U21 World Cup: Results of day three
Unbeaten Nicaragua took on team Australia that is fielding a team of minor leaguers. So far Australia fell to Japan and beat the Netherlands. This game turned out to be a close one. Nicaragua scored the opening run in the bottom of the third inning. When Australia tied the game in the top of the fifth, the Central Americans answered immediately with two runs in the same inning. Australia came within one run in the top of the eighth but that was the closest that they could get when Jayson Arburto shut the door despite giving up a hit and a walk.
The Dutch took on the Japanase and lost again. But despite the loss they did a lot better than yesterday. After Japan took a 3-0 lead in the second inning, the Dutch bounced back in the top of the fourth by scoring two runs. Eventually the Japanese stepped on it again in the bottom of the fourth when they scored four more runs. Floris Timmer took the loss for the Dutch, giving up all seven runs in five innings of work. His successor Entwin Regina pitched three innings in which he gave up just two hits, walked one and struck out three.
In a very close game both teams had a chance to win. The score went back and forth and after the Czechs scored the tying (5-5) run in the top of theninth it looked like if extra innings were needed when New Zealand was down to its final out. But a single by left fielder Bradley drove in right fielder Reeves for the walk off win.
Still without a win, Mexico took on Italy. In the top of the second inning the Mexicans scored the opening run but Italy tied it at one in the very same inning. For two and a half innings Mexico could dream of a better result than the previous two games, but Italy scored the go ahead run and never looked back. Eventually the Azzurri scored three more runs to reach the final score: 5-1.
For five full innings, Taiwan and Korea were each other’s match. But in the top of the sixth Korea scored the opening run. But that was all the Koreans could, when Taiwan took the lead in the bottom of the seventh by scoring four runs and scored three more in the eighth. Second baseman Su, was the hitter with the most impact for Taiwan. In entered the game as a pinch hitter and went 1 for 1 with a three run homerun in the eighth.
Standings:
