July 28, 2008

Missouri pitcher Kyle Gibson picked up his team-best fifth win of the summer for Team USA as the USA Baseball National Team defeated Japan, 1-0, in Sunday's gold medal game of the FISU World Championships at Mestsky Stadium.

With the game scoreless, Team USA scored in the top of the 12th inning, making a winner of Gibson who had pitched a perfect 11th inning with one strikeout. It was Team USA's third consecutive FISU title.

The U.S. squad completed its 2008 tour 24-0 and established a National Team record for lowest staff ERA at 0.88 (the previous mark of 1.29 was set in 2003). Team USA did not allow more than two earned runs in any game and tossed its sixth shutout of the summer in the FISU title game.

Gibson finished 5-0 on the summer to lead the team in wins. He tied for the team lead with 13 appearances on the mound and had an ERA of 1.02. He struck out 25 batters in 17.2 innings pitched.