On July 8, the USA Collegiate National Team came up short against Japan in a 6-1 loss at Es Con Field in Hokkaido, Japan.
Final from game one. pic.twitter.com/H0B1jqQNrW
— USA Baseball CNT (@USABaseballCNT) July 8, 2025
Japan’s Offense Thrives After Hot Start for USA Pitcher Ethan Norby – East Carolina pitcher Ethan Norby got the start for the United States team. He pitched well through two innings as he held Japan scoreless.
However, the Japanese would strike first with a three-run third inning. Two of the runs were scored off errors and the other came on an RBI single by Kai Watabe.
Koichiro Oda hit a solo home run in the fifth inning to make it a 4-0 lead for Japan. Ren Hirakawa got an RBI knock in the same inning to make it 5-0. In the sixth inning, Taiga Kojima got an RBI as well to round out the scoring for Japan.
In total, the Japanese team had 14 hits in the game.
Louisville’s Lucas Moore Scores Only Run for USA Collegiate Squad – The USA Collegiate National Team was only able to put four hits together as a team.
The biggest hit of the game for them came from Louisville’s Lucas Moore, who had a double. Eventually, he would score the only run of the game for the Americans.
Virginia’s Eric Becker and UCLA’s Mulivai Levu also had hits in the game.
As for the pitching for Team USA, Florida’s Liam Peterson and UC Irvine’s Ricky Ojeda both did well in the late innings keeping Japan at bay.
Ojeda and N.C. State’s Ryan Marohn both had two strikeouts apiece in the game and led the collegiate team.
Up Next – The USA Collegiate National Team and Japan will square off again on Wednesday, July 9. The first pitch at Es Con Field is scheduled for 5 a.m. EDT.
NEWS: Here are @WorldBaseball_’s five players to watch on the USA Collegiate National team (@USABaseballCNT) ????????
The team will play a series of games in Japan from July 8-13 ????????
Stay tuned for coverage of those games and players ???? pic.twitter.com/eEUr0CZgNb
— Alfred Ezman (@AlfredEzman) July 7, 2025
Photo: Gabe Gaeckel receives a gift from Japan players before game one of the series between the US Collegiate National Team and Japan at Es Con Field in Kitahiroshima, Japan. (Photo via @RazorbackBSB on X)
