Men’s Softball World Cup Day 5: Cuba and Venezuela join Argentina, Canada, USA, Australia in Super Round
- Cuba beat New Zealand in the ninth extra inning to claim final Super Round spot
- Canada beat Japan to remain unbeaten, a win which confirmed Venezuela in the Super Round
- Argentina, USA in Group A; Canada, Australia in Group B already qualified for Super Round
- Czech Republic recorded second win of the tournament, over the Philippines
- Australia beat South Africa in the first game of the day,
- Tournament Website
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Day 5 Results
Australia 15-0 South Africa Box Score and Photos
USA 3-5 Argentina Box Score and Photos
Czech Republic 6-1 Philippines Box Score and Photos
Japan 2-9 Canada Box Score and Photos
Venezuela 8-3 Denmark Box Score and Photos
New Zealand 0-1 Cuba (9 innings) Box Score and Photos
Group A Standings: Argentina 5-0; USA 3-2; Cuba 3-2; New Zealand 2-3; Czech Republic 2-3; Philippines 0-5
Group B Standings: Canada 5-0; Australia 4-1; Venezuela 3-2; Japan 2-3; South Africa 1-4; Denmark 0-5;
A super, dramatic day confirmed the last two teams for the Super Round, joining Argentina, USA, Canada and Australia.
The last day of the WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup 2022 Opening Round on Wednesday served up more drama and emotion as Cuba and Venezuela claimed the two last spots in the Super Round, joining defending champions Argentina, Canada, USA and Australia.
Seven-time champions New Zealand lost to Cuba in an amazing nine-inning tiebreaker 1-0 confirming a spot in the Placement Round featuring the bottom six teams for the hosts, whose worst result in 16 previous editions is fifth.
Venezuela entered their game against winless Denmark knowing a win would book their spot in the Super Round but Canada’s defeat of Japan, confirmed Venezuela’s spot.
New Zealand v Cuba
Must win for both teams. The winner will qualify as the third and final team from Group A.
Neither team can be separated with only three hits in the first five innings and four after seven. Into extra innings we go locked up at 0-0.
Edge of your seats stuff as neither team could score before in the bottom of the ninth, with bases loaded, Yesander Rodriguez managed to bounce the ball over the infield to score Yasmani Alvarez to spark jubilant Cuban celebrations.
The result reversed the 2-0 by New Zealand against Cuba in pool play at the 2019 Men's Softball World Cup in Prague.
Japan v Canada
Japan needs to beat unbeaten Canada if they are to keep their hopes of progressing to the Super Round alive. They also need Venezuela to lose to Denmark.
Shane Boland made the best possible start for Canada in the bottom of the first before Derek Mayson hit a massive homer over centre field, his third in two days, to score Mathieu Roy and Bradley Ezekiel. Ty Sebastian then matched the feat with a bomb back over Reo Koyama's head to score Quinten Bruce and Bryan Abrey to put Canada ahead 7-0.
Japan managed to respond with two runs in the top of the fifth with a Tei Hamamoto homer over centre field,s coring Kotaro Yadumi in the process but Abrey responded in the next inning for Canada, sending it the same direction as Hamamoto to restore the seven-run lead and for Canada to win by the run ahead rule.
Venezuela v Denmark
After beating Japan on Tuesday, a win against Denmark on Wednesday (or a loss for Japan at the hands of Canada) will confirm Venezuela's spot in the Super Round.
Venezuela were super hot right from the start. Rafarel Flores line drive down the left field line brought home Carlos Villegas and Rogelio Sequera in the top of the first. Venezuela added another in the second with Sequera's single to left field scoring Jorge Lima to lead 3-0.
Having dominated the first two innings, there was the impression that Venezuela might run away with it but Denmark launched a come back with Tobias Holmelund getting home on a wild pitch while Martin Simonson scored Nicholai Andersen with a single to left field.
A score by Nicholai Andersen in the fourth tied the ball game up at 3-3 but by this stage Venezuela knew they were through to the Super Round after Japan had lost to Canada on Diamond 1.
It seemed to relax Venezuela and tie up Denmark with Edinson Marreo and Ricardo Lukert scoring in the fifth and Carlos Villegas scoring on a wild pitch in the sixth.
With Demark seemingly putting pressure on the Venezuela offence, all the pressure was released when Oscar Andersen miss judged an Angel Adames flyball to the left field, allowing the ball to pass him but by the time he recovered, Edinson Marrero and Ricardo Lukert had scored to put the icing on the cake for Venezuela 8-3.
USA v Argentina
Argentina started well with super star Huemul Mata on allowing one hit in the top of the first innings against USA before world champions went to work with the bat.
Despite Alan Peker striking out, Ladislao Malarczuk was first to score before Teo Migliavacca, Santiago Carril and Gonzalo Ojeda also scored, setting up a 4-0 lead before the Auckland weather set in.
The game was delayed in the top of the second at 14:06 and restarted at 16:15 with USA at bat. Huemul Mata was a bit rusty on his return, walking Cameron Shiller who scored along with Jonathan Lynch on a Zach Shaw double. Argentina lead slimmed to 4-2 in the bottom of the second.
After another shorter weather delay 17:05 to 17:15 the game resumed with Federico Eder scoring on a Francisco Lombardo sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth for Argentina to lead 5-3.
USA proceeded to leave a runner on base in the fifth and sixth inning, trying to reduce Argentina's lead, and Roman Godoy, who replaced Mata on the mound after one inning, claimed the win with three and three down in the seventh.
Czech Republic v Philippines
The Czech Republic-Philippines game was delayed by an hour due to rain but the Czech Republic, looking for their second win of the tournament, got into their work early with Vojtech Buchner hitting a home run over centre field, scoring Marek Maly in the top of the second before George Harris and Marek Volf also scored.
The Czech Republic scored two more in the top of the third with Buchner and Harris scoring again before the Philippines, who are looking for their first win of the tournament, scored in the bottom of the third on the resumption after a short weather delay, with Gerone Riparip getting home to make the score 6-1.
The Czech Republic had a chance to close out the game in the sixth with loaded bases and one out only for Martin Turek to be caught by catcher Melvin de Castro and Vijtech Buchner striking out.
The Philippines also lost a scoring opportunity in the next inning with two runners on only for Jerome Bacarisas flying out to centre field.
Australia v South Africa
First game of the day saw world No. 4 Australia against South Africa, ranked 11 in the world. Australia had only lost one game so far in the tournament, against Canada on Tuesday, while South Africa was looking for their second win of the tournament after beating Denmark yesterday.
Straight away South Africa got off to a tough start with designated player Manhlane Manaka making one pitch before being need to be substituted for Lucas Lamola due to a technical issue. The younger Lamola had a tough task ahead of him, making his debut in the tournament.
The Australia hitting line up got straight in the groove scoring 10 runs in the top of the first inning with Callum Beashel. Brendon O'Byrne , James Todhunter, Julian Jemmott, Riley James, Jack Burt, Hayden Mathews, Matthew Harrow all scoring before Marshall Kronk homered to centre field scoring Beashel again.
Lamola got the third out before rain paused play. It was a passing downpour and the inning was able to resume quickly.
South Africa didn't trouble Adam Folkard before Australia were back at bat with Jemmott and Burt scoring to increase the lead to 12-0.
Jay Selu came in for Folkard in the bottom of the second and straight away Rowan Ebersohn got the first hit for South Africa up the middle before Brendon O'Byrne pulled off a sensational catch in right field to deny Tyrone Milne. Australia then collected two more outs to leave Ebersohn stranded on second.
Two homers - one to Todhunter, which scored O'Byrne, and another to Jemmott - took the lead out to 15-0 before South Africa couldn't add to the scoreboard, finishing the game at 15-0 as per the run ahead rule.
Day 4 Results
USA beat Cuba 8-4 Box Score and Photos
Canada beat Australia 6-0 Box Score and Photos
South Africa beat Denmark 5-3 Box Score and Photos
Czech Republic 1-8 Argentina Box Score and Photos
Japan 1-3 Venezuela Box Score and Photos
Philippines 1-8 New Zealand Box Score and Photos
