17/08/2018 1 Minute Read

Preciado’s 3 RBI lifts Panama over Cuba; 4-way tie atop U-15 Baseball World Cup standings

Star shortstop Reginald Preciado’s two-run double in the top of the seventh inning helped give Panama an electric 4-2 win over previously unbeaten Cuba.

DAVID, Panama – Star shortstop Reginald Preciado’s two-run double in the top of the seventh inning helped give Panama an electric 4-2 win over previously unbeaten Cuba at Kenny Serracín Stadium Thursday night, capping an exciting first day of Super Round action of the U-15 Baseball World Cup.

Two-time defending U-15 World Champions Cuba opened the scoring on Eriandys Ramon Matos’ bases-loaded single in the second inning. Panama stormed back with two runs in the third inning, following a Cuba error and an RBI groundout by Preciado.

Cuba’s Leyfi Llanez Castillo’s blasted an RBI double that tied the game in the bottom of the third.

Panama reliever Luis Sanchez Mejia earned the win and Gabriel Agrazal Meneses came on for the save leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Cuba’s Osiel Veranes suffered the loss.

Panama’s win creates a logjam atop the Super Round standings, with Cuba, Japan, Panama and the United States all 2-1.

On Friday, Cuba will square off with USA, while Japan and Panama will do battle. Chinese Taipei (1-2) will face Dominican Republic (0-3) and is still in contention with two games left to play in the Super Round.

In the 7th-12th Place Consolation Round in Chitre, Brazil knocked off Australia, 3-2.