Jr. Men’s preview: 3 softball superpowers to collide in Group B

The Group B of the WBSC Junior Men’s Softball World Championship (JMSWC) features six teams with different expectations, including two former World Champions, the European champion and two newcomer nations, making their first appearance in this event. New Zealand, Canada, USA, Czech Republic, Guatemala and Hong Kong are the six teams playing in this group.

New Zealand, Canada and USA are logical contenders in this pool by history, while Czech Republic will try to consolidate in the elite, after their playoff performance in 2016. However, they’ll need to play well to advance to the playoffs, since the two newcomers, Guatemala and Hong Kong, have nothing to loose in the tournament and will try to upset them and make a run to finish in the top four places in the group.

Group B teams will have a day off on Wednesday 11 July, since they have to play one less round robin game than their rivals in Group A, composed by seven teams.

The 54 games will be available to watch live, or on demand, in the WBSC Official Channel in YouTube. You can see the full schedule here.

NEW ZEALAND

JMSWC Appearances: 10

Highest finish: Champion (1985 and 1989)

2016 finish: 2nd

Ranking: 1

New Zealand is the top-ranked nation in the world, and a two-time Jr. Men’s Softball World Champion. They’ve played six JMSWC finals, wining back to back titles in 1985 and 1989. The last of their second place finishes was just two years ago, in Midland, losing the grand finale against Japan by a score of 2-1. They will try to win this tournament again 29 years after their last victory.

Round robin schedule:

7 July, 12:30 – vs Hong Kong

8 July, 17:30 – vs United States

9 July, 19:30 – vs Czech Republic

10 July, 20:00 – vs Canada

12 July, 17:00 – vs Guatemala

CANADA

JMSWC Appearances: 11

Highest finish: Champion (1993)

2016 finish: 3rd

Ranking: 2

Canada has played every Junior Men’s Softball World Championship and will be hosting the tournament for the seventh time in history. However, they’ve never won the title in home soil, since they conquered their only World Championship in Auckland, New Zealand. Canada has won eight medals in the JMSWC, including seven consecutive podiums from 1985 to 2008. In Midland 2016 the Canadian team climbed again to the podium, with a third place performance.

Round robin schedule:

7 July, 19:30 – vs United States

8 July, 20:00 – vs Czech Republic

9 July, 20:00 – vs Guatemala

10 July, 20:00 – vs New Zealand

12 July, 20:00 – vs Hong Kong

UNITED STATES

JMSWC Appearances: 11

Highest finish: 2nd (1981, 1985)

2016 finish: 5th

Ranking: 6

USA played the first two finals of the JMSWC, in 1981 and 1985, losing both against Japan and New Zealand respectively. After that, they have never climbed again to the podium; their best finish in the last 33 years has been a fourth place in 1989. The US National Team has played in every JMSWC, and arrives to Prince Albert trying to be playing again in the last day of competition.

Round robin schedule:

7 July, 19:30 – vs Canada

8 July, 17:30 – vs New Zealand

9 July, 15:00 – vs Hong Kong

10 July, 17:30 – vs Guatemala

12 July, 19:30 – vs Czech Republic

CZECH REPUBLIC

JMSWC Appearances: 7

Highest finish: 7th (2016)

2016 finish: 7th

Ranking: 7

Czech Republic made their debut in the JMSWC in 1997 with a tenth place finish, being the first European team ever to play in this event. After that they have been present in the seven editions of this event. In 2016 Czech Republic made the playoffs for the first time in history and ended up in the seventh place, their best performance. Their goal this year is to improve this final position.

Round robin schedule:

7 July, 11:30 – vs Guatemala

8 July, 20:00 – vs Canada

9 July, 19:30 – vs New Zealand

10 July, 15:00 – vs Hong Kong

12 July, 19:30 – vs United States

GUATEMALA

JMSWC Appearances: 0

Highest finish: n/a

2016 finish: n/a

Ranking: 15

Guatemala will make their historic debut in a JMSWC, three years after the Senior team played their only Men’s Softball World Championship. Their goal will be to learn from their first world championship participation to strengthen their men’s program in the future, and try to upset their more experienced rivals to reach the playoffs.

Round robin schedule:

7 July, 11:30 – vs Czech Republic

8 July, 15:00 – vs Hong Kong

9 July, 20:00 – vs Canada

10 July, 17:30 – vs United States

12 July, 17:00 – vs New Zealand

HONG KONG

JMSWC Appearances: 0

Highest finish: n/a

2016 finish: n/a

Ranking: 17

The second newcomer nation in this championship, Hong Kong is the lowest rankend team of all the field. However, their senior men’s national team has been present in five world championship, including a 14th place performance in 2017. Now, with their first-time participation in the JMSWC, they’re trying to build their program with stronger and sustained foundations. Despite their lack of experience in JMSWC, Hong Kong will try to win some games and advance to the playoffs.

Round robin schedule:

7 July, 12:30 – vs New Zealand

8 July, 15:00 – vs Guatemala

9 July, 15:00 – vs United States

10 July, 15:00 – vs Czech Republic

12 July, 20:00 – vs Canada