WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup Day 1: Wins for Czechia, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, Venezuela and Mexico
The first ever edition of the WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup started Saturday with six games in Parana, Argentina.
The WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup opened Saturday in Parana, Argentina, with the first six games of the competition. Australia, Czechia and Mexico lead the standings in Group A, while Japan, New Zealand and Venezuela won their games in Group B.
Mexican left fielder Iran Torres hit a towering three-run homer over the centre field fence that ignited the comeback in the fifth. One inning later, Jordan Solorio tied the game with a solo shot, followed by an infield hit by David Diaz that scored Abelardo Penuelas the go-ahead run.
Argentina's first baseman Luciano Biondi added two more for the host country with a double to right-centre field.
Argentina jumped ahead in the scoreboard in the second inning. With a runner on first, Khalil Luna smashed an inside-the-park home run into the left field wall.
Behind a complete-game performance by their ace Jack Besgrove, Australia claimed their first win of the tournament against Singapore, 7-3.
Ean Eu homered in the third inning for Singapore, making it 6-3.
Australia sent nine hitters to the plate in the second inning to take a comfortable 6-2 lead. Ryan King doubled-in a pair of runs, and Ashley Goffer brought in two more in the inning.
Singapore scored a run in their first two innings to take an early 2-1 lead.
Japan took the lead again in the bottom of the sixth with a three-run rally and took a decisive 5-2 lead.
Guatemala reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the fifth, with an RBI double by Nery Del Cid. One inning later the Central Americans tied the game. Henry Castillo tripled to left field and scored on a sacrifice fly to short right field with a great slide at home plate.
Japan took the lead in the beginning of the game, on a pair of grounders in the first and second innings. They used only one hit to score both runs.
Czechia opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over South Africa.
In the top of the sixth, George Harris hit a solo homer deep to centre field to make it 3-0. Czechia leads 3-0.
Czech pitcher Jonas Hajny pitched six amazing innings. He allowed one hit and two walks, with 12 strikeouts.
Czechia's centre fielder George Harris drove in the first run of the tournament in the third inning with an RBI single through the right side of the field. Martin Magula scored the first run in the history of the tournament. In the same play, Vojtech Buchner scored off an error by right fielder Dylan Ebrahim.
