Live updates: WBSC Men's Softball World Cup opens. Wins for Czechia, New Zealand and Japan

Day 1 Games

• Czechia 3-0 South Africa - Boxscore
• 12:30 - Israel 0-9 New Zealand - Boxscore
• 13:30 - Team WBSC 2-5 Japan - Boxscore
• 15:30 - Singapore vs Australia - Play by play
• 16:30 - Venezuela vs Canada
• 21:00 - Mexico vs Argentina

Team WBSC 2-5 Japan

Japan took the lead again in the bottom of the sixth with a three run rally and take a decisive 5-2 lead.

Guatemala reduced the deficit to 2-1 in the fifth, with an RBI double by Nery Del Cid. One inning later the Central Americans tied the game. Henry Castillo tripled to left field, and scored on a sacrifice fly to short right field, with a great slide at home plate.

Japan took the lead in the beginning of the game, on a pair of grounders in the first and second innings. They used only one hit to score both runs.

Israel 0-9 New Zealand

New Zealand defeated Israel, 9-0, in five innings and earned the first victory of the tournament.

The squad from Oceania adds four more in the fourth frame, capped by a two-run single by Damon Creasy. Joshua Lubiejewski also produced one.

New Zealand score a pair of runs in the second and third inning to extend their lead to 5-0. Xavier Sage has collected two RBIs in the game.

New Zealand gets an early lead in the first inning, with an RBI single off the bat of Joshua Lubiejewski.

Czechia 3-0 South Africa

Czechia opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over South Africa.

In the top of the sixth, George Harris hit a solo homer deep to center field to make it 3-0. Czechia leads 3-0.

Czech pitcher Jonas Hajny pitched six amazing innings. He allowed one hit and two walks, with 12 strikeouts.

Czechia's center fielder George Harris drove in the first run of the tournament in the third inning with an RBI single through the right side of the field. Martin Magula scored the first run in the history of the tournament. In the same play, Vojtech Buchner scored with an error of right fielder Dylan Ebrahim.