1-1 tie in the top of the 10th inning, and Kendal Volz (Baylor; Bulverde, Texas) notched his third save in four games as the USA Baseball National Team defeated the host Netherlands National Team in Wednesday's pool-play action of the Haarlem Baseball Week at Pim Mullier Stadium.

Fellhauer came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 10th. His ground ball that looked as though it my get through the right side of the infield was cut off by Netherlands second baseman Roel Koolen, who got the force out at second base. However, Fellhauer was safe at first, allowing Ryan Jackson (Miami-FL; Miami Springs, Fla.) to score the winning run.

Jackson opened the 10th with a single through the right side and moved to second on a Blake Smith (California; Modesto, Calif.) sacrifice bunt. After Matt den Dekker (Florida; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) drew a walk, Christian Colon (Cal State Fullerton; Corona, Calif.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. That set the stage for Fellhauer's game-winning fielder's choice.

However, the coast was not clear for Team USA as Bryan Englehardt led off the bottom of the 10th with a single up the middle. After a sacrifice bunt pushed Englehardt to second base, Volz issued a walk to Eugene Kingsale. Volz got two quick strikes on Sidney de Jong, who then tapped a slider right back to the mound for a game ending pitcher-to-shortstop-to-first, game-ending double play.

It was the fourth save of the tour for Volz, who has not allowed a run in 7.0 innings over six appearances. Kyle Gibson (Missouri; Greenfield, Ind.) earned the victory in relief; he allowed one hit and no walks with two strikeouts over 2.1 scoreless innings. Starter Brett Hunter (Pepperdine; Moorpark, Calif.) allowed one unearned run on three hits and four walks with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings.

Barry van Driel took the loss in relief for the Netherlands; he allowed one run one hit over 1.0 inning. Starter Diegomar Markwell allowed one run on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 8.1 innings.

Team USA took a 1-0 lead on a solo home run from Derek Deitrich (Georgia Tech; Parma, Ohio) in the fifth inning. An error in the seventh allowed the Netherlands to tie the game at 1-1.