Australia earned their first win of the U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup, with a come-from-behind victory over Czech Republic, by a score of 4-3. In the bottom of the sixth, Riley James tripled to lead off the inning and then scored the fourth and last run of his team.
Australia jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning, with Jeremy Garland scoring off a Boston Lowe RBI double to right center field.
However, in the top of the third, the Czech Republic scored twice to take a 2-1 lead thanks to a pair of singles from Jan Voracek and Adam Vavrecka.
One inning later Australia tied it up 2-2 with Caleb Van de Griendt batting in James before Joshua Banks singled down the left field line for Kynan Molander to cross for the go-ahead run in the fifth.
James scored again off a fielding error in the sixth before the European champions scored one in the top of the seventh with Voracek crossing to make it a one-run game. And that's where it would stay with left handed pitcher Jack Besgrove claiming out number 21 with a grounder to second base.
Besgrove pitched 3.2 innings, allowing 1 hit and 1 run, with 3 strikeouts while Jakub Osicka was charged with the loss for the Czech Republic (6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 7 SO).