Havana, September 6 (RHC) – Today, the Cuban national baseball team defeated Italy 8-0, maintaining its undefeated record in Group A of the U-18 World Cup held in Okinawa, Japan.
On the mound at Okinawa Cellular Stadium, Edenis Cruz allowed just one hit in five innings to earn the victory. Richard Bouquet also finished the game with an immaculate two-inning performance.
Coach Abeicy Pantoja’s squad displayed 13 hits, with three per capita off the bats of designated hitter Juan Pablo Gutiérrez and shortstop Jonathan Moreno, the latter including a triple.
There were also strong performances from outfielder Frederich Cepeda Jr., who singled and doubled, and first baseman Javier Alejandro Zambrano, who drove in two runs.
Cuba debuted with a 10-0 knockout against a weak South African team and appears determined to perform well in its return to a world championship in this category, an aspiration not achieved in the previous edition.
But the warning has already been given. Starting this Sunday, they will face opponents unlike South Africa and Italy. On the field, they will face the three favorites of the group: Japan, Puerto Rico, and South Korea, in that order.
As stipulated at the tournament’s technical conference, hosted by 11 countries divided into two groups, the three highest-ranked teams after the qualifying stage will earn tickets to the Super Round, where the medals will be contested.
