News

A pair of late runs, some clutch defense, and a sublime pitching performance from Ky Jackson, propelled Australia to a gruelling 4-2 comeback victory over Colombia on the first day of the Under 23 Baseball World Cup.

Blake Cavill paced the offence with three hits and Jackson tossed 5.1 innings in the victory. Australia broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning by scoring a pair of winning runs.

This was far from easy. Simply put: Australia just had to battle.

The team sweat through sweltering 39-degree heat at field level in Shaoxing, China.

Jackson fought his way through a shaky first inning to turn in a wonderful final stat line.

The bats earned their way on to the scoreboard, playing both big and small, in finding different methods to score.

The defense worked their way out of some sticky situations, taking Colombian runs off the board with two different inning-ending double-plays.

“Today’s game said a lot about our guys,” said Australia’s head coach Shayne Watson. “Offensively the guys were grinding out at-bats, putting our guys in a good situation. But full credit to Ky Jackson on the mound. With what he did for us in the first game, going as deep as he did with a low pitch count, says a lot for him and his heart around Team Australia.”

Let’s start with Jackson.

The 22-year-old from New South Wales, who is pitching full-time in Japan’s Industrial League, allowed three hits and a pair runs from the first three batters he faced. Those two Colombian scores had the South Americans up 2-1 early.

From there, Jackson was nearly perfect. He retired the next twelve Colombian batters in a row, and 16-of-17, over the next 5+ innings.

You could call his pitching cerebral. The right-hander often raced ahead in counts and used his off-speed pitch to devastating effect.

“I had a lot of nerves coming into the game,” admits Jackson. “I missed a few spots. I just told myself to calm down and do what I’ve been doing all year. After that I started getting ahead in counts and I was all good. I was calm.”

Jackson finished with five strikeouts, four hits, one walk and two earned runs in his 5.1 innings of work.

“I had all my pitches working in the first but the boys made some big plays in the field which calmed me down even more. I knew if I kept putting up zeroes the guys would come through with some runs,” he said. “I really enjoyed my outing.”

Jackson’s performance on the mound allowed Australian bats to come through when it mattered the most.

Blake Cavill (below), who is playing NCAA Division I with Troy University, opened the scoring in the first with a booming two-out RBI triple off the wall.

Down 2-1 in the fourth, Solomon Maguire delivered a ground-rule double to tie the game.

In the fifth inning, Australian small ball did some big damage. Zak Skinner’s bases-loaded-walk and BJay Cooke’s sacrifice fly pushed Australia in front for good.

From there, the defense took over. Colombia had a glorious opportunity in the sixth and penultimate inning. With Jackson out the game, the South Americans loaded the bases with just one out.

But relief pitcher Kieren Hall induced a huge double play – and a jubilant reaction in the Australian dugout – to end the inning and preserve the 4-2 scoreline.

Cooper Morgan closed the door with a pair of outs in the seventh and final inning.

You can read the full recap as it happened below.

Australia is in six-team Pool A with Colombia, Puerto Rico, Japan, Great Britain and hosts China. The top three teams after pool play advance to the Super Round next weekend.

Australia’s next game is against Puerto Rico at 9:00PM AEST on Saturday 7 September. Puerto Rico opens the tournament Friday evening against Japan.

Visit our ‘U23 World Cup Hub’ for schedule, streaming, roster information & archived stories. Full tournament information can be found on the WBSC website. 

BOX SCORE: Click here.

RECAP: HOW IT UNFOLDED

Blake Cavill drove in Australia’s first run of the game in the top of the first inning, hammering a two-out pitch off the wall in straight-away centre to score Alex Skepton.

He finished with five strikeouts, four hits, one walk and two earned runs in his 5.1 innings of work.

Colombia responded instantly in the bottom half of the inning.

Reds minor leaguer Jorge Puerta capped off a string of three straight Colombia hits to begin the first by scoring two runs with his RBI-double down the right field line.

It was nearly more. Solomon Maguire led an inning ending double play in centrefield by making a catch and doubling off a Colombian runner at second.

Australian starter Ky Jackson settled his nerves quickly. After conceding three straight hits to start the game, he sat down the next twelve in order, and 15 of 16 overall.

His pitching was cerebral, getting himself ahead in counts, attacking the zone and using his curveball to great effect.

Jackson was assisted by some smooth fielding, including a great knock down from Jo Stevens at third, and a double-play from Solomon Maguire in centrefold.

Australian bats pressured Colombian starter from the moment the umpire said “play ball”, bringing a runner into scoring positing each of the first five innings.

They eventually chased the 22-year-old in the top of the fourth inning with two runners on and two outs.

Against new Colombian pitcher David Burgos, Pittsburgh Pirates Solomon Maguire whacked a pitch to right field that one hopped the wall. The ground-rule double scored Skepton to tie the game at two.

The final line for Acevedo read: 3.2 innings, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 BB, 2 HPB.

Australia kept the pressure up against the new Colombian pitchers. They loaded the bases in the fifth inning.

Zak Skinner worked a four-pitch walk to push Australia back in front 3-2. BJay Cooke doubled the lead with a sacrifice fly the next batter.

Colombia eventually chased Jackson from the game after the Australian pitcher walked a batter with one out in the bottom of the sixth.

23-year-old Kieren Hall entered in relief. A walk, a single and suddenly Colombia had bases-loaded with the go-ahead run on the tracks.

But, as they say Down Under, … “no worries.”

Hall wiggled his way out of a jam by forcing a 1-2-3 double play on former Pirates prospect Gustavo Arias.

Colombia pressured again in the seventh and final inning.

With one out and a runner on, Australia turned it over to Cooper Morgan. The left-hander from Canberra forced a groundout and a punch out to end the game.

USEFUL LINKS

TEAM AUSTRALIA U23 WORLD CUP HUB: www.baseball.com.au/u23worldcup/ 

WBSC U23 World Cup Page: Click here

Broadcast & Streaming: Gametime.Sport