Team USA finished strong throughout the Northeastern trial series and outscored the opposition 36-10, which included two consecutive shutouts. Dirtbags head coach Mike Weathers is preparing the squad for a lengthy duel with Chinese Taipei in Burlington, N.C.
Dirtbags shortstop Danny Espinosa will be coming along as part of the final 22-man roster set on June 25.
Team USA, coming off a dominant opening victory over the Oil Can Boyd All-Stars, made a repeat performance against North Adams from North Adams, Mass., pounding the Steeplecats 9-1 at Joe Wolfe Field. A throwing error in the second inning by catcher Landon Hernandez resulted in the U.S. trailing for the first time this series at 1-0.
However, Team USA powered through the early deficit, scoring seven runs in two innings to take a commanding 7-1 lead into the sixth inning. North Adams was held scoreless for the rest of the game, recording six total hits.
Espinosa competed in the first five games of the trial series, playing his best game against the Steeplecats and scoring a run with two putouts and two assists.
The next two opponents never reached home plate as Team USA ran through the Keene, N.H., Swamp Bats and the Montpelier, Vt., Mountaineers in two 5-0 victories. The U.S. struck out 19 and allowed four hits in the rain-shortened shutouts.
Team USA allowed no runs over a span of 24 innings, but that would be broken by a three-run third inning by the Torrington, Conn., Twisters, and the U.S. lost its first game of the series 4-3 at Fuessenich Park in Torrington.
The loss marked the first in 18 games for Team USA, the last coming on July 25, 2006, against Japan (lost 4-2). Espinosa scored the team’s first run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly, tallying his first RBI of the season. Espinosa has two scores in 11 at-bats while recording eight putouts and seven assists on defense in five games.
The U.S. would rebound by fending off the Newport, R.H., Gulls 5-4 at Cardines Field in Newport. Team USA began the game with a four-run first inning and took a 5-1 lead after six. However, the lead was not safe down the stretch, as Newport scored three runs in the eighth to pull within one. The Gulls had twice as many hits as the U. S. (10-5), but good defense helped Team USA earn a hard-fought sixth victory.
