premier12

The Dominican Republic defeated The Netherlands 14-4 in a game halted by the mercy rule after seven innings. This was the second game for both teams in the Premier12 qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics. The game was played at Estadio de los Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.

CF Roger Bernardina (Unión Laguna) of The Netherlands hit the first pitch in the bottom of the first over the fence. Four batters later, C Chadwick Tromp (Louisville Bats) hit a two-run home run, and The Netherlands had a 3-0 lead.

The Netherlands didn't score again until the sixth inning, when SS Sharlon Schoop (L&D Amsterdam) came home on a wild pitch. Meanwhile, DR scored in every inning, and came a run short of putting it away with six runs in the top of the sixth. C Charlie Valerio (Akron RubberDucks) got it started with a home run in the top of the second. DR tied it with two runs in the top of the third, and CF Gilberto Celestino (Fort Myers Miracle) hit an RBI double in the top of the fourth for the winning run.

Mexico defeated USA 8-2 in the second game for both teams in the Premier12 qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics. The game was played at Estadio de los Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Six Mexico pitchers combined to hold USA to six hits. RHP Felipe Gonzalez (Monterrey) got the win, but RHP Jesus Cruz (Memphis Redbirds) RHP Carlos Bustamente (Monclova) were especially effective. They both pitched two hitless innings. Cruz struck out two, and Bustamente struck out three.

The Mexicans got on the board in the top of the first. The first pitch of the game from RHP Tanner Houck (Pawtucket Red Sox) hit CF Jonathan Jones (Yucatan). He moved to second on a single by LF Juan Perez (Saltillo). Both of them moved up a base on a ground out by 2B Esteban Quiroz (El Paso Chihuahuas), then scored on a single by 3B Christian Villanueva (Yomiyuri Giants).

USA defeated the Dominican Republic 10-8 in the third and final game for both teams in the Premier12 qualifying tournament for the 2020 Olympics. The game was played at Estadio de los Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.

USA led 7-2 after three innings, 8-3 after four innings, and it looked like this game was going to be a blowout. USA got a home run from LF/RF Mark Payton (Las Vegas Aviators) in the first at-bat of the game. SS Jake Cronenworth (Durham Bulls) hit a solo home run in the top of the second inning, and 3B Alec Bohm (Reading Fightin' Phils) hit a three-run home run in the third. 1B Edwin Espinal hit a two-RBI single for DR in the bottom of the second, and an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth.

C Eric Kratz (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders) hit another solo home run in the top of the fifth, and then DR got back in it. SS Geraldo Perdomo (Visalia Rawhide) scored on a ground out. Then C Charlie Valerio (Akron RubberDucks) hit a three-run home run, and the score was 9-7 after five innings. Four runs were charged to submarine RHP Penn Murphy (Modesto Nuts).

At this point, the game changed character to a pitching duel. Neither team scored in the sixth and seventh innings. RHP Wyatt Mills (Arkansas Travelers), who throws sidearm, got it done for USA; two perfect innings, two strikeouts. He got through the sixth inning on seven pitches. He ended up getting the win. RHP Kelvin Gonzalez (Hickory Crawdads) allowed one hit and one base on balls over the same two innings. He was helped with a pickoff by Valerio to end the top of the seventh.