Cuba improves to 3-1 with win over Mexico. Singapore tops South Africa, clinches first MSWC win in 27 years

Cuba secured its second consecutive win and improved its record to 3-1 with a 7-2 win against Mexico, in the first game of the day at Svoboda Prak in Prague, Czech Republic. The Caribbean team jumped ahead early in the game and never looked back.

Cuba scored the first two runs of the game in the first without a hit. Juan Carlos Rodriguez and Yuri Rodriguez walked consecutively and then scored on two wild pitches by Mexican starter Jonathan Muñoz, who was removed of the game after one inning and 24 pitches, only 6 of them in the strike zone. Jose Hernandez came in in relief.

Mexico got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth with an RBI single by Alan Salgado. Lenny Villalvazo became the first runner on base for his team with a walk and stole second base with one out. Edgar Lopez was intentionally walked and Ruben Delgadillo hit a grounder over the second bag, shortstop Luis Dominguez assisted Yesander Rodriguez at second and he made an accurate throw to third trying to get Villalvazo, but the runner got back to the base just safely. With 2 outs, Salgado hit a 2-2 pitch to left field to produce the first Mexican run.

In the bottom of the fifth Cuba added 3 more runs off Hernandez, on five hits and a walk, including RBI singles by Renier Vera, Juan Rios and Roger Rosete.

In the top of the sixth Ismael Ismael Peña led off with a solo shot to center field. The second baseman found a rise ball high in the zone to hit a line drive over the center field fence. Then Cuban skipper Leonardo Cardenas sent left-handed pitcher Guber Plutin.

However, in the bottom of the sixth Cuba extended the lead with two more runs off Dueñas, who relieved Hernandez in the bottom of the fifth. RBI singles by Juan Carlos Rodriguez and Yesander Rodriguez secured the game for the Caribbean nation.

The winning pitcher was Alain Roman, who had a strong 4-inning outing, with 1 hit, 1 run, 1 walk and 2 strikeouts.

Tomorrow Cuba will take on Argentina and Mexico will play Botswana.

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Singapore tops South Africa, clinches first MSWC win in 27 years

Singapore recovered from a 2-run deficit in the last two innings of the game to clinch a historic walk off victory over South Africa, 4-3. It was the fourth win ever for Singapore in their third participation at the Men’s Softball World Championship.

South Africa jumped ahed in the first, with a 2-run homer by Javier Frost to center field.

Singapore score its first run of the tournament in the fourth with an RBI single by Ivan Ng Ee Han, but the African team recovered the 2-run gap with a solo homer off the bat of Mandla Matswenyane.

In the bottom of the sixth Ziglar Oh tripled in the second run of Singapore, and in the bottom of the seventh Joshua Tam scored on a wild pitch and then Tai Jin Tan completed the come-from-behind win with a walk-off sacrifice fly.

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