USA Crushes Dominican Republic 16-1 to Sweep U-18 Pan-American Group
George Ferguson struck out eight as Team USA routed the Dominican Republic 16-1 to sweep its group at the 2026 U-18 Pan-American Baseball Championship.
World Baseball News Editorial Team , 2 min read 
BOCA CHICA, Dominican Republic — The United States overwhelmed host Dominican Republic 16-1 on Saturday, October 24, finishing unbeaten in Group A at the 2026 WBSC Americas U-18 Baseball Pan-American Championship. A five-run second inning set the tone, and a seven-run fourth turned the contest into a rout as the Americans secured the top seed entering the Super Round.
Right-hander George Ferguson gave the offense plenty of room to work. Making his Team USA debut, he struck out eight over four innings, allowing just two hits and one walk without surrendering an earned run. Isaac Vidal finished the game in relief with two strikeouts.
Wilson’s triple ignites a 16-run barrage
Ferguson escaped immediate trouble in the first inning, striking out three consecutive hitters after the Dominican Republic put its first two batters aboard. The United States seized the momentum in the second.
Drake Hawpe singled to begin the rally, Broder Katke walked and Graham Houston reached on a bunt single. Malachi Butler drove in the game’s first run before Sebastian Wilson cleared the bases with a three-run triple. Lubin Rincon’s RBI double completed the five-run inning.
The Dominican Republic got on the board in the third with a sacrifice fly by Ricki Moneys, but the Americans answered with four runs in the bottom half. The fourth inning was even more decisive: Houston delivered a two-run double off the right-field wall, Butler added an RBI single and the U.S. continued scoring through a balk, hit-by-pitch, sacrifice fly and wild pitch.
Houston finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Butler collected two hits, while Wilson’s bases-clearing triple was one of the defining swings of the afternoon.
Unbeaten USA moves into World Cup qualifying Super Round
The result lifted the Americans to 3-0 in Group A, following a 4-0 victory over Brazil and a 19-2 win against Curaçao. Across those three games, the U.S. pitching staff allowed only six hits, according to USA Baseball. The team also struck out just four times in 70 at-bats.
The Dominican Republic advanced as Group A runner-up at 2-1 despite the defeat. For the United States, Saturday’s victory extended its all-time U-18 record against the Dominican Republic to 6-0.
Team USA’s next challenge is the Super Round, scheduled for October 25-28. The Americans open against Nicaragua, with four places at the 2027 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup in China available to the tournament’s leading finishers. Saturday’s performance made clear why the defending Pan-American champions remain one of the teams to beat.
