Max Major leads Czechia to win over Australia

Max Major had a productive game at-bat against Australia as he helped Czechia to a 4-0 victory on Saturday at Asia-Pacific International Baseball Training Center. Czechia concluded their stint at the VII WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup with a 2-3 Placement Round record and will finish 10th, while Australia (1-4) will finish in 11th place.

Both teams started the game with tremendous defence. Starting pitchers Frantisek Fiser and Oliver Allen posted an old-fashioned pitching duel.

In the bottom of the second, Australia performed a fly-out 5-3 double play to retire Czechia’s Dominik Stepanek, but in the bottom of the third, Czechia’s Major singled to right field, sending Daniel Horak and Robin Mika back to home plate, putting the Europeans ahead 2-0.

Into the fourth, Czechia paid back with a 5-4-3 double play, preventing Australia from catching up.

Later in the bottom of the fifth, Major hit another two-run single to right field, driving in Lukas Vrba and Mika’s runs, and securing the win at 4-0.

Czechia’s starter Fiser pitched 5.1 innings, struck out one, allowing four hits. While Australia’s Allen pitched three innings, struck out four, allowing three hits and two walks.

Czechia finished the Placement Round with a 2-3 record.