USA beat South Africa in six innings to finish Opening Round undefeated

USA finished the Opening Round of the WBSC Men's Softball World Cup Group C with a perfect 5-0 record, winning their last game 11-4 against South Africa on Friday at Devon Park - OGE Energy Field in Oklahoma City. Jonathan Lynch stayed hot, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Tyler Johnson also drove in three runs, while Frank Kimlinger contributed two.

In the first inning, USA's Zach Shaw walked to lead off, followed by Jeffrey Lewis grounding out and Erick Ochoa striking out. However, the red-hot Lynch struck again with a triple into the left-centre field gap, driving in the first run of the game. He later scored on a single by Kimlinger.

One inning later, the hosts put together a four-run inning, with two walks, a two-RBI double by Lynch, and run-scoring singles from Kimlinger and Johnson.

The game appeared to be in USA's favour early on, with starter Coddy Gibbons cruising through the first three innings, striking out seven. In the top of the fourth, Jon Gwizdala took the mound, and South Africa responded with a pair of two-run homers from Tyrone Milne and Madumetsa Kkgapele, closing the gap to 6-4. It was South Africa's best moment of the game, but it did not last long.

In the bottom half of the inning, USA added two more runs as Johnson drove in Lewis and Ochoa with a double to centre field, extending their lead to 8-4 and regaining control of the game.

USA added two more in the fifth, with run-scoring hits from Lewis and Ochoa, and an inning later, they walked off with a run-scoring infield hit by Zach Shaw.

USA will play in the Group C Final against Japan on Saturday at 16:00, with a ticket to the Finals 2025 on the line. South Africa will face the Netherlands at 10:00, with the winner claiming fifth place in the competition.