Australia open Group A defeating Colombia
World No. 15 Australia defeated No. 11 Colombia, 4-2, behind Ky Jackson's solid start and playing better defence in the opening game on Field 1 of the WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 in Shaoxing, China. Both lineups got six hits, but Colombia committed two errors
Australia wasted no time getting to Colombia's starter, David Acevedo. First baseman Blake Cavill tripled off the centre-field wall, scoring Alexander Skepton from first.
The first two Colombian runners reached against Aussie starter Ky Jackson. Left fielder Jorge Puerta lined a double to right field and scored both to reverse the lead.
Catcher Zakary Skinner reached on a fielding error in the top of the fourth. Acevedo allowed a two-out walk to Benjamin Fierenzi and left for left-hander David Burgos. Solomon Maguire turned the third pitch he saw in a ground-rule double to right field and tied the game.
Right fielder Roland Skepton led off the fifth when third baseman Branlyn Jaraba couldn't handle his hard-hit grounder. Cavill brought him to third with a single to right field and sent Burgos to the showers.
Colombia handed the ball to Cristian Diaz. The right-hander got the first out when he got Skepton off third base on a comebacker by Jo Stevens. Australia loaded the bases on Cayden Nicoletto's single to right field. Diaz walked Zakory Skinner to give Australia the lead. The Aussie made it 4-2 on Cooke's sacrifice fly to left field.
Diego Chiquillo took the mound for Colombia in the top of the sixth.
Quintana walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth. It was it for Jackson, who left for right-hander Kieren Hall. Puerta turned his first pitch into a single. Hall walked the bases loaded, then got Gustavo Arma to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Branlyn Jaraba reached on a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, making the next batter the potential tying run.
Australia sent Cooper Morgan to the mound, and the left-hander used 10 pitches to earn the save, getting the second out on a grounder and striking out Jean Pierre Henao to end the game.
On Day 2 Australia will face No. 10 Puerto Rico, while Colombia will play No. 18 Great Britain.