Seoul (Korea). After the rained out first day of the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship, competition at Jamsil and Mokdong Stadiums in Seoul, Korea started finally with six games on Friday. In Group A Australia opened the tournament with an easy victory over Colombia. In the afternoon Korea edged out Venezuela in a close duel. In the evening defending champion Chinese Taipei shut out the Czech Republic. In Group B Panama received a strong pitching performance while downing Italy in the morning. In the second game Canada was responsible for the most thrilling win, when they walked off with a victory over Japan, erasing a deficit in the ninth. Afterwards the United States dispatched the Netherlands.
Group A
Colombia 4 – Australia 7
In the opener at Jamsil Stadium in the morning, Australia downed Colombia 7-4 to start into the tournament successfully. A good pitching performance by Boston Red Sox prospect Daniel McGrath and timely hits helped the Aussies to the victory. Colombia’s offense didn’t wake up until the end, which was too late.
Korea 2 – Venezuela 1
The host had a perfect start into the XXV IBAF 18U Baseball World Championship. Korea beat Venezuela 2-1 thanks to a pair of third-inning runs and a solid pitching performance, as four pitchers combined to throw a four-hitter. They also out-hit their opponents 12-4, but a couple of base running mistakes on both sides denied more scores.
Netherlands 0 – USA 17
Team USA had a lopsided 17-0 victory over the Netherlands in their first game. In the evening affair at Mokdong Stadium they scored 16 of the 17 runs in the last four innings to blow away the European Champion, highlighted by a big nine-run rally in the seventh. Jeremy Martinez and Christian Arroyo combined for five hits, three doubles, four runs and six RBI. Garrett Williams struck out nine batters in six scoreless innings.
Group B
Panama 2 – Italy 0
Rigoberto Santamaria and Omar Guzman combined to keep Italy to four hits and four walks in nine innings, leading Panama to a 2-0 shutout in the first game at Mokdong Stadium on Friday. Santamaria even carried a no-hit bid into the seventh, settling for the win. Edmundo Sosa scored both runs for Panama.
Canada 6 – Japan 5
Canada needed a dramatic finish to down Japan 6-5 in a thrilling extra-inning contest at Mokdong Stadium. They tied the game with a two-run homerun by Jesse Hodges in the ninth and won it on a wild pitch in the bottom of the tenth inning. Japan had led twice in the game, but failed to cross the plate in the first extra inning of the tournament.
Czech Republic 0 – Chinese Taipei 6
Defending champion Chinese Taipei won its first game in the evening at Jamsil Stadium, as they shut out the Czech Republic 6-0 to celebrate a successful start. The European underdog kept the score in check throughout the entire game, but failed to get on the board despite a couple of good opportunities. Jung Hung Sen picked up the win on the mound, pitching in and out of trouble, while allowing no runs on seven hits in six innings. Chih Chieh Su scored three times.
Schedule
Saturday, September 1, 2012
10:00 Australia – Venezuela (Jamsil)
10:00 Canada – Italy (Mokdong)
14:00 Colombia – Netherlands (Mokdong)
14:00 Korea – USA (Jamsil)
18:00 Chinese Taipei – Japan (Jamsil)
18:00 Czech Republic – Panama (Mokdong)
