Japan, USA qualify for the super round of the U-18 Baseball World Cup

With wins against The Netherlands and South Africa, both Japan and USA (still undefeated) qualified from group B to the super round of the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017.

Japan beat (3-1) a brave Netherlands side, that took the lead in the fourth and succeeded in shutting out Samurai for 5 innings behind a great effort by starter Donny Breek.
In the cover of the video highlights (picture by Christian J Stewart-WBSC)  Japan phenomenal left handed reliever Taura.

The Netherlands reach in the bottom of the first as shortstop Kelkboom strikes out against star righthander Tokuyama but the ball goes by catcher Koga. Center fielder Juliana grounds to shortstop Kozono and into a double play to end the inning.
Third baseman Apostel puts the dutch in scoring position as he leads off the second with a base hit that turns into a double as a bad bounce fools center fielder Maruyama. Apostel reaches third as second baseman Selassa grounds out, but then Tokuyama gets out of the jam striking out catcher Koster and getting firstbaseman Takke to fly out.

Dutch starter Donny Breek does not allow Japan a single runner in 4 at bats and the Netherlands finally are on the scoreboad in the bottom of the fourth. Juliana reaches on a base hit and then steals second. Apostel drives Tokuyama fourth pitch off the wall in center for an RBI double.
Japan first baseman and Captain Kiyomiya leads off the fifth with a shot in the gap to left that represents Samurai first hit and is worth a double. Designated hitter Nakamura bunts him to third but Breek fights back striking out left fielder Sakurai on an off speed pitch. Japan strand Kiyomiya at third as Maruyama grounds out to first.
In the bottom half of the frame the Dutch don’t capitalize on a couple of walks allowed by Tokuyama. Both rightfielder Tromp (to advance the runners to second and third) and Kelkboom ground out.

Japan reverse the lead in the sixth. Maruyama leads off with a single and then steals second. Breek is not ready to field second baseman Nishimaki bunt, that turns into a base hit. With runners at the corners and no one out, Breek throws away the ball on a pickoff attempt to first and Maruyama ties the game, while Nishimaki advances to second. A bloop single to left by Fujiwara brings runners back at the corners, but Breek picks off the right fielder to collect the first out. Breek gets also the second, when Kozono flies out to right, but Japan score the go ahead run anyway on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the sixth Japan relieve Tokuyama with lefthander Taura, who has been a strike out machine (10 in 5 innings pitched) so far and gets started with 2: Juliana and Apostel, number 3 and 4 in the batting order.

The Netherlands relieve Breek with Vogelaar in the eigth and Japan add a run. With one out, Maruyama doubles, then scores on a base hit by Fujiwara that takes Nishimaki (hit by pitch) to third. Japan strand the runner on a badly exectuted squeeze play attempt.
In the bottom of the ninth, with 2 outs and Apostel (walk) at first, an error by Kozono on pinch hitter Hatma grounder gives a chance to The Netherlands to bring the potential winning run at the plate. Pinch hitter Van de Sande is out on a swinging bunt, perfectly fielded by Taura. Who, by the way, gets on strikes 9 of the 12 outs he needed to win the game.

Japan had to give their best to overcome a brave Netherlands side

USA defeated (5-0) South Africa and qualified for the super round.

USA took the lead on a 2 run homer by right fielder Kelenic, the third hitter of the game, and didn’t need to look back as a combination of 4 pitchers limited South Africa to 4 hits.
South Africa remained in the game. USA scored their third run in the sixth, on an RBI triple by catcher Mc Nair
Seigler, and added one in the seventh (triple by shortstop Turang and RBI single by left fielder Thomas) and one in the ninth (home run by pinch hitter Banfield).
South Africa starter Mohamed Alaoui went the distance as no team (a part from Japan) allowed less runs to the USA than South Africa. His story is worth some attention.

Mohamed Alaoui grew up in the Alexandra Township, near Johannesburg (Gauteng Province). Known as Gomorrah, Alexandra is one of the poorest urban areas in the country. Alaoui played baseball thanks to a project by Eva Melusine and her husband, who raised funds to form a team. Alaoui won the National U-18 Championship with the Gauteng Province and
has travelled to Canada thanks to the money raised by Eva Melusine family and the Province of Gauteng.
Eva Melusine, german born and mother of four who describes herself as “an expat blogger” (she lived in the USA and Singapore, before relocating in South Africa), is the author of the book Kilimanjaro Diaries

Mohamed Aloui (James Mirabelli-WBSC)