Seoul (Korea). Team USA and Canada will play for the Gold Medal at the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship in Seoul, Korea on Saturday. The championship game is scheduled to start at 6pm local time. Canada already was qualified for the final prior to the start of the last second-round game day. The United States reached it thanks to a thrilling comeback win over Japan on Friday evening. In other games Korea defeated Canada, but still has to settle for the game for fifth. Also Chinese Taipei clinched a bronze medal game participation, where they again will face Colombia.
Schedule
Saturday, September 9, 2012
10:00 Japan – Korea (Mokdong)
14:00 Chinese Taipei – Colombia
18:00 USA – Canada
(Forecast for Saturday predicts rain in the morning. The weather is supposed to get better throughout the day, but visit www.ibar.org regularly for updates.)
Chinese Taipei 3 – Colombia 1
Defending champion Chinese Taipei is going to play for bronze in Seoul, Korea on Saturday. On Friday morning they defeated Colombia 3-1 behind a strong pitching performance. In the game for third place, both teams will meet again thanks to the other results from Friday. Top shortstop prospect Tzu Wei Lin scored and drove in another run with a double. Jung Hung Sen settled down after a difficult first inning to retire 21 of the last 23 batters.
Canada 3 – Korea 9
Korea defeated Canada 9-3 on Friday afternoon, but the Maple Leafs are still going to the Gold Medal Game on Saturday. Korea needed just three hits to defeat the second-round leader, as Canada’s pitchers combined to issue nine walks and additionally hit four batters. They erased a 0-2 deficit with a four-run fifth. Five more runs in the seventh sealed the deal for the host, which still has to settle for the game for fifth place.
USA 10 – Japan 5
The United States have reached the Gold Medal Game at the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship. They rolled over Japan 10-5 in the last game of the second round, erasing deficits twice in the process. Japan led 3-0 and 5-3, but a wild seventh inning which featured two fierce collisions at the plate changed the momentum and gave the US the crucial advantage.
Final Standings Round 2
1) USA 3-2
2) Canada 3-2
3) Chinese Taipei 3-2
4) Colombia 2-3
5) Japan 2-3
6) Korea 2-3
