Vega Alta, Puerto Rico made a powerful statement on Friday at Aviara Community Park, jumping out to an early lead and never looking back in an 8-0 shutout win over Placentia, California. The game’s momentum was set in the bottom of the first inning, when Vega Alta erupted for five runs. D. Figueroa opened the scoring with an RBI double, followed by a run scoring on a dropped third strike. Moments later, Diego Suarez broke the game open with a towering three-run home run to left field, giving Vega Alta a commanding 5-0 lead before Placentia could settle in.

Suarez continued to shine in the third inning, driving in another run with a sharp single down the left field line. I. Lopez added to the tally by drawing a bases-loaded walk, stretching the lead to 7-0. Vega Alta would tack on one more run before the day was done, while keeping Placentia off the scoreboard entirely.

On the mound, Y. Arvelo set the tone early for Vega Alta, tossing two scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out one and walking two. The Vega Alta bullpen followed suit, locking down the game with consistent command and control. Placentia starter Max Mejia allowed four hits and seven runs over 2.2 innings, striking out three. Despite the tough outing, he issued no walks.

Offensively, L. McMillan, K. Glenn, and Jordan Jeon each picked up a hit for Placentia, but the team was unable to string anything together against Vega Alta’s pitching and defense. Suarez was the standout performer of the game, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two stolen bases. His performance powered a Vega Alta lineup that combined discipline at the plate with timely hitting. The team drew seven walks with Lopez and J. Velazquez each reaching twice via base on balls.

Defensively, Vega Alta was flawless, turning two double plays and finishing the game without committing a single error. R. Torres anchored the defense with 11 total chances in the field. With the win, Vega Alta continues to build momentum, showcasing a balanced attack of power, pitching, and defense — a formula that could serve them well as the tournament progresses.

Game 2 - Chicago, Illinois (0) vs. Chiba, Japan (12)

Chicago, Illinois faced a tough challenge on Friday at Aviara Community Park, falling 12-0 to a red-hot Chiba, Japan team that delivered a complete performance on both sides of the ball. Chiba wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, putting up five runs in the top of the first inning. K. Katsuta opened the scoring with a two-run single, followed by RBI doubles from T. Nagata, H. Hirai, and R. Miyamoto — each plating a run and giving Chiba a quick 5-0 lead. The offensive pressure continued in the second, when Katsuta singled down the left field line to score another run and extend the lead to 6-0.

In the third, Chiba broke the game wide open with a five-run outburst on six hits. R. Miyamoto and Ichito Ohama each delivered RBI triples, Daiki Nakamata added a run-scoring single, and H. Yamada capped the rally with a two-RBI single, bringing the score to 11-0.

Chicago’s starter, S. Taylor, had a rough outing, allowing four hits and five runs in just one-third of an inning. Despite the early setback, the Chicago bullpen battled to keep the game within reach. Chiba starter Y. Nakahama was efficient, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings while giving up just one hit and striking out two. Offensively, Chicago was limited to two hits in the game — singles by S. Salinas and J. Carpio — as the team struggled to get anything going against Chiba’s dominant pitching and defense.

Chiba's offense racked up 13 hits in total, led by H. Yamada, who went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and four stolen bases. Hirai added two hits of his own, and Chiba finished the game with six stolen bases, showcasing aggressive and smart base running throughout. Defensively, Chiba was sharp and mistake-free, not committing a single error. T. Suzuki led the way with six defensive plays as Chiba flashed both range and reliability in the field. With the victory, Chiba, Japan continues to assert itself as a serious contender, combining offensive firepower with clean, fundamental baseball.

Game 3 - Altoona, Pennsylvania (1) vs. San Diego, California (12)

San Diego struck first in the opening frame when E. Cooper delivered a two-run double to set the tone early. But it was the top of the second inning where they truly broke the game open, scoring eight runs on six hits to take full control.

J. Merkel started the second-inning rally with an RBI single, followed by N. Lacson’s two-run double to extend the lead. Cooper added two more RBIs with a single to left, while W. Lara Jr. brought home a run on a fielder’s choice. E. Weber capped the inning with a two-run single, pushing San Diego ahead 10-0 after just two innings. The momentum didn’t stop there. In the third, Merkel doubled to center field and R. Ham singled down the right field line — each driving in a run to stretch the lead to 12-0. Altoona got on the board in the bottom of the second with their lone run, but San Diego’s pitching and defense locked in from there to preserve the dominant win.

J. Davenport got the start for San Diego, tossing 1.1 hitless innings and allowing one unearned run. The bullpen held strong to close it out. Altoona’s C. Lechner started on the mound, allowing two runs over one inning. C. Miller pitched three innings in relief, giving up three hits and two runs without issuing a walk or recording a strikeout. Offensively, San Diego racked up 12 hits. Cooper was a standout at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a game-high four RBIs. Lacson led the team with three hits in four at-bats, while Merkel and Weber each had multi-hit performances.

Altoona was held to just three hits, one each from P. Jones, Z. Hertzler, and Miller. M. Mellott recorded the team’s only RBI. The defense turned a double play to help limit further damage. San Diego also impressed in the field, playing error-free baseball and turning a double play of their own. R. Ham led the way defensively with five chances. With a balanced performance across offense, pitching, and defense, San Diego, California showcased why they are a team to watch as the tournament continues.

Game 4 - Carlsbad, California (5) vs. Brownsville, Texas (2)

Carlsbad, California used a clutch seventh-inning rally to break a tie and secure a 5-2 victory over Brownsville, Texas on Friday at Aviara Community Park. Brownsville struck early, plating two runs in the bottom of the first. R. Hernandez Jr. grounded out to drive in the first run, followed by an RBI single to center field from L. Olmeda to make it 2-0. Carlsbad responded in the top of the fourth when A. Coyne delivered a two-run double down the right field line, evening the score at 2-2 and shifting the momentum.

After a quiet middle stretch, the game came to life again in the top of the seventh. With the score still tied, W. Peabody came through in the clutch, singling to drive in two runs and give Carlsbad a 4-2 lead. Moments later, C. Dooley added insurance with an RBI double, pushing the lead to 5-2 and silencing the Brownsville dugout.

Carlsbad’s bullpen was outstanding, combining for six shutout innings to secure the win. J. Tran earned the victory after tossing a scoreless sixth, allowing no hits and striking out one. Peabody not only delivered at the plate but also closed out the game on the mound, earning the save. T. Hall, M. Lohre, and L. Renick each contributed scoreless innings in relief to preserve the lead. Starter W. Long pitched the first inning, giving up two runs on three hits while striking out two.

At the plate, R. Nishimoto led Carlsbad with a pair of hits from the leadoff spot, while Coyne was key in the cleanup role, going 1-for-1 with a walk and two RBIs. Defensively, Carlsbad was clean, committing no errors. B. Farrell was solid behind the plate and in the field, leading the team with 13 defensive chances.

For Brownsville, I. Torres led the offense with a 2-for-3 performance. Hernandez Jr. reached base twice on walks and added an RBI, while Olmeda contributed an RBI single as well. Despite being held to just five hits, Brownsville showed patience at the plate, drawing nine walks in the game. The defense turned one double play to help limit Carlsbad’s offense through the early innings. Ultimately, it was Carlsbad’s timely hitting and shutdown relief pitching that proved to be the difference, as they came away with a hard-fought win to continue their tournament run.