EASLEY—Indiana and Venezuela kept their unbeaten streaks alive in the Big League World Series, using big first innings to lead them to lopsided wins in their respective games Friday afternoon.
Indiana, winners of the Central Region, got a three-run home run in the first inning from pitcher Jake Weber and then exploded for five more runs in the sixth inning to defeat West champion California, 8-1.
Venezuela, the Latin American champion, scored four runs in the first inning and won 10-0 over Canada in a gamed called in the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule.
US Pool Play: Indiana 8, California 1
Indiana, 3-0, had only scored four runs in its first two games of the series, but doubled that total in Friday’s game. The Central champion’s pitchers have given up only three runs and five hits in 21 innings so far this series.
Indiana jumped on California pitcher Austin Blanke in the first inning who struck out lead-off hitter Charles Sipe and then walked Evan VanSumeren and Grant Wilson. With two on base, Weber hit a home run to give Indiana a 3-0 lead. After Blanke gave up a two-out single to Andre Jernigan, he was replaced by Chad Rebensdorf, who Indiana’s Brandon Soat to end the inning.
Indiana had three more hits in the second inning, but California threw Sipe out at third base and kept the Central champion from scoring.
California got the first of its two hits of Indiana pitching when Jonah Lopez doubled to lead off the third inning. Weber got the next three batters to leave Lopez stranded at third.
The game remained 3-0 until the sixth inning. Indiana’s Tyler Herbste led off with a single, followed by a walk to Soat. The bases were loaded when Austin Plasterer walked. AJ David came in to pitch for California and walked Sipe to give Indiana a 4-0 lead. VanSumeren reached on a error to make the score 5-0 and Weber got his fourth RBI of the game with a single scoring Sipe. Jernigan singled home Wilson and Weber to give Indiana an 8-0 lead.
California got its only run of the game when Adrian Uiarte scored on an Indiana error.
Weber went five innings, giving up one hit, walking two and striking out four to earn the victory. Steve Remesnik pitched two innings of relief giving up one run, one hit, striking out two and walking one.
Indiana is off until a 7:30 p.m. Monday game against East champion New Jersey. A win there would complete pool play with a perfect 4-0 record and assure the Central Region winner of a spot in Tuesday’s US semi-finals. California, 2-1, will also play again Sunday, hoping to stay alive in the race for a spot in the semi-finals in a 4 p.m. game against Florida.
International Pool Play: Venezuela 10, Canada 0
Venezuela joined Puerto Rico as the only 2-0 teams in International Pool Play with the victory over Canada. After holding Canada scoreless despite having runners on first and third in the top of the first inning, Venezuela, 2-0, scored first on a two-run double by Jesus Piaza. Alexander Lopez followed knocking in Piaza and himself with a two-run home run to give Venezuela a 4-0 lead. The Latin American champion was leading 8-0 in the fifth when it scored two more runs to end the game on the 10-run rule with one out in the fifth.
Venezuela plays Puerto Rico, the other unbeaten team in International pool play Sunday evening. Canada, 0-2, plays Puerto Rico Saturday at 9 a.m.
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