U-23 Baseball World Cup: Nicaragua gives Panama first loss to open Super Round

Box score

MONTERREY, Mexico – World No. 18 Nicaragua defeated No. 15 Panama, 9-3, Thursday afternoon at Estadio de Beisbol Monterey to open the Super Round of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup® 2016.

Nicaragua (1-2) scored five runs in the fifth inning and did not look back, as they handed Panama (2-1) their first loss of the U-23 world championship tournament,

Javier Eliezer Robles Vivas was a catalyst for Nicaragua’s offense as he walked with the bases loaded in the second, scored in the fifth, before adding a triple and double to finish 2-for-4.

Nicaragua received 5 1/3 shutout innings from reliever Wilfredo Piner Hammer, who allowed just three hits and a walk, while recording one strikeout to get the win.

Nicaragua 🇳🇮 victory selfies!!! Pitcher Hero Wilfredo Piner Hammer 🔨 😬😬😬😎 pic.twitter.com/cpnVTtvrkn

— WBSC (@WBSC) November 3, 2016

Three errors proved costly for Panama who were outhit, 12-10.

Panama’s Hector Jose Salazar Vega suffered the loss.

In the Consolation Round for 7th to 12 Place, No. 14 Czech Republic beat No. 33 Austria 14-7, while No. 4 Chinese Taipei shut out No. 36 South Africa, 8-0.