Frederlin Castro | @ fr3djcd
Venezuela already knows what it is to be among the best in a U23 Baseball World Cup. And for that, we go back to the 2018 championship held in Barranquilla, Colombia. There the Creoles achieved a historic bronze medal with a 5-4 win over Korea.
The nationals managed to get on the podium of the category for the first time, after an outstanding performance in which they won seven games and only had two defeats against Japan and Mexico, who played the final of the championship.
Venezuela starter Nivaldo Rodríguez (Houston Astros Class A starter) pitched five very good innings, allowing just one hit, and left the game with a solid 3-1 lead.
The Creole team was led by manager Carlos Moya, who put together a tough team for the universal event for under-23s, which included several players with experience in Minor Leagues.
All ready
From this Thursday, September 23, in two cities of Sonora, Mexico, the U23 Baseball World Cup will be held, organized by the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC).
Hermosillo, the capital of Sonora, hosts Group B and the Super Round, while Ciudad Obregón hosts Group A and the qualifying round that will determine the places from 7 to 12. The grand final for the title will be played on Saturday, October 2 in Hermosillo.
Germany, Cuba, Mexico, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic and Taiwan form Group A, while Colombia, South Korea, Nicaragua, the Netherlands, Panama and Venezuela form Group B. All group members will face each other in the first round, to determine the
six countries that will advance to the Super Round.
Mexico enters the event as the defending champion, after winning the 2019 edition, beating Japan in the final.
Previously, the WBSC had approved expanding the age limit for participating players to 24, due to the delay in setting up the tournament as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Players born between 1997 and 2003 are eligible to integrate the national teams.
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