Barquisimeto.- THE TEAM Cuban mixed team obtained two victories this Friday in the I Pan American Baseball5 Tournament 2024 held at the Domo Bolivariano, in this Venezuelan city, valid for obtaining a ticket to the next world championship in Hong Kong.
In the early hours, the squad of capital coach Pablo Terry beat Puerto Rico 2-0 (super knockout of 21×0, 8×4), with the highlight of the hitting being the capital shortstop Orlando Amador, who hit 11 hits. Among the girls, the applause goes to Guantanamo first baseman Chaquira Aspiazú, who hit eight.
The second segment of this match was tied (4×4) in the fifth episode and had to be decided in extrainningThe Cubans scored a decisive four-run victory and did not allow any runs to their opponents.
In the closing match, Cuba defeated Mexico 2-1 (17×0 knockout, 2-5, 18×0 knockout), the first set lost by a team from the Island in the senior category in international events.
Coincidentally, another Mexican cast “stole” a set from a Cuban youth group in the Ankara 2023 universal competition, according to data provided to HIT by Eros Bernal, technical director of baseball5 in Cuba.
Once again, Amador was the key piece on offense by connecting on 12 hits, which added to the 11 against Puerto Rico, raised his number of hits to first base to 23.
This Saturday, in the last round of the qualifying phase, the undefeated Cuban team will face Puerto Rico and Venezuela, teams that, along with Mexico, are fighting for the two remaining spots for the World Cup in October.
Cuba should finish in first place and advance directly to Sunday’s final, where it will face the winner of the semifinal between the teams that finish in second and third place for the title.
