AUSTIN (KXAN) — Dripping Springs senior Cooper Rummel was one of the key bullpen pieces in Team USA’s championship run at the U18 World Baseball Softball Confederation Americas World Cup qualifying tournament.
Rummel worked the seventh inning to earn the save in a 4-2 win over host Panama at Estadio Nacional Rod Carew in Panama City, Panama on Sunday, completing an 8-0 tournament and wrapping up the seventh consecutive World Cup qualifier win for the US.
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Rummel notched two saves and a win in the tournament, pitching four innings with five strikeouts. He threw two innings with four strikeouts against Venezuela in a 6-0 victory to earn credit for the win and he pitched an inning to save a 1-0 win over Mexico in the quarterfinals.
He didn’t allow any earned runs with a .077 batting average against in the tournament.
The tournament featured five players with verbal commitments to the Texas Longhorns, including Rummel. Kayson Cunningham from San Antonio Johnson was named the tournament’s MVP, hitting .450 with nine hits and 11 RBIs. Gavin Fien led the tournament with a .727 slugging percentage while Xavier Mitchell pitched two scoreless innings and Brady Murrietta walked three times in eight at-bats.
The tournament win qualifies the U.S. for the 2025 U18 WBSC World Cup. Panama, Cuba and Puerto Rico also qualified for the World Cup.