WBSC team secures tie is second match of 2017 Asia Winter Baseball League

After the WBSC representatives fell 6-2 to the KBO team in game one, in which they were outhit 13-4 and in which the only Dutchie that saw action, Phyldrick Llewellyn went 0 for 1 with a strikeout, the team of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation secured a 6-6 tie vs the JABA team from Japan.

For a long time, the team of manager Steve Jansen kept pace with the Japanese Industrial League team, but in the bottom of the fourth, the Japanese stepped on it and took a 4-0 lead. In that fifth, starting pitcher Murilo Goueva was replaced by Armando Rodriguez. Goueva cruised through four shutout innings in which he struck out three and allowed four hits. Rodriguez on the other hand struggled right away as he only managed to record one out and allowed three runs (two earned) on two hits and a walk. Rodriguez was replaced by Ryan Newell, who recorded the final two outs of the inning but still allowed an unearned run.

In the next inning, the WBSC got on the board. With runners on first and second, Walker Olis singled up the middle to drive in Anthony Rosselli.

But in the bottom of that sixth inning, the JABA team scored two runs to take a 6-1 lead. But in the top of the seventh inning, the WBSC got eight at-bats. Catcher Rudy van Heydoorn led off with a single, advanced to second on a single by Erick Epifano and scored on Jose Ferrini’s two-run double down the first base line.
With the bases loaded, Alphonse Bichette jr hit a two RBI single up the middle. Walker Olis hit into a double play but still drove in the fifth run for the WBSC. Matthew Chavez then tied the game with a solo shot to right field.

Three WBSC hitters went 2 for 4: Matthew Chavez (with that solo home run), Erick Epifano (with a run scored) and Jose Ferrini (with an RBI and a run scored). The two Dutchies in the team got playing time today. Rudy van Heydoorn went 1 for 3 and Phyldrick Llewellyn went 0 for 1 in a pinch hit at bat.

Tomorrow the WBSC team will face the NPB West, a team containing players from the Western League, the Ni-Gun (minor) league of Nippon Professional Baseball.