An undefeated Japan collided with seven-time world champions New Zealand in the semi-final of the WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2019 in Prague, Czech Republic. The game was played on 22 June 2019 in front of a fully packed Svoboda Park.
The two teams met in the Opening Round, with Japan claiming the victory over the Black Sox, 5-1. The Asian champions finished on top of Group A with a 7-0 record, while New Zealand advanced as the third-place finisher, with a record of 4-3.
In the quarter-finals, the Japanese side shutout Venezuela, 6-0, while the reigning world champions eliminated arch-rivals Australia by a score of 7-4.
New Zealand head coach Mark Sorenson gave the ball to his ace, Daniel Chapman, while Japan countered with Reo Koyama.
This electric game will be available for free at www.youtube.com/wbsc at 9 pm Eastern US Standard Time* on Tuesday, 16 June (3 am Central European Time*, 10 am Japan Time, 1 pm New Zealand Time on Wednesday 17 June) and Wednesday at 9 am US Eastern Standard Time* (3:00 pm Central European Time*, 10 pm Japan Time, 1 am New Zealand time Thursday on 18 June) at www.facebook.com/wbsc.
*Observing daylight saving time.
The next episode of the GameTime Classics Series will feature the Bronze Medal Game of the U-12 Baseball World Cup 2019 between Korea and Cuba.
Watch more GameTime Classics:
Episode 81: watch memorable pitching duel Panama-Korea at WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup 2017
Episode 80: Australia, Italy face off in WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship 2018 Opening Round
Episode 79: Australia, Dominican Republic collide at WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2018
Episode 78: Argentina, Canada battle in WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2013 playoffs
Episode 77: Netherlands, Nicaragua thrill at WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019
Episode 76: Czech Republic, Mexico clash at 2019 WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship
Episode 75: Watch Panama take on USA in the final of the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2018
Episode 74: watch superb Australia v Mexico pitching duel at 2018 Women’s Softball World Cup
Episode 73: Korea, Netherlands in high scoring thriller at WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup 2018
Episode 72: Argentina, USA knock out game at WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2013
Episode 71: Australia, Japan go extras to open WBSC U-18 World Cup 2017 Super Round
Episode 70: Brazil, Venezuela nail-biter at WBSC Softball Americas Olympic Qualifier
Episode 69: Watch Mexico, Chinese Taipei open WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2018
Episode 68: Czech Republic, Cuba for a playoff spot at WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2019
Episode 67: Panama, Dominican Republic deliver thriller at WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2018
Episode 66: Watch Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico slugfest at 2018 WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship
Episode 65: Relive emotional WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup 2017 Final
Episode 64: Australia, Japan knockout game at WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2013
Episode 63: Canada, Japan battle in WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup 2018
Episode 62: Watch New Zealand v Philippines pitching duel at WBSC Softball Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualifier
Episode 61: Japan, Spain thrill at WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019
Episode 60: Philippines, Singapore battle at WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2019
Episode 59: Watch the bronze medal game of WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019 - AUS v KOR
Episode 58: Chinese Taipei v Netherlands at WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship 2018
Episode 57: Puerto Rico v Chinese Taipei, slugfest at WBSC Women's Baseball World Cup '18
Episode 56: NZL v VEN in Semi-Final of 2013 Men’s Softball World Championship
Episode 55: Asian superpowers Japan, Korea clash at WBSC U-18 World Cup 2017
Episode 54: Mexico, Puerto Rico battle for an Olympic berth
Episode 53: Episode 53: Watch superb USA-Korea pitching duel in WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017 Super Round
Episode 52: Australia, USA thrill at WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship
Episode 51: Korea, USA play in final of 2015 Premier12
Episode 50: Italy, Mexico clash at 2018 WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship
Episode 49: Chinese Taipei, Venezuela play for bronze at Women's Softball World Cup 2016
Episode 48: Canada and Venezuela collide in the 2013 Men’s Softball World Championship playoffs
Episode 47: Mexico, Japan play for bronze in Premier12 2015
Episode 46: Cuba, Brazil face off in Super Round of Olympic Softball Qualifier
Episode 45: Mexico, Japan clash in Super Round of 2016 U-23 Baseball World Cup
Episode 44: Denmark v Venezuela in 2019 Men’s Softball World Championship
Episode 43: Japan-USA strikeout fest at U-18 Baseball World Cup 2017
Episode 42: Re-live WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2018 Canada v Japan semi-final
Episode 41: USA, Australia fight hard at 2019 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup
Episode 40: Australia vs USA Women's Softball World Cup 2014 semifinal
Episode 39: Australia-Japan, Premier12 2019
Episode 38: Men's Softball World Championship 2013 semifinal between Australia and Venezuela
Episode 37: Australia, Chinese Taipei lock horns at 2016 WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup
Episode 36: Japan, USA clash in epic semi-final battle at 2018 WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship
Episode 35: Superpowers Japan, USA collide at WBSC Premier12 2019
Episode 34: Men's Softball World Championship 2004 semifinal Australia vs Canada
Episode 33: Mexico, Japan play for bronze at 2017 WBSC U-12 Baseball World Cup
Episode 32: Australia, Canada play for bronze at U-19 Women's Softball World Cup 2019
Episode 31: Women's Baseball World Cup 2018 bronze medal game
Episode 30: New Zealand, Venezuela compete in 2013 Men's Softball World Championship final
Episode 29: Mexico, Chinese Taipei put on slugfest in U-15 Baseball World Cup 2016
Episode 28: Women’s Softball World Championship 2016 final Japan-USA
Episode 27: USA take on Chinese Taipei in must-win WBSC Premier12 2019 clash
Episode 26: Australia vs Argentina, a pitching duel at the Men’s Softball World Championship 2013
Episode 25: Watch Japan take on Mexico in a thrilling U-23 Baseball World Cup 2018 final
Episode 24: Watch Japan, Greece collide at the 2006 Women’s Softball World Championship
Episode 23: Watch the epic battle between USA and Mexico at the U-12 Baseball World Cup 2017
Episode 22: Canada, New Zealand clash at the Men's Softball World Cup 2004
Episode 21: Chinese Taipei v USA in the final of the 2019 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup
Episode 20: Australia vs China for a spot in the softball competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Episode 19: Korea, Cuba battle in early stages of Women's Baseball World Cup 2016
Episode 18: New Zealand, Australia thriller open Men's Softball World Cup 2013 playoffs
Episode 17: Japan, Panama fight hard in WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup super round
Episode 16: Great Britain vs Italy for an Olympic softball berth
Episode 15: Watch Australia vs USA in 2019 Premier12 thriller
Episode 14: Re-live the 2018 Junior Men’s Softball World Cup Final between Australia and Japan
Episode 13: Watch Korea vs Panama in 2016 U-23 Baseball World Cup
Episode 12: Mexico, Canada battle to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic softball competition
Episode 11: Watch a semifinal thriller - Canada-Chinese Taipei at the Women's Baseball World Cup 2016
Episode 10: Historic first-ever WBSC U-12 Mixed Softball final between Chinese Taipei and Peru
Episode 9: Watch Korea vs Japan in 2015 Premier12 Semi-Final
Episode 8: Singapore, Argentina open 2020 U-18 Men’s Softball World Cup with a bang
Episode 7: Watch Chinese Taipei and Japan battle in the 2018 Women's Baseball World Cup
Episode 6: JPN vs USA dramatic 2019 U-19 Women’s Softball World Cup final
Episode 5: Re-live Mexico v USA 2019 U-12 Baseball World Cup elimination game
Episode 4: Mexico-New Zealand epic battle at WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship 2019
Episode 2: Re-live the Japan-USA Final of the 2018 WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship
Watch for free: WBSC Baseball, Softball World Cup blockbuster