Newman Class of 2024 alum Tanner Bradley has been on a roll this year. An NCAA Super Regional appearance, All American selection, and most recently a selection to the USA Collegiate National Team for the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship (WCBC) in Taiwan.
Bradley posted an incredible 1.66 ERA this year for the Ducks, striking out 84 batters across 54.1 innings. This unbelievable season earned Bradley All American selections from multiple notable media outlets like D1Baseball and Baseball America. He also proved to be one of the best relievers in all of college baseball, being selected as a finalist for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year.
Following this excellent season, Bradley was initially headed to compete this summer in the famous Cape Cod Baseball League in Massachusetts, but a higher calling came as he was selected by USABaseball to compete in the inaugural World Collegiate Baseball Championship tournament being held in Taichung City, Taiwan. Bradley illustrated the pride he has playing for his country, "It was an honor to put USA across my chest and play for my country. I have never been more excited to play overseas against different countries, with that being said it was an experience I will never forget." Over five days, the nation's best collegiate players would face Asia's best in three pool play games before competing in the medal games.
The WCBC was co-created by USA Baseball, Chinese Taipei Baseball Association, and Japan University Baseball. The three creators were joined by Korea as the fourth participant.
The US opened the tournament playing the hosts, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), and after the first inning, Taipei led 2-1. USA rallied, though, tying the game in the third, and put on three more in both the fourth and fifth to lead 8-2. Texas starting pitcher and former Healdsburg Prune Packer, Luke Harrison, got the start and was dialed in striking out six over five innings of work, only allowing two runs on three hits. Bradley came in to relieve Harrison and struck out three batters over an inning and a third. Bradley struggled a bit as Taipei was able to string some hits together, bringing across four runs to cut the US lead to 9-6. The US added one more on and sealed the victory in Game One, 10-6 over the hosts. West Virginia's Gavin Kelly was five-for-six with four RBI, hitting a homer and tying the USABaseball Collegiate National Team hit record, becoming the eleventh player all-time to do so.
Game Two meant the biggest challenge for the US yet as they faced Japan. However, early on, it was all USA as the Stars and Stripes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Japan was able to bring across a run in the fourth, and after pulling their starter in the third, their bullpen went 6.2 innings, striking out five and holding the US scoreless. Japan crept closer again in the sixth, bringing a run across to cut the American lead to 3-2. The US brought in UCLA reliever Easton Hawk with no outs in the same inning as Japan threatened to tie the game, but Hawk shut down their offense, tossing four perfect innings to earn the save and keep the US unbeaten in pool play, winning 3-2 over Japan.
In the final pool play day for the United States was a matchup with Korea - the lowest ranked team of the tournament. The goal was simple for the USA: win and you're in the championship. The US didn't just win, though, they blew out Korea in a 10-0 seven inning run-rule shortened game. The US exploded for seven runs in the third after scoring one in the first, blowing the game wide open. Homers from Arizona State OF and Golden Spikes Award Finalist Landon Hairston and Louisville All American Tague Davis brought home five of the seven runs. With an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh and a runner on first, Wake Forest's JD Stein came to the plate as a pinch hitter and hit a walk off inside the park home run to send the United States to the gold medal game.
The Gold Medal Game was a matchup of the two strongest collegiate baseball nations in the world and a rematch of the closest game in pool play as the US faced Japan. The US again jumped out to an early lead, plating two runs in the bottom of the third on a two RBI single from Gavin Kelly. The US held the 2-0 lead until the 7th, when Japan tied things up with back-to-back USA errors and quality small ball bringing across two runs. Both teams held strong and the game went to extras, tied 2-2.
At the WCBC, extra innings begin with one out and runners on first and second to speed up play, whereas in the MLB a runner is put on second and the inning starts as normal outs-wise. Japan and the US traded blows in the tenth, sending the game to an eleventh inning with the score knotted up, 3-3. Japan exploded in the eleventh inning, scoring three, two of which came home off another costly USA error. Japan held on to win the Gold Medal, 6-3, despite a late bases loaded push from the USA.
Bradley reflected on this experience, one he won't forget, "It was [a] once in a lifetime experience… Going against the best of the best in the world from different countries was truly the best experience." Off the field, the team got to tour Taiwan and soak up the culture, but they also stayed in the same hotel as their opponents, allowing them to have meaningful conversations with top players from each nation. Everything about the experience was one of a kind for Bradley, even the shopping centers, "We had plenty of free time to explore the area, there were malls that had fifteen stories with everything you could think of. Staying in a hotel with all of the teams was fun because you could talk to them."
As he heads back to Oregon, Bradley says he looks to use the confidence he's built in the past season to help him continue his dominant run on the mound, but the biggest takeaway is "just how fast a team can come together and perform at a high level." Every team Bradley has been on has proven that - the 2024 State Title team at CN, 2026 Super Regional Oregon, and now Team USA - another attest the great baseball talent brewing in America. This talent could even, like Bradley, be brewing in your own backyard.
