Sept. 13, 2009

Team USA Opens Round 2 with Shutout of Canada

Cory Luebke carried a no-hitter in the eighth and finished with 10 strikeouts as Team USA blanked Canada 8-0 in the opener of Round 2, Group G action in the 2009 IBAF Baseball World Cup in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Luebke (1-0) allowed a single by Chris Robinson with two outs in the eighth. Luebke walked one and hit one. Geno Espinelli fanned one over the final 1.1 innings for the U.S. (1-0, 3-1).

Terry Tiffee had a two-run double in a four-run first for Team USA. Tiffee and Jon Weber had consecutive RBI doubles in the third to make it 6-0. Weber added an RBI single in the fifth and Pedro Alvarez homered in the seventh to complete the scoring against Canada (0-1, 3-1).

Tiffee and Weber both went 3 for 4 with three RBI.

Team USA will face Netherlands Antilles (0-1, 2-2) on Monday at Stadio Gavagnin in Verona, Italy. Kasey Kiker is scheduled to start on the mound for the U.S.

9/12/09: Team USA Blanks China to Advance to Round 2

9/11/09: Redmond, Team USA Shut Down Germany

9/10/09: Team USA Falls to Venezuela in 11 Innings

Official Website of 2009 Baseball World Cup