November 17, 2015
The United States bounced back from yesterday’s loss to world number one ranked Japan by winning a closely fought contest with South Korea to secure second spot in Group B of the Premier12 tournament in Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei.
After the first four innings had ended scoreless the US took a 2-0 lead in the fifth with Tyler Pastornicky and Dan Rohlfing running home, however, South Korea tied the game in the seventh innings.
With the teams’ deadlocked at the end of the ninth innings a tie-breaker was required to settle to match, with Brett Eibner securing the decisive point to give the Americans a 3-2 win, meaning they replaced South Korea in second position in Group B.
Japan were already assured of a quarter-final spot having won the group but they ensured they headed into the knock-out phase of competition with their unbeaten record intact after coming from behind in the final innings to defeat Venezuela 6-5.
The loss meant that Venezuela missed out on qualifying to the quarter-finals as Mexico’s 9-6 win over last place Dominican Republic saw them finish the Group with an identical record to the South American country of two wins and three defeats, but advanced having beaten Venezuela earlier in the competition.
Unbeaten Japan will face Puerto Rico in the quarter-final ©WBSC
The Mexican team, however, will face a tough last eight tie against Group A winners Canada, who like Japan reached the knockout stage without tasting defeat in any of the five matches to date in the inaugural event.
Their latest triumph was a low scoring affair against The Netherlands, with the North Americans eventually emerging 3-1 winners.
The defeat saw the Dutch drop to third in Group A with Cuba leapfrogging them courtesy of a tight 2-1 victory over Italy.
As a result The Netherlands will face the world number two ranked US in their quarter-final tie, while Cuba earned the right to face South Korea in their bid to reach the last four of the competition.
There was disappointment for the host nation as Chinese Taipei’s Premier12 challenge came to an end after they fell to a 7-4 defeat to Puerto Rico, who booked the last remaining quarter-final berth in Group A.
Puerto Rico now face the unenviable task of overcoming Japan tomorrow in the final match at the Taoyuan Stadium in Chinese Taipei, before the teams head to Japan’s Tokyo Dome for the semi-final and medal matches.
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