USA Baseball Bounces Back With 16-1 Victory

Complete Coverage of USA Baseball

By John Manuel
October 12, 2003

Team USA bounced back from its Arizona Fall League-opening loss in a big way Saturday, crushing the Scottsdale Scorpions 16-1.

First baseman Graham Koonce (Athletics) and Grady Sizemore (Indians) had four hits apiece, and Sizemore and Mike Rouse (Athletics) homered to lead Team USA's 23-hit attack. The trio combined to go 11-for-13 with nine RBIs between them.

It started in the first against righthander Tom Farmer (Dodgers), with Koonce knocking in two with a triple and scoring the third run. Rouse added a two-run homer in the team's four-run second inning, and Rouse made it 8-0 with an RBI double in the third.

Righthander Justin Duchscherer (A's) started on the mound for Team USA and pitched four shutout innings, allowing just two singles to gain credit for the victory. He was followed by John VanBenschoten (Pirates), who worked two frames and surrendered one run on four hits. Lefty Royce Ring (Mets) threw two perfect innings of relief, retiring all six batters he faced while fanning two. Jeremy Fikac (A's) then worked a 1-2-3 ninth to close out the game.

Sizemore added a three-run homer in the fifth off Scottsdale reliever Kyle Edens and went 4-for-4 on the day. Koonce's four hits made him 6-for-7 with five RBIs in two games, while Rouse and Ernie Young each collected three hits apiece.

Team USA will next take on the Grand Canyon Rafters Monday afternoon at Mesa's HoHoKam Park. Ryan Madson (0-0) is scheduled to take the mound for Team USA.