Youth Park/Taipei City. Already having secured first place in Group B, Venezuela concluded the first round at the II 12U Baseball World Cup with a perfect 6-0 record. In their last preliminary match they scored all eight runs in the first three innings of an 8-4 victory over Panama. Both teams already were qualified for the quarterfinals prior to the match at Youth Park in Taipei City.
Panama started strong on Thursday morning, taking a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Krysnar Grandison scored on a groundout by Renie Arjona. But Venezuela answered right away. Jose Zapata put them in front with a three-run home run in the bottom half of the frame.
One inning later Zapata started another three-run frame with a RBI single. A bases loaded walk and a hit by pitch with the bases still loaded plated two more runs. After an error brought home Panama’s second run in the top of the third, Zapata capped his strong game with a two-run double in the bottom of the inning. He finished with three hits and six RBI.
Jorge Fletes singled in the fourth and tripled in the sixth to give Panama two more runs. But it was not enough to challenge the top team in Pool B. Daniel Perez, Juan Pedro Campos and Garyl Camarillo shared the workload as pitchers for Venezuela. Panama used Aranjo, Luis Espino and Gamaliel Gonzalez.
On Friday Venezuela now will square off with Mexico in the morning game at Tien-Mou Stadium. Panama has to take on Japan in the afternoon at the same field.
