Beal Pitches U.S. Team to World Youth Title

Andrew Beal of Palos Verdes Peninsula High pitched a five-hitter as the USA Baseball youth national team defeated Venezuela, 6-2, in the gold-medal game Sunday at the International Baseball Federation World Youth Championships in Veracruz, Mexico.

Beal (1-0), a right-hander, struck out 14 and walked three in nine innings. He also had two hits, including a leadoff single in a three-run fifth inning

for the U.S., which went 7-0 in the weeklong tournament and has won 25 consecutive games.

The U.S. defeated Japan, 2-1, in the quarterfinals and Australia, 14-6, in Saturday’s semifinals, after preliminary-round victories over Korea, South Africa, Taiwan and Mexico.

Besides Beal, the 18-member American team for players 16 and under included Daniel Perales of Santa Ana Mater Dei High, Jeff Flaig of Placentia El Dorado, Chris Valaika from Newhall Hart and Zechry Zinicola of Riverside Arlington. Jack Hodges, coach at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, was a U.S. assistant coach.