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Czechia scored their six winning runs in the top of the last inning to upend Australia in an 8-3 win during the first game of the Junior League World Series (U15).

The scoreline is deceptive. This was a closely contested game until Czechia exploded for six runs in the seventh inning.

The Wanneroo Giants, representing Australia at the major junior event in Michigan, gave the Czech-side from Brno a run for their money.

Quinn Fatai had a tremendous start for the Aussies. He tossed 6.0 innings of three hit baseball, allowing just two runs off three hits.

The Giants scattered ten hits throughout the afternoon and had some solid scoring opportunities. The scored two in the first inning and one in the last.

Chayse Benseman starred for Australia with the bat, going 2-for-3 with all three RBIs. Cooper Barber and Quinn Fatai also had two hits.

Quinn Fatai, Dylan Bandy Sebastian Beazley, Jaxon Elliot and Xavier De Haas rounded out the hitting for Australia.

Lukas Urbanek had three hits for the Czechs, and Lukas Kincl knocked in three runs to lead the charge from the opposition.

David Barton was the man to beat on the mound for the Czechs.

Czechia struck first in the first inning with a single run. Australia responded right away.

The Giants opened the game with three straight singles, including a two-RBI hit from Benseman. The Czechs tied it up right away.

From there, the game went into a pitcher’s dual. Both Barton and Fatai were tremendous. They bent but never really broke.

Each team had some nice defensive plays.

Finally, the Czechs punched through in the seventh. The damage was done when nine straight players from Czechia reached the basepaths, and the team systematically ran up the score for six runs.

Australia actually ended the seventh on a nice double play.

Australia got a couple base runners in an attempted comeback in the bottom of the seventh. Benseman was able to drive in his third RBI of the game.

Wanneroo plays their next game on Tuesday 15 August at 11:00PM AWST (11:00AM local time, 1:00AM AEST) vs an opponent to be determined later. It’s a must win – a second loss would end the Giants’ run at the major US event.

The schedule can be found here.

Australia has four representative teams heading to the United States for the Little League, Intermediate League, Junior League and Senior League World Series.

These prestigious tournaments are broadcast on ESPN and garner huge crowds and media attention across the USA.

Here’s what you need to know.