THUNDER BAY – Day 6 of the IBAF World Junior Baseball Championship was not short of lopsided games. Three of today’s games ended in innings other than the ninth inning. One game applied a 15-run mercy rule in the fifth inning, which only applies after five innings according to tournament rules, while two games were shut down in the seventh inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
On the field at Baseball Central Stadium, Australia and Italy opened up Thursday’s action. The baseballers from downunder victimized the Azzurri’s pitching staff, putting together seventeen hits en route to a seven inning 14-4 win. All of Australia’s starters got at least one hit in the contest.
Australia finished the round-robin with a record of 3-2, while Italy posted a 2-3 record. Both teams will advance to the single elimination round.
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Team USA launched five home runs, including a pinch-hit grand slam from Lance McCullers, as USA shutout France 16-0 (five innings).
USA (5-0) remained the only team not to surrender a game to its opponents in the round-robin. France (0-5) has been eliminated from tournament play and will be returning home without having registered a victory.
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The Netherlands (3-2) issued the shock of the day, leaving Cuba’s defense on the field in an extra innings 9-8 walk-off win. Cuba’s pitchers exhibited a lack of control on the mound, placing ten Netherlands batters at first base via walks. Cuba (3-2) outhit the Netherlands 10-8, but Cuba committed a crucial base running error on a home run in which the batter passed the runner on the base.
Both teams will advance to the next round. Cuba will be pitted against Pool A winner USA.
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Korea (4-1) only needed seven innings to conclude its game with Panama (1-4). Korea looked very sharp, but still committed two errors on defense. The Korean batters pounded out twelve hits in the 12-2 shortened contest.
Panama was limited to only six hits.
The defending champions Korea will advance to the next round, while Panama has been eliminated.
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Chinese Taipei locked in second-place in Pool A with a 9-0 drubbing of Venezuela to end their respective pool place campaigns. Chinese Taipei showed they will be a force to be reckoned with in the knockout stage with a disciplined display of baseball that included 10 hits and no errors in their shutout victory.
Venezuela managed to collect six hits, but conceding three costly errors. Chinese Taipei will have a tough game in the next round, taking on Australia to see who will advance to the medal round.
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The final game of pool play saw crowd favorite Canada take on Europe’s Czech Republic. The Czechs played inspirational baseball through 8 innings, only to see Canada double home the winning runs in the bottom of the 9th for a 8-7 victory clinch first place in Pool B. Canada managed 12 hits for their 8 runs with 2 errors, while the Czechs put up 9 hits and 3 errors in the contest. Canada will take on Italy in Fridays knockout stage.
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