USA, Panama, Canada and Nicaragua clinched the top four spots in the super round of the U-18 Pan American Baseball Championship and qualified for the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2019, to be played in Gijang, Korea.
On Sunday, 2 December, the five-time defending champions USA will play the Championship game against the hosts Panama.
On the same day, Canada and Nicaragua will fight for a bronze medal.
The USA, so far undefeated, beat Panama in Day 1 of the super round. The defending World Champions had to come from behind for the win for the first time in the tournament. A couple of three run rallies in the third and the fourth and a solo homer by left fielder Corbin Carroll in the fifth built the lead that gave reliever Ryan Hawks a 9-8 win. Jacob Meador pitched three innings, allowing only two walks, and earned the save.
Panama beat Canada, 4-2, in Day 3 and earned the right to a rematch in the final. Panama broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh on a wild pitch by reliever Olivier Morin Larocque and added an insurance run in the eighth on a defensive error.
Panama used four pitchers for the win. Starter Saldana struck out nine, and walked four, in four innings of work. Reliever Suarez earned the win, pitching 3.1 innings. Gonzalez got the final out for Panama.
Also the third place game will be a rematch. Canada outscored, 14-1, Nicaragua during Day 1 of the super round.
Nicaragua got the key win as they defeated Venezuela 6-4 in ten innings during Day 2 of the super round.
U-18 Pan Am Baseball Championship: the standings after Day 3
The game scheduled on Saturday, 1 December, the final day of the super round, won’t modify these standings:
Dominican Republic-Canada
Nicaragua-USA
Venezuela-Panama
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Tournament takes off
Panama, USA undefeated after Group play