Team USA Advances to Baseball Quarterfinals

The United States advanced out of pool play and will face the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals of the inaugural World University Baseball Championships today at Messina, Italy.

Team USA won three of its four games to tie Italy at the top of Pool A. The Americans defeated Italy, Korea and Canada and lost to China. Cuba won all four of its games in Pool B.

In other quarterfinal games, Cuba will face China, Japan plays Korea and Chinese Taipei meets Italy. Winners advance to Saturday’s semifinals, with the bronze- and gold-medal games on Sunday.

Cal State Fullerton outfielder Shane Costa and pitchers Chad Cordero and Wes Littleton are on the U.S. team, along with Long Beach State pitcher Abe Alvarez.

Cordero has not allowed an earned run and has struck out 27 in 15 1/3 innings this summer for Team USA. Alvarez has a 1.93 earned-run average in 11 relief appearances.