Czech Republic 8-2 New Zealand: Osička sizzles with 14 strikeouts as Czech Republic prove too good for the home team

Jakub Osička continues to impress at the U-18 Men’s Softball World Championship as he fired from the mound once more with 14 strikeouts to edge hosts New Zealand 8-2 in Czech Republic’s first Super Round match on Thursday in Colquhoun Park in Palmerston North.

Heading into the match with a 1.38 ERA, Osička pitched in all seven innings (3 H, 2 R) while Jakub Vasicek and Vit Koci teamed up for five runs. On the host team’s side, Dylan Jackson pitched five innings in relief and gave up 5 hits and 4 runs, with 6 strikeouts; in the offensive side he collected 2 RBI.

Vojtěch Laska got things started for Czech Republic after batting a double to the left field side to plate Koči before a wild pitch from Kahurangi Beasley-Allan brought Laska home for an early 2-0 lead in the first.

Koci batted Trtilek in the second before scoring once more off yet another wild pitch from New Zealand’s pitcher to double their lead to 4-0. Both teams conceded the 3rd and 4th innings but Czech Republic immediately got their groove back in the fifth as Vasicek and Stepan Mutinsky scored for a 6-0 edge.

In the top of the seventh, Tadeas Kalcv fired a huge single to the center field to score Vasicek and Laska.

In the bottom of the last frame, Jackson tripled to right center field to produce the last two runs of the match. Osička immediately struck out Harrison Wildbore to finish the match 8-2.