The USA Collegiate National Team has started the 2026 World Collegiate Baseball Championship on the right foot. Team USA has two wins over Chinese Taipei and Japan at Intercontinental Stadium in Taiwan.
Here is a look at the two wins for the USA Collegiate squad.
West Virginia’s Gavin Kelly tallies five hits in 10-6 win over Chinese Taipei
West Virginia’s Gavin Kelly put on a show in a 10-6 win for the USA Collegiate National Team over Chinese Taipei. Kelly had five hits, scored three runs, and had four RBIs. He also hit a home run against Chinese Taipei.
Auburn’s Chase Fralick and Texas outfielder Anthony Pack Jr. also had big days hitting the baseball for Team USA. Both of them had two hits in the win over Chinese Taipei.
Georgia’s Kolby Branch had a home run for Team USA and had two hits as well in the win over Chinese Taipei.
As a team, the USA Collegiate National Team had 16 hits against Chinese Taipei. Team USA’s pitching staff combined for 11 strikeouts, and Texas southpaw Luke Harrison led the way with six strikeouts.
Derrick Pitts and great pitching stand out in Team USA’s 3-2 win over Japan
Cincinnati’s Derrick Pitts led the USA Collegiate National Team in a tight 3-2 win over Japan. He had three hits and an RBI as well. Pitts was also active in the previous win Team USA had over Chinese Taipei, as he had three runs in that contest with a hit and an RBI as well.
The Team USA pitching performance was also fantastic against Japan. Mississippi State’s Ryan McPherson, Auburn’s Jackson Sanders, and UCLA’s Easton Hawk limited Japan’s offense by allowing just two runs combined.
McPherson allowed just one run and had only two walks over the course of 3 1/3 innings of work.
Sanders and Hawk both had two strikeouts apiece. Hawk stood out by closing the final four innings of the game. Over that stretch, he allowed no hits, no walks, and no runs.
Up next for Team USA
With a 2-0 record in Taichung City, the USA Collegiate National Team will now play Korea on Tuesday, July 14, at 12:30 a.m. E.T. The game can be streamed on MLB.com.
WBN NCAA: https://worldbaseball.com/league/ncaa/
PHOTO: Gavin Kelly (2) rounds the bases after hitting a 3-run homer in the sixth inning during an NCAA baseball College World Series elimination game against Troy, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, in Omaha, Neb. West Virginia won 12-0. (AP Photo/Vera Nieuwenhuis)
