U 18 Baseball World Cup: Korea win home run challenge with Canada, The Netherlands outscore South Africa

In the afternoon games of Day 3 of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 Korea beats Canada to stay undefeated and The Netherlands outscore South Africa to earn their first win.

Korea outslugged Canada (11-7, 3 home runs versus 2) at the end of a game that was maybe not always played well, but for sure was hard fought. As it happened against Chinese Taipei, Canada was plagued by too many walks (14). Korea had some ups and downs with their defense: a few great plays and 4 errors.

Korea strike first. In the top of the second, with designated hitter Kang Baekho (double) at second and right fielder Choi Hyunjun (walk) at first, catcher Cho Daehyun works a 2 out 2 strike count against highly touted Minnesota Twins prospect Landon Leach (37th pick overall of the MLB draft, signed for 1.4 million US dollars) sending a blast over the left field wall for a 3 run homer.

Canada make it a one run game against Korea starter Gwak Been in the bottom of the third. Right fielder Clarke reaches on a drag bunt to third. With one out, lead off second baseman sends a towering fly ball off the batter’s eye in center field for a 2 run homer. Leach is done for the day as he allows another home run in the fourth. With Cho Daehyun at third (base hit, sacrifice bunt, wild pitch), center fielder Jang Jun Hwan takes the right hander deep to left center to extend Korea lead to 5-2. Eric Cerantola is the new pitcher. The righthander falls into a jam because of a defensive error and a walk, but gets out of it striking out third baseman Kim Jeongwoo and first baseman Han Donghui.

Gwak Beek struck out 9 over 6 innings for Korea (Christian J Stewart)

Canada still believes. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, first baseman Stovman looks at one ball and then homers over the right field fence to make it 5-3.
Right fielder Choi Hyun Jun leads off the top of the fifth for Korea with a base hit. After Cerantola walks Cho Daehyun, left fielder Ye Jin Won drops a bunt that advances runners. Cerantola’s fourth ball to Jang Jun Hwan goes by catcher Brookman and Choi scores from third. It’s all for Cerantola and Canada sends William Sierra to the mound. The newcomer walks shortstop Bae Jihwan to load the bases. On Choi Junwoo chopper, Julien can get the force out at second, but there’s no room for a double play and Cho scores the seventh run for Korea. On Choi steal attempt, Jang takes off too soon from third, is trapped by Brookman strong throw to third and is the third out while he tries to avoid a tag at home plate.

Korea add 2 runs in the seventh. Sierra walks Cho Daehyun, who runs all the way to third on Ye Jinwon base hit to center. Jang Junhwan scores both with a single.
Gwak Been game is over as he strikes Willow, who reaches anyway first when the ball goes by catcher Cho Daehyun. Left hander Ha Junyoung heads to the mound. He gets into immediate trouble as he walks designated hitter Bremner and Clarke reaches on a slow roller to shortstop. Parente seems late on a breaking pitch, but he sends anyway a tricky blooper to right, that falls for an RBI single. Ha gets the double play ground ball he wanted from Julien, but second baseman Choi bubbles it and is even late with his throw to first. A run scores and the bases are still loaded for center fielder Keyes. Ha strikes out Keyes on an off speed pitch but then walks Naylor to make it 9-6 and force Korea to make another call to the bull pen. Righthander Park Dong Soo is the new pitcher. Brookman sends a line drive to right, just in the glove of Choi Hyunjun. The drive is deep enough for Parente to score and Julien to reach third. The inning is over when Park strikes out Stovman.

In the top of the eigth Korea gives another succesful try to the long ball. With Cho Daehyun (walk) at first, Ye Jinwon rockets a fly ball over the right field fence.
Canada gets dangerous in the bottom half of the frame. Willow singles and Park walks Bremner. Clarke hits a hard grounder to third but finds Kim Jeongwoo ready. The third baseman gets a force out on the bag, another with the throw at second and the relay of Choi Junwoo misses a triple play just for inches. Park walks Parente, but gets out of the inning anyway when he strikes out Julien.
Canada takes the potential tying run to the plate with one out in the bottom of the ninth. Naylor singles and reaches third as shortstop Bae Jihwan commits Korea fourth error of the game trying to get the force out at second on a grounder by Brookman. Park walks Strovman to load the bases, but needs just one more pitch to end the game and earn the save. Willow hits a hard grounder to third. Once again Kim Jeongwoo stops the ball, gets the force out on the bag and finishes the game ending double play with a strong throw to first.

Korea dug out celebrate the win (Christian J Stewart-WBSC)

The Netherlands earned their first win outscoring (22-3 in 5 innings) South Africa.

The game is summarized by the bottom of the first: the dutch score 14 times on 8 hits (including doubles by center fielder Juliana, third baseman Apostel and first baseman Takke), 5 walks and 4 errors. The Netherlands send 20 man at bat (lead off right fielder Tromp and shortstop Kelkboom 3 times) against starter Brandon Smith and reliever Blaine Lazarus.
Dutch starter Gregorio Leito pitches 1.2 innings and gets all his outs on strikes. Casimiri and Vogelaar take care of the rest of the game.

The Netherlands celebrate their first win in the U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017