Team USA’s 18U National squad continued its charge through the 2009 COPABE Pan Am "AAA" Championships this week. On Monday, the U.S. dispatched Colombia 19-0 and then took a day off before facing world rival Cuba. A six-run eighth inning highlighted a Team USA rally and capped a 9-5 victory over the Cubans. It also gave the team an automatic berth into the 2010 International Baseball Federation "AAA" World Junior Championships, to be held in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Team USA rounded out pool play with a 6-3 win over Venezuela and finished with a 6-0 record. The semi-finals will be played today with Team USA facing Panama at 2:30 p.m. Eastern. The other game will feature Venezuela and Cuba. The gold medal game is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Shortstop Manny Machado (Brito HS, Miami) is leading the team in hitting with a .435/.536/.739 line. In six games he has two home runs, nine RBIs and nine runs scored.